Office for Faculty Excellence

University Student Course Surveys

Student Survey Administration

Survey Administration Process

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. See Course Surveys for information regarding survey administration.

Instructors can track student participation rates during the period surveys are open through Canvas,

    1. Navigate to Canvas: https://montclair.instructure.com/
    2. Click the “Account” icon on the top left of the screen
    3. Click the “Course Evaluations” link within the “Account” panel

You will then see a list of courses. Click on your current course(s) to see participation rate data.

Strategies for Increasing Survey Participation

Survey results are most informative and helpful to instructors when a sufficient number of students respond to them. 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. Montclair 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.

  • Provide evidence that student input matters. In your course introduction, give examples of changes you have made to the course based on input from students in previous semesters.
  • Request specific constructive feedback. By sharing examples of constructive and non-constructive feedback, you will also help students see that you are interested in the feedback they provide. See “Four Things I Convey to Students” for more ideas about cultivating constructive feedback.
  • Make time in class for completing the survey.
    • For in-person or sync 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 async modalities, create a non-credit assignment for students to complete is based on affirmation. For example:Student Surveys Assignment:Course surveys are now open and take about 5 minutes to complete. I appreciate your taking the time to offer constructive feedback that can help inform how this course is designed and taught in the future. I will not have access to your anonymous responses until after final grades have been submitted.  Find the survey link in an email from the Provost or through Canvas:
      1. Navigate to Canvas: https://montclair.instructure.com/
      2. Click the “Account” icon on the top left of the screen
      3. Click the “Course Evaluations” link within the “Account” panel.

      Please complete the survey by Sunday at 11:59pm and use this Canvas assignment to simply affirm the following:

      ___ 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.

  • 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.”
  • 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 the Surveys

Use Surveys to Make Plans for the Next Semester

  • Reviewing your course surveys can sometimes feel uncomfortable, so it is helpful to try reading them with some detachment.
  • Focus on identifying just 2-3 specific actions you can take 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 the Surveys

  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 information to attend to. You can adjust your pace, and you can duplicate or expand the specially valued course assignment.

Organize your notes

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. Likewise, the staff at OFE is available by appointment.

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. Regardless of your teaching position, consider using the Teaching Excellence Plan to guide your plans for further development.

If you would like to talk about the results, your thoughts, or strategies for addressing comments, please meet with an OFE staff member.

For more information or help, please email the Office for Faculty Excellence or make an appointment with a consultant.

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Last Modified: Monday, January 5, 2026 4:54 pm