Core Questions SET
The Core Set of questions for all student evaluations of teaching will include 18-19 questions, of which 12-13 will be fixed response and the remaining six (6) will be open field.
OVERALL SECTION (Q1-Q2)
Questions in this section reflect the overall course teaching experience
Q1 How much did you learn in this course?
A great deal
A lot
A moderate amount
A little
Nothing at all
Q2 How much did this course stimulate your interest in this area?
A great deal
A lot
A moderate amount
A little
Not at all
COURSE COMPONENTS SECTION (Q3-Q6)
Questions on the primary and possible secondary components of the course.
Q3 How useful were lecture/laboratory/seminar/discussion components in supporting your overall learning in the course?
Extremely useful
Very useful
Moderately useful
A little useful
Not useful at all
[NB: this question will be repeated for each of the course components above; so if a class was coded ‘LEC’ and ‘DIS’, students would see a question about lecture components and then one about discussion components]
Q4 How often did you practice skills or apply concepts during class time (small group discussion or problem-solving, responding to polls or instructor questions, completing worksheets, in-class writing or exercises, hands-on activities, etc.)?
Almost every class period
Most class periods
Some class periods
Rarely
Never
Q5 How much did assignments (homeworks, projects, essays, quizzes, lab reports, final papers, etc.) contribute to your overall learning in this course?
A great deal
A lot
A moderate amount
A little
Not at all
Q6 How useful was the feedback you received on assignments in this course?
Extremely useful
Very useful
Moderately useful
A little useful
Not useful at all
COURSE ORGANIZATION and WORKLOAD SECTION (Q7-Q10)
Questions on how the overall course is organized and the extent of the workload
Q7 What aspects of course organization, if any, could be improved? (Select all that apply)
Clarity of course schedule and policies
Clarity of communication with students
Clarity of assignment due dates and expectations
Selection of assigned readings and course materials
Fairness and transparency of grading
Guidance on preparing for tests and exams
Access to and organization of online materials (Canvas, other tools)
Access to and adequacy of physical space (classroom, labs, etc.)
Management of Student Disability Services accommodations
Other [please specify: _______________ ]
Q8 Overall, how well organized was this course?
Extremely well organized
Very well organized
Moderately well organized
Slightly organized
Not organized at all
Q9 Are you aware of any violations of academic integrity (e.g., unauthorized copying, plagiarism, unauthorized use of artificial intelligence or online resources, unauthorized sharing of homework, tests, or answer sheets, etc.) or issues with how academic integrity was maintained in this course? Please share your thoughts and experiences:
[OPEN RESPONSE]
Q10 How many hours per week on average did you spend on this course, including scheduled class (or lab, section, etc.) time?
(Write in full integer) _________.
COURSE SUPPORT and CLIMATE SECTION (Q11-Q13)
Questions on course content that provides sense of belonging and support.
Q11 How well did members of the teaching team (instructors, TAs, lab techs, etc.) provide assistance in this course through, for example, office hours, online forums, help sessions, in-class or section questions, or other communications with students?
Extremely well
Very well
Moderately well
A little
Not at all
Q12 How well did members of the teaching team (instructors, TAs, lab techs, etc.) support a sense of belonging in the course for students of different backgrounds, identities and worldviews?
Extremely well
Very well
Moderately well
A little
Not at all
Q13 Please describe your experiences, positive or negative, of belonging and inclusion in this course. What are 1-2 examples of things that worked well or things that could be improved?
[OPEN RESPONSE]
GENERAL REFLECTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS SECTION (Q14-Q18)
Questions on student thoughts and reflections about the impact of the course content, for them and possibly for others
Q14 In what ways has this course made you think differently or more deeply about the content, provided new critical thinking skills, or developed new techniques, disciplinary knowledge, or problem-solving skills in this area? Please provide examples.
[OPEN RESPONSE]
Q15 What constructive advice would you give to a student who is considering or preparing to take this course in the future?
[OPEN RESPONSE]
Q16 How would you assess the overall quality of this course?
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Q17 Please describe 2-3 things working well to support your learning in the current form of the course (these could be large or small; please be as specific and concrete as possible).
[OPEN RESPONSE]
Q18 Please provide 2-3 suggestions for improvement that would help support learning in future iterations of this course (these could be large or small, please be as specific and concrete as possible).
[OPEN RESPONSE]
Download Core Questions SET
Printable PDF of Core Questions SET
Additional Questions
An additional 6-8 questions can be set at the college, department, or instructor level, according to the college preference and policy. The implementation team will be happy to work with colleges to support this.
Outside of Scope
- There is no common question set for TAs, but colleges can use the Explorance SETs system to administer existing/amended TA evaluations.
- There is no common midterm feedback form, but colleges can use the Explorance SETs system to administer midterm feedback, or Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI) or McCormick Teaching Excellence Institute (MTEI) midterm feedback programs.
SETs Guidance and Policies
The SETs Advisory Council will provide support and coordination during the implementation phase, guide ongoing use, governance and refinement, and address college-specific and faculty needs. One group will focus on content and the other will focus on technical functionality.