Mid-Semester Feedback

A short, anonymous check-in with students shows what is helping them learn while there is still time to adjust. Instructors can collect it in class or online, once at midterm or at regular points through the term.

Why it’s worth it

  • It helps this class, not just the next one. Mid-semester feedback arrives while changes can still be applied to your course, improving the experience for your current students.
  • It surfaces easy fixes. Many requests are small: post slides earlier, clarify an assignment, slow down on one topic.
  • It builds trust. Students engage more when they see that their input is valued and helps shape the course.
  • It can improve end-of-term course ratings. Students who have seen an instructor listen and respond to feedback value the purpose of end-of-semester evaluations.

Step 1: Decide What to Ask

Three to six focused questions.

Step 2: Invite Students

Make time and explain why.

Step 3: Make Sense of Responses

Sort, find themes, choose changes.

Step 4: Close the loop

Tell students what you heard.

Step 1: Decide what to ask

Good questions are short, focused on things you can change, and a mix of quick ratings and open comments.

Fastest Option:

Three questions that work in any course
1. What is helping your learning in this course that should continue?
2. What is getting in the way of your learning that should stop or change?
3. What could you or the instructor start doing to improve your learning?

Build your own from a question bank
Choose a few from each area that fits your goals.

  • Which class activity has helped you learn the most so far? Why?
  • What is one thing that makes learning in this course harder than it needs to be?
  • How clear are the expectations for assignments? (1 = not clear, 5 = very clear)
  • Is the pace of the course too slow, about right, or too fast?
  • How useful is the feedback you receive on your work? (1 = not useful, 5 = very useful)
  • About how many hours per week do you spend on this course outside of class?
  • Which topic so far is least clear to you?
  • What is one thing you could do differently to learn more in this course?
  • How comfortable do you feel asking questions in or outside of class? (1 = not comfortable, 5 = very comfortable)
  • This semester the course added [weekly practice quizzes]. How useful are they for your learning? What would make them more useful?
  • How well is [group work] working for you? What would improve it?
  • How easy is it to find what you need in Brightspace? (1 = very hard, 5 = very easy)

Tips for useful questions

  • Keep it short. Three to six questions get more thoughtful answers than fifteen.
  • Ask only about what you’re willing to change. Asking about something fixed, such as a required textbook, sets up disappointment.
  • Pair ratings with a “why.” A rating shows how many students feel a certain way. A comment shows what to do about it.
  • Keep it anonymous. In person, step out of the room and have a student collect paper forms.
  • Time it after graded work. Students give more grounded feedback once they know how they’re doing.
  • Take it yourself first. If an answer wouldn’t tell you what to do next, revise the question.
  • Exit cards: Students answer one question on an index card as they leave.
  • One-minute paper: Students write briefly on the most important idea from class and their biggest remaining question.
  • Quick poll: A single anonymous question in a polling tool during class.
  • Facilitated focus group: A CITL consultant visits your class, talks with students while you step out, and shares a confidential summary with you.


For surveys, UMaine supports Qualtrics at UMaine, Google Forms, and the Surveys tool in Brightspace.

Step 2: Invite the students

Feedback offered as an optional add-on often gets low participation and vague comments. A brief, sincere introduction makes a real difference.

  • Make time for it. In class, set aside time at the start of a session. Online, place it at the start of a module.
  • Explain why. Tell students how you will use their answers and when you will share what you heard.
  • Show what useful feedback looks like. Ask for specific examples, remind them to focus on the course rather than you (the instructor) and request they suggest an alternative when something isn’t working.

Sample Introduction

“We’re about halfway through the semester, and I’d like to know how the course is working for you while there’s still time to make changes. This is anonymous and ungraded, but I will give points for completion if you upload an screenshot of your completed survey page to Brightspace. The most helpful comments are specific: tell me what happened and what would work better. I’ll read every response and share what I heard next week.”

Step 3: Make sense of responses

Read everything once without reacting. Then work through the responses with a simple sorting method.

Sort each suggestion into one of four groups

Change now
Quick fixes you can make this week, such as posting slides before class.

Change later
Bigger ideas to try next semester, such as redesigning a project.

Can’t change, but can explain
Required elements. Students accept these more readily when they understand why.

Note and set aside
One-off comments that don’t point to an action.

Finding themes in written comments
1. Read one question at a time across all responses.
2. Give each comment a short tag, such as “pace,” “feedback timing,” or “group work.”
3. Count the tags. The two or three most common are your themes.
4. Pick one or two changes to act on. Trying to address everything at once rarely works.

Reading rating questions
Look at how responses are spread out, not just the average. A middle average can hide a split class.

Example: “The pace of the course works for me.” 30 responses, average 3.0.
5, strongly agree
12
4, agree
2
3, neutral
1
2, disagree
3
1, strongly disagree
12

An average of 3.0 suggests “fine.” The spread shows two groups with opposite experiences, which may call for optional review sessions or extension activities rather than no change in pace.

When comments sting

Most feedback is constructive, but a few comments may be unkind. Focus on patterns rather than single remarks. One exception: a single comment about feeling excluded or unable to access course materials deserves attention even if no one else raises it. CITL staff are glad to read through comments with you and help put them in perspective.

Step 4: Close the loop

Responding to the feedback legitimizes the process and is will help students take later requests for input seriously. Within a week, take a few minutes to share:

  • What you heard, in a sentence or two per theme.
  • What will change now and what you’ll consider for the future.
  • What won’t change, and why.
  • Thanks for their time and honesty.

Sample follow-up

“Thank you for the feedback last week. Many of you said the weekly problem sets help, so those will stay. Several of you asked for slides before class, and starting Monday they’ll be in Brightspace the night before. A few asked to drop the final project. It stays because it’s where you apply everything from the course, but I’ll add a checkpoint so it feels less like one big deadline.”

Templates and examples

Get support

CITL can help you draft questions, visit your class to run a confidential student focus group, or talk through results with you.