By Gerry Hess from Gonzaga University School of Law
It is mid-semester. We hope our courses are going well, that our students are learning, and that our teaching methods are effective. How about getting some quick feedback from our students?
Try asking three simple questions:
» What methods were most effective for your learning so far in the course?
» What methods were least effective for your learning so far in the course?
» What suggestions do you have to enhance your learning for the second half of the course?
Put these questions on a handout with lots of response space after each question. Give your students 3-5 minutes to respond anonymously in writing. After class, review their responses. Report back to the students with the themes that emerged from their responses. Implement one of the suggestions. Most students will welcome the chance to provide you with formative feedback and will appreciate your effort to make ongoing improvements in the course.