University Student Course Surveys

Student course surveys provide one important source of evidence about the student learning experience and can complement other forms of teaching reflection, such as peer observations and self-reflection. 

All instructors except faculty who have received tenure will have student surveys run automatically in their classes at the end of every semester. Results are typically available one to two weeks after grades are due. 

This page helps faculty administer the course surveys effectively, offering strategies for increasing participation, interpreting the results, and translating the findings into continuous teaching development and improvement.

Tracking Student Participation Rates

For the course survey results to be informative, it is essential that enough students complete the survey. We recommend that faculty track student participation rates and provide reminders as needed while student surveys remain open.

  1. Navigate to Canvas.
  2. Click the “Account” icon on the top left of the screen
  3. Click the “Course Evaluations” link within the “Account” panel.
  4. Choose your current course(s) from the list to see participation rate data.

Some faculty at Montclair have student survey response rates upward of 80%. When asked how they do it, they refer to the strategies described below.

Strategies for Increasing Survey Participation

While you cannot require students to complete surveys, give extra credit, or otherwise reward individual students for completing surveys, there are strategies you can use to incentivize your students as a group.

All faculty are asked to employ these strategies so that we can collectively send the message that student perspectives matter and that we respond to the ideas that students present. While some student comments are not actionable for obvious reasons, often student perceptions can lead to course design or pedagogical approach changes that faculty are pleased to make.

  • When surveys open, inform your students through Canvas and in-person announcements, and make a plea to your students. Students wonder if anyone reads these surveys and if they are “worth it.” Tell them that you will read them, and tell them why they are important to you in advancing your skills as a teacher. Be specific and sincere; for example:
    • “I use this feedback to revise assignments and pacing.”
    • “Student feedback directly shapes how this course runs next semester.”
    • “This is your chance to speak to decisions that affect future students.”
  • Share examples of constructive and non-constructive feedback. See “Four Things I Convey to Students” for more ideas about cultivating constructive feedback.
A group of college students talk together in a classroom
  • Make time in class for completing the survey.
    • For in-person or synchronous modalities, you can direct students’ attention to the survey invitation they received, leave the session, and return in 15 minutes to complete the class session.
    • For asynchronous courses, create a non-credit assignment for students to complete. Completion can be based on affirmation similar to this one: "___ I have completed the University’s student survey, or I have considered completing it and have chosen not to, as is my right as a student."
  • Provide a group reward. For example, if the whole class achieves a participation rate of 70%, bring in cookies for the class. Or drop a short end-of-term assignment that does not impact learning.

Reviewing Student Course Survey Results

  • Reviewing your course surveys can sometimes feel uncomfortable, so it is helpful to try reading them with some detachment.
  • Focus on identifying 2–3 specific actions you can take next semester based on consistent themes.
  • Take notes.
  • Put aside the errant comments from students who offer perspectives that are not echoed by others. 

Strategies for Reviewing Survey Results

  1. Check survey participation rates. Did enough students respond to make generalizations useful? If not, consider strategies above to increase survey participation next semester.
  2. Consider your ratings in context. Do student perceptions differ depending on the course content? Have they changed from previous semesters? Are your averages different from the department’s averages? from the other sections of the same course? from similar courses in your department or college/school?
  3. Look for ratings outliers. Is there an aspect of the course or your teaching that students are especially satisfied or dissatisfied with? 
  4. For comments, focus on consistent themes. If one student makes an unusual comment that is not echoed by other students, it is unlikely to be a comment you need to take into consideration as you develop your teaching. However, if several students express that the course pace was too fast, or that a particular assignment was especially valuable, that’s actionable information. You can adjust your pace, and you can duplicate or expand the specially valued course assignment.

Organize your notes

A college student sits at an outdoor table and writes on a piece of paper


As you interpret your course survey results, use these topics to organize your notes. Each topic represents a possible area of teaching development.

  • Course Design: topics covered, assessments, workload, alignment of content and assessments, organization, design for varied learners
  • Pedagogy: connection with the professor, activities, community, critical thinking, the effectiveness of lectures
  • Inclusivity: diversity of course materials, sense of inclusion, support, and fostering of belonging
  • Discipline: course content’s relevance to the anticipated course subject.

We recommend talking with a colleague, a mentor, or your department chair for guidance on integrating student feedback into your curriculum.

Considerations for Personnel Actions

Reflecting purposefully on student surveys, in light of your ongoing efforts in teaching development, guides other readers of your student surveys. Connect student ratings and commentary to your teaching materials, your pedagogy, and your own plans for continuous improvement. Consider using the Teaching Excellence Plan to guide your plans for further development.

Have Questions?