At the end of every term, you receive a survey seeking your feedback about your courses. You may not believe this, but faculty truly WANT your feedback! This document will help you write feedback that your faculty can use to improve the course. You will find the survey for each of your classes on Duckweb in the Course Surveys link.
The most valuable feedback is actionable, thoughtful, and concrete. The University of Oregon is unusual in that it gives you space to write about real, specific aspects of your experience. This is your chance to make your voice heard. Go for it!
(1) Actionable
Actionable feedback offers ideas an instructor can use to improve the class. Remember, instructors don’t decide things like class time, the room you meet in, or whether a course is required or not.
Not so helpful:
Teach this class at some time other than 8am!
More helpful:
Because this class is first thing in the morning, efforts you make to get us moving and talking are important to me.
(2) Thoughtful
The most thoughtful feedback explains your feedback. Instructors are trying to make choices to help you learn.
Not so helpful:
This class was TOO MUCH WORK!
More helpful:
Some of the work we did didn’t seem important for the way we were actually graded. For example, we spent lots of time reading about X, but X didn’t factor into our papers or exams.
(3) Concrete
Concrete feedback is specific! Tell your instructors and their departments exactly what about a teaching and learning element was helpful or unhelpful.
Not so helpful:
Checking the box that says, for example, “Feedback” was most beneficial to your learning, but not saying why
More helpful:
Writing something specific. For example, “You are one of few instructors who actually told me things I was doing right (not just wrong!) in your feedback on my essays. That really inspired me to try harder and showed me what to build on.”
Please note: Personal attacks, discriminatory, demeaning or obscene language will be removed from faculty evaluation documents. You can find definitions for each of these here.
Thank you for caring about this and doing your best to give good feedback!