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A new tool from experience management company Qualtrics manages the entire course evaluations process, from customizing questions to analyzing results on an institutional, department or individual course level. Course Evaluations is designed to help institutions "identify gaps in the learning experience and understand which actions have the biggest impact on experience, engagement and performance," according to the company.

Administrators can create course evaluations using Course Evaluations' pre-built question library, as well as customize questions for more targeted feedback. The tool automatically distributes the evaluations to students, who can respond via e-mail or through a learning management system. Automated reminders help increase response rates, and results are available to administrators immediately (rather than months after a course has concluded). It's possible, for instance, to collect feedback in the middle of a course and address problems as they arise, Qualtrics pointed out.


As an example of how Course Evaluations can revamp the traditional pen-and-paper student survey process, Qualtrics cited William Paterson University, which started using the tool to collect student feedback in 2020. Evaluations the institution conducted during the pandemic revealed that students wanted more communication from teachers, which led professors to begin hosting virtual office hours via Zoom. The evaluation process also encouraged more students to express their needs, said Tony Krucinski, department coordinator for instruction and research technology at the university: "With a hybrid or fully remote format, sometimes our students feel distant, like they can't openly engage. Whereas in the classroom, you can tell if a student is lost just by looking at them. We're seeing a lot more students providing open-ended responses because they can submit evaluations digitally via their cell phones, laptops or tablets."

"Schools are still adapting to the seismic changes of the pandemic. Their task now is to dial in to the experiences students are having — in and out of the classroom — that will keep them engaged in learning," commented Omar Garriott, global head of education at Qualtrics. "Students demand it. Waiting weeks or months to collect course and instructor feedback is a thing of the past. Qualtrics helps schools understand and take action on what students are saying more often as we all push forward into a new normal of teaching and learning."

By Rhea Kelly