Idea Galleria #1

Does the students' opinion on the way a course is taught really matter? I think so.

Christopher Pagan, a physics teacher at Trinidad Garza Early College High School would agree. In a 2016 Edutopia article, Pagan promotes the active use of student feedback surveys to continually adapt and improve his teaching strategies. These surveys allow the students voice their concerns, issues, or highlight the successes of the classroom. This occurs twice a year in Pagan's classes. Mainly these surveys allowed this educator to change his practice.

The outcome was a major improvement in academic success in future classes. At the same time, this strategy acknowledges the value of the students' voice and the ability to make change by voicing their opinions. This character development and increase in academic success has been backed by science.

In the same year a peer reviewed article was released further advocating and legitimizing this as an effective teaching strategy. In this study teachers were given 3 months to modify their teaching strategies and practices based off student feedback surveys (not the same as Pagan uses, but same concept) received earlier in the year. After the time was up, students and teachers were given another feedback form to review if any of the changes made were effective in student engagement and learning. The results was more than two-thirds of the participants felt the student feedback survey is an effective in faculty development.

Now that we have the evidence, let's look at the method! Heres four steps to implementing student feedback surveys according to Pagan:

STEP 1

Build a small group of advocates. Have some teachers' who are willing to document and record their findings. It may be a very new concept for some teachers, so having them see the results is a great start.

STEP 2

Get the all the teachers' comfortable. Explain, practice, and practice! Work together on how this survey is going to look like.

STEP 3

Keep the survey simple and straightforward, you want to make it universal for every subject

STEP 4

Get the students comfortable with the goals of the survey. This is probably very new for them and may be nervous about critiquing their teacher, even if it is constructive criticism.

Once you have collected the feedback, you can now develop and modify your practice accordingly! Remember you have a community of teachers who are conducting these surveys as well, work together to come up with answers to the students' concerns. Below is an example of the survey Trinidad Garza Early College High School uses:

References (APA 7th ed.):

Husain, M., & Khan, S. (2016). Students' feedback: An effective tool in teachers' evaluation system. International journal of applied & basic medical research, 6(3), 178–181. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-516X.186969

Improving teaching with expert feedback—From students. (2016, June 14). Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/practice/student-surveys-using-student-voice-improve-teaching-and-learning.

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Idea Galleria is a concept I created. Gallerias are enclosed spaces which showcase a variety stores, dining, and establishments. My Idea Galleria is a repertoire of ideas for teaching strategies, techniques, and methodologies which others have done. Just as any galleria, some stores you may want to enter than others, maybe it is a product you need or you love the style of clothing they sell, whatever the case is that is how I ask you to treat these ideas. There may be one idea that might be just what you need right now and you are willing to try it out.