Why should I consider doing a mid-course evaluation of my class?

• Students appreciate knowing that you are interested in their opinion about how the course is progressing.
• Students feel more invested in the course if they have some input into its operation.
• Conducting a mid-course evaluation provides you with information about student perceptions of the effectiveness of the learning activities.
• Conducting a mid-course evaluation provides you with information about the direction your student ratings are taking.

What can I do with the information that I learn from doing a mid-course evaluation of my class?

• Use it to assist you in making adjustments to your course practices that will result in greater student learning, such as changing the lecture routine; changing the nature, number, or content of quizzes; or changing the out-of-class assignments.
• Use it as valuable information about what you can do to change the direction of your student ratings.
• Use it to demonstrate to your administrators and colleagues that you are willing and responsive to your students’ concerns about their learning experience.
• Use it to highlight a significant upward shift in student ratings when it is compared with the end-of-semester ratings.

How do I conduct a mid-course evaluation of my class?

• You can ask students to write an anonymous note indicating what they like and dislike about the course, or what learning activities they think produce the greatest amount of learning.
• You can ask students to suggest learning activities in which they would like to participate.
• You can ask students what they found to be most distressing on the quizzes or exams so far.
• You can have the students complete an online survey. Contact Bryan Bradley, CTL’s Evaluation and Assessment Consultant, for assistance with this suggestion.

Other Mid-Course Evaluation Topics

Mid-Course Evaluation Techniques
See three ideas for administering your own evaluation.

Instructional Development & Evaluation Assessment (IDEA)
Individualize your evaluation, and easily integrate spiritual objectives.