Increasing Student Participation
The following represent best practices as identified in the literature about increasing student participation in course evaluations.
- How can I increase response rates?
- Stress the importance of evaluation early in the semester, by using evaluation and/or assessment activities that demonstrate valuing student feedback.
- Explain how the university uses the evaluations. Explain how you use the evaluations.
- Give instructions. Explain how students find the evaluation.
- Give early reminders 2 to 3 weeks before evaluation process begins.
- Make it an assignment or extra credit—with or without points assigned (e.g., one instructor offered 10 extra credit points—out of 1,000—to everyone in the class if the participation went above 90 percent—it went to 97 percent); another instructor had a bonus question on the final exam that asked about an ICES item.
- Monitor the live response rates within ICES and report these to students as reminders to participate.
2. How can I get constructive written feedback?
- Ask students for their detailed written feedback. Give them examples of what types of feedback are helpful (e.g., Did tests reflect material covered in lecture or readings? Were the readings useful in preparing for lectures and exams?).
- Provide example(s) of changes you have made to course based on student feedback.
- Emphasize interest in constructive feedback.