Student surveys provide you with the opportunity to tell us what you think is working well, and what you think could be better. Sharing your experiences helps us continue to improve the experience for current and future students. The feedback you provide is completely confidential. No individuals are identified in reporting of the survey results and all data collected is held securely. Academic staff are asked to review students’ responses to the surveys, and communicate any actions arising from them. This is known as ‘closing the feedback loop’ (CTFL).
In addition to rating scale questions, you will be invited to leave written comments. This is a valuable opportunity for you to provide feedback about your experience in your own words.
The next section provides some guidance on how to make the best of this opportunity to make sure that your voice is heard.
In your student surveys, you may be asked to provide written comments about your experiences. Your written comments are a valuable source of feedback. In order for staff to get the most out of your comments, please try to ensure that your comments are:
- Constructive
- Concise
- Relevant
- Specific
- Realistic
- Focused on the issue, not the person
- Based on first-hand experience
The following sections include some tips and examples on each of the above points, as well as information on implicit bias, and how this can play out in student surveys. We also talk about the importance of professionalism.
Implicit bias (or unconscious bias) is when our unconscious mind makes snap judgments about people and situations, based on our background, cultural environment and personal experiences. It can lead us to unconsciously favour people that are ‘like us’ based on things like gender, and social, or other characteristics.
- How does implicit bias play out in student surveys?
Research has found that students’ evaluations of teaching can be influenced by a range of demographic characteristics of their instructors, including attractiveness, age, race, gender, and academic discipline. For example, there is evidence of gender bias and racial bias in teaching evaluations, and that these biases can cause more effective instructors to receive lower scores than less effective instructors.
- How might implicit biases be expressed in feedback?
A common way in which our implicit biases play out in practice is through microaggressions. These are brief and commonplace daily words, actions and behaviours, often unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults. An example of this would be dismissive comments about foreign accents or English language ability being used to question a lecturer’s professional competence.
Examples of microaggressions can be viewed in this PDF download from Advance HE's Tackling Racism on Campus project.
- Why is it important to be aware of implicit bias?
We all have implicit bias, but being aware of, and acknowledging it, can help reduce our susceptibility to it. Consider what biases are most likely to affect you. Just being conscious of our biases and actively thinking about how they might influence our judgements, can help to reduce the effects.
Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to providing a high quality teaching and learning environment that is conducive to the academic and social well-being of the University community. High standards of conduct are necessary for the benefit of all members of the University and the maintenance of the University's reputation. Students are expected to behave at all times in a way which demonstrates respect for the University, its students, staff and the wider community.
It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that they have read and are familiar with the Code of Student Conduct. The Code is designed to encourage all students to meet the standards of behaviour required by the University. It is essential that all students comply with these standards and action may be taken where comments are considered to breach the Code of Student Conduct.
Students on certain professionally registered programmes are also subject to the University’s Fitness to Practise Regulations.
