Workshop: Dealing with student feedback
In early 2017, we ran a staff workshop on Dealing with student feedback, which many academics found very helpful.
You can see details of the workshop in the 'notes' section of the interactive chart below.
Important note: If you are, or you know of, a staff member who is very worried and needs to talk over things with a professional in counselling or psychology, there is support for you with the Employee Assistance Program. |
Background to the workshop
Mycourseexperience is a tool that is intended to enable students to have a 'voice' in order to express their view about their personal experience of learning at UniSA. It is an important tool and in the end its about making the teaching and the learning better.
There are questions that relate specifically to the course, and other questions that relate specifically to the 'teacher' of the course. Of course, in reality, we know that while there is a difference between 'the course' and 'the teaching of the course', in practice it is difficult to separate these aspects in any meaningful way.
It is not a new phenomena for students to express their views using this tool in inappropriate ways and using inappropriate language. I personally am reminded of a Christmas eve (please don't ask why I was here) where I came across a colleague who was also working and had opened their evaluations. An intended short stay at University turned into a two hours of listening and talking with this colleague. The effect of the students' comments on this person was disturbing, and the effect on me profound.
While it may not be new, there is a perception among many that it seems to be increasing in frequency and the effect on some teaching staff is significant. We all have to be able to accept reasonable criticism of our work and our teaching but there is an appropriate way to make these comments. Some people are arguably less affected by personal comments than other people; but irrespective of the affect, it is unprofessional behaviour for students to make personal comments.
The purpose of this workshop was to explore the issue as sensitively and as sensibly as possible, and to ensure people understand that help exists and you are not on your own.
Download a presentation on Course Evaluation (1.6 MB)
After the workshop, participants were not asked to evaluate the workshop, but rather, were asked to summarise their experiences, and their ideas about a way forward. The results of this are in the chart below, for you to explore and use as you see fit.
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Interactive chart on dealing with student feedback
You can manipulate the chart below by clicking on the various headings.
Alternatively, if you are working with a small screen, you can open the chart in a new window.