Most instructors are accustomed to surveying students at the end of the semester, in order to gain helpful insight to improve their course for future terms. Midterm, on the other hand, is an optimal time to collect feedback you can use to improve the learning experience for your current students. Collecting mid-course feedback presents opportunities to discuss what’s working for students (and what’s not), address concerns or barriers to learning, and make meaningful adjustments to course materials, learning activities, and teaching strategies before the semester ends. When feedback is thoughtfully collected – and responded to—during the term, students may report higher satisfaction with their learning experience on end-of-term surveys (Cohen, 1980; McGowan & Osguthorpe, 2011).
Mid-Course Feedback on Instruction Survey
Developed through a partnership between the Drake Institute and the University Registrar, the Mid-Course Feedback on Instruction (MCFI) survey enables you to collect voluntary and confidential feedback from students so you can make meaningful adjustments to better support their learning and engagement. Ohio State instructors of all courses eligible for an end-of-semester Survey of Student Learning Experience (SSLE) can opt-in to use the MCFI, which is administered through the Registrar using Blue (the same system used for the SSLE).
An Orientation to the Mid-Course Feedback on Instruction Survey is now available in BuckeyeLearn. This 15-minute online asynchronous training addresses the benefits of formative feedback, the process for implementing the MCFI, and how to analyze results and debrief with your students.
Register for the MCFI orientation
More Approaches to Collecting Student Feedback
The Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning can provide individualized support to help Ohio State educators plan, collect, and interpret feedback from students.