Boosting Response Rates to Online Student Evaluations

One of the most frequently asked questions about student evaluations at WSU is, “How do I get more students to respond?” We have identified five key areas where simple and easily implemented strategies can boost response rates. These strategies focus on helping students to understand their responsibilities and that their voice matters.

Ask Students for Feedback. The most important step is to demonstrate responsiveness. Provide students a chance to give feedback to the course while there is time to address those concerns. Classroom assessment techniques (CATS) are a quick and easy way to find out what students think. Ask students to write down what’s working well, what isn’t, or a concept they don’t understand (muddiest point). Identify something that you can change (you don’t have to change everything) and thank them for their great ideas. You can also do mid term evaluations in class or online.

Share results from past surveys with students. Spend some time early in the term talking about past years. Share responses from your previous courses and things you’ve learned and subsequently changed. An additional twist is to share some comments with students and ask them to consider how they might respond. In one class, for instance, one student lamented, “We need greater clarity about what the right answers are.” Another student in the same class reports, “I appreciate the presentation of the gray areas of the subject.”

Vary teaching strategies. In addition to lectures, do a student project or a debate. In large classes, do a “fishbowl”—have the class observe a group of students applying concepts from lecture to a problem. Have the whole class discuss the exercise, or ask students to “think-pair-share”. That is, have students discuss their observations with a neighbor and report main ideas to the whole class. Be sure to get student feedback on the activity itself and what they learned.
Have students assess assignments. Ask students to use a rubric, or to answer specific questions about an assignment prompt, when it’s completed. CTLT can provide materials to help guide this process that you might choose to adopt or adapt. The process is good for refining the unclear aspects of an assignment, as well as for engaging your students in their responsibility for learning.

Encourage student responsibility. Recognize that response rates are indicators of students’ willingness to take responsibility for their learning. Helping students understand their responsibilities is part of the teaching mission. We want students—future employees and citizens— to engage in using evidence to carefully make and then constructively share their opinions. Help students by clearly articulating the purpose of midterm and end-of-term evaluations and discussing the results. Be a good role model; let students know what they can expect from you. Keep evaluations short. Give prompt feedback.