In 2004 the University established an online survey of student evaluation of units as part of a mandatory and systematic approach to student feedback on learning and teaching at SCU. Following successful trialling of the system University Executive determined that from 2006 every student will have the opportunity to provide feedback on every unit in every study period using the University's online feedback system.

The survey can only be completed online and students access it through their MySCU account at study.scu.edu.au. There is no hard copy option available. Each feedback session usually runs from week 10 until the end of the study period.

The online instrument, titled Student Feedback on Learning & Teaching consists of a set of 7 core questions to be answered by all students, and 5 assessor selected optional questions. Each question also includes space to accommodate qualitative feedback (free text responses). All responses are anonymous and confidential and cannot be linked to an individual student.

How are Students Advised of the Feedback Sessions

• In the week leading up to the survey period an announcement regarding the upcoming feedback session appears on the MySCU Student Intranet.
• Also at this time all students enrolled in units in the particular study period are contacted by email to alert them to the availability and timing of the online survey.
• Regular email reminders are forwarded to students who have not completed the feedback survey.

Download sample "Student Feedback System - Email Advice to Students"^

Customising the Survey Questions

• For two weeks before each survey period Unit Assessors have the opportunity to customise the survey on the feedback website at staff.scu.edu.au/teaching/ufq by selecting 5 Optional Questions for their units from Student Feedback System - Question Bank^.
• If the Unit Assessor chooses not to select specific Optional Questions an approved default set Student Feedback System - Default Questions^ will be automatically loaded to the survey instrument.
• Details regarding designated Unit Assessors for each study period are downloaded to the feedback system from Student One. It is imperative that Schools maintain accurate updated records of Unit Assessors on Student One for each study period, otherwise important feedback may be available to the wrong staff member, or if the listing is blank, not available at all.
• Customisation of the survey is only available to the designated Unit Assessor in the relevant study period (see Feedback Sessions Scheduled for 2011).
• Attempts to access the customisation facility by staff other than the designated Unit Assessor for the current study period will result in an error message:

'You are not authorised to administer this system! If you believe you should have rights to do so as a Unit Assessor, please contact Tony Batts [abatts@scu.edu.au].'

• Unit Assessors can customise the survey for their own units at Feedback Customisation^.
• To complete the customisation of the Assessor Selected Optional Questions click on SET QUESTIONS. All units for which you are listed on Student One as Unit Assessor will display by study period. Units in the current feedback session will have a status 'Customisation' - click on the Edit button and select five questions from the Question Bank - then click on Save Selected Questions at the bottom of the list.
• Repeat for any other units in the current feedback session you wish to customise.

Should you need help to manoeuvre through the customisation process, contact Tony Batts.

Student Response Rates

• To view response rates for a unit at any time during the feedback session click on REPORTS in the Student Feedback System at study.scu.edu.au/teaching/ufq.
• All units for which you are listed on Student One as Unit Assessor will display by study period.
• Units in the current feedback session will have a status 'Running'.
• For units where feedback has been provided you will notice a gold bar in the column headed 'Response'. Hover your cursor over the gold bar (don't click) and a response rate will appear.

Improving Response Rates

Our experience to date indicates that if we are to achieve a reasonable response rate using a fully online student feedback system it is essential for Unit Assessors and other teaching staff to actively encourage student participation during the survey period. This is particularly relevant for off-shore students where participation rates generally have been very low. Please make class room announcements or send email group messages (particularly for external and off-shore students) reminding students that we welcome their feedback and it will only take a few minutes to complete the online survey. Students also need to be reassured that the feedback is anonymous and confidential. Students who don't have access to a home computer can complete the survey at any of our campuses on computers available in the Student Services Office, the Library, computer labs or areas designated by the Student Associations. A proven effective strategy for on campus classes is for Unit Assessors/Lecturers to designate a quarter hour session in a computer lab or the Library during a scheduled class when students can complete the survey. Staff who do this regularly achieve a response rate of around 60%.

Student participation in the feedback surveys can also be reinforced by briefing students on the results from previous sessions and advising of actions taken to introduce improvements.

Survey Results

• Unit Assessors can download a full feedback report which includes rankings to the questions and student comments from the Student Feedback System at study.scu.edu.au/teaching/ufq .
• Unit Assessors can download a report of feedback from previous study periods to the desktop of their computer at any time.
• A report of the current feedback session can only be downloaded once grades have been published on the web to students. This usually occurs on the Monday following the Board of Assessors Meeting.
• In the page listing your units click on the bar graph icon on the right side of the study period for the unit. A report page will open displaying enrolment data and survey results and analysis. Scroll to the bottom of the page and there is a box in which you can select items to appear in the downloaded report. You can opt to have the ranking results sorted by study mode and/or location. Make sure you select the Survey Text Answers box for the comments provided by student, you can even sort these by response order or location. Click the Create PDF Report button and the report will download to your desktop.
• Heads of School have access to Unit Feedback Reports for all units offered by their School.

Feedback Sessions Scheduled for 2011

Student Feedback on Teaching

• In 2009 the University began to collect feedback on student evaluation of teaching as an extension of the online unit feedback instrument. Students have the opportunity to respond to a set of 6 System Wide Teaching questions and up to 5 specific Teacher Selected questions. Teaching feedback reports are available to the Unit Assessor and nominated Teacher via the Online Unit Feedback site at http://study.scu.edu.au/teaching/ufq

Planned Improvements

Each year we have continued to improve the online feedback system to enhance access and retrieval of information. If you have suggestions as to how we might further improve the system please discuss them with Tony Batts in the Office of Planning Quality & Review.

Updated: 20 April 2011