Starting about 20 years ago, universities began transitioning their teaching evaluations from paper to an online format (clearly OSU took MUCH longer to make the change)! While efficiency and the number of qualitative comments may have improved, response rates have taken a nose-dive. Hopefully you have taken the Deans’ recent suggestion to administer some type of written mid-term teaching evaluation in your classes. If not, then the advice in this post is even more important for you.

Let’s step back a second. Why are response rates so low? Is it because students believe their feedback doesn’t matter? Or are they “feedback-fatigued”? Why SHOULD students want to complete teaching evaluations?

Students should be completing teaching evals because (hint: share these reasons with your students):

1. Doing so can help them understand how they learn best.
2. The quality of instruction matters.
3. They want to help those who follow them in the next class to have an even better experience. This works really well if you share what you have changed in your class as a result of student feedback.

So the question that follows is, “How do I get all of my students to complete them?” The research clearly shows that INCENTIVES are the key, improving response rates by 22% or more (Goodman, 2014). Try this:

• Establish some type of benchmark, like 80% or 90% response rate, and then reward the entire class if they meet the target. The reward could be:
  • Bonus/extra credit points
  • Use of a “cheat sheet” on the final exam
  • Waiving a low grade or a final assignment
  • Waiving a question on the final exam
• Proof of completion can be a screenshot of the “submitted” screen to an assignment in Canvas (they can do this on their phone, take a screenshot and submit right through the Student Canvas app), or do what I do, take 10 min at the beginning of class to have them complete the eval on their laptop or smartphone, then respond to a one-question true/false “quiz” on Canvas that confirms they have completed it.

If you try a new strategy or have a better idea to gather student feedback, put it in the comments! I am dying to see how our effort improves the amount and quality of feedback we receive from our students. USING it is up to you…what a great thing to talk about on your annual review! See this article on HOW to use student feedback.