Early Term: We encourage instructors to engage in an early term feedback process to provide agency for students and to provide students with clarifications on course expectations and/or other adjustments, if needed.
End of Semester: All instructors, teaching assistants (TA), and section leaders (SL) are evaluated at the end of a semester. There are two methods of evaluation - the University's Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) and the Department's Teaching Assistant/Section Leader Evaluation. The SRT is managed by University Survey & Assessment Services and completed by students, and the TA/SL Evaluation is managed by the Department of Psychology and completed by the supervising instructor.
Early Term Feedback
The early term feedback process is typically conducted between weeks 3 and 8 of a course. Feedback methods include creating a simple Google form/survey, Canvas early term feedback survey, or creating a survey through Explorance Blue. Additionally, the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) offers a short, 15-minute video series, Getting Feedback You Can Use, that provides useful tips and tricks for engaging in and implementing this process.
Student Rating of Teaching (SRT)
The Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) is completed by students, providing input about their instructor and the course. SRT content includes factors related to instructional excellence and course improvements. University Senate policy requires the evaluation of all courses taught at the University.
Graduate students in the Department of Psychology are reviewed by students via SRT if they have a graduate instructor (GI) or section leader (SL) appointment.
University Survey & Assessment Services (USAS) - formerly Office of Measurement Services - oversees SRT administration and reporting for the Twin Cities campus. The process and information can be found on the USAS SRT page
SRT Administration
- Instructions for Administering SRTs
- Tips and recommendations for improving online SRT response rates
- SRT Frequently Asked Questions
- Explorance Blue is the system that students complete the SRT in and where instructors access their results and completion rates. The system generates a report for each instructor.
- By default, Canvas courses provide a direct link in the course navigation for students to take the SRTs before the semester ends. If this link is not showing, follow these directions to provide the SRT link in Canvas.
Teaching Assistant/Section Leader Evaluation
At the end of each semester, all graduate students in the Department of Psychology who have a teaching assistant (TA) or section leader (SL) appointment are evaluated by the course’s instructor. Instructors will receive an email from departmental staff near the end of the semester with an evaluation form to complete. Instructors should share a copy of this evaluation with the TA/SL.
(Section leaders are also evaluated with the Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) by the students enrolled in their section.)
| Christina Wiencke Associate Director of Curriculum & Instruction S257 EltH | 626-1732 choldvog@umn.edu |
Heidi Wolff Curriculum and Graduate Services Specialist S258 EltH | 624-5002 hwolff@umn.edu |
Silke Moeller Academic Technologist N211 EltH | 625-0644 smoeller@umn.edu |