Student Course Perceptions Surveys

Question	Style
1. The instructor(s) helped me to understand the course concepts.	Likert Scale
2. The instructor(s) created a supportive environment that helped me learn (Supportive environments enable students to feel included and valued regardless of any aspect of their identity).	Likert Scale
3. The instructor(s) stimulated my interest in this course.	Likert Scale
4. The intended learning outcomes were identified (Learning outcomes/objectives articulate what students should be able to know, do, and/or value by the end of a course).	Likert Scale
5. The course activities prepared me for the graded work.	Likert Scale
6. The intended learning outcomes were assessed through my graded work.	Likert Scale
7. The workload demands for this course were...	Likert Scale
8. The most important thing I learned in this course was …	Open-ended
9. What helped me to learn in this course was …	Open-ended
10. What changes, if any, would I suggest for this course?	Open-ended

SCP Survey Purpose and Goals 

1. How do SCP survey results fit into the broader teaching assessment model at the university?

SCP survey results are one source of data for the assessment of teaching at Waterloo. As noted in the Performance Assessment section of Policy 77 – Tenure and Promotion of Faculty Members, “Teaching effectiveness should be assessed broadly using evidence gathered from multiple sources, often including self-reflection from the faculty member (often via a teaching dossier, annual/biannual performance reports, etc.), peer reviews of teaching, student course perception survey data and comments, evaluations of graduate supervision (where applicable), and possibly other sources.”

2. What is the primary goal of SCP surveys?

The primary goal of Student Course Perceptions (SCP) surveys is to provide students with a meaningful opportunity to share their perspectives on the learning experiences they encounter in their courses. These insights are used to inform a holistic understanding of teaching effectiveness, complementing peer and self-assessments to support professional growth and the continuous improvement of teaching practices at the University of Waterloo.

3. How can student feedback improve teaching?

Student feedback provides a valuable opportunity for reflection and growth offering insight into how teaching practices, course design, and interactions resonate with students. By identifying strengths and areas for improvement, course instructors can refine teaching strategies to better support student learning. Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence offers tips on Reviewing and Analyzing Feedback from Student Course Perceptions Surveys.

SCP Survey Content and Design 

4. What questions are on the SCP survey and how were they developed?

The Student Course Perceptions (SCP) survey was adopted in Winter 2022, and the questions are available at uwaterloo.ca/associate-vice-president-academic/student-course-perceptions-surveys. Prior to Winter 2022, there were at least 15 different course evaluation surveys being used across our Faculties. These historical surveys were established before the Framework for Teaching Effectiveness was adopted, so they were not designed to measure Waterloo’s teaching and learning priorities. And these historical surveys included questions with flaws that are known to introduce bias and yield unreliable results, ultimately threatening the reliability, validity, and usefulness of the data.

In 2014, a team of Waterloo Faculty members, students, and professional staff came together to begin the work of researching evidence-based principles of course evaluation surveys. Over the next six years, their work included consultations with academic administrators at other Canadian universities, focus groups with students from across Waterloo, and a large-scale pilot test. The pilot test included 41,737 SCP survey responses from 2,196 courses across all of Waterloo’s Faculties and two of its affiliated institutions. Their work concluded in 2020, when Senate endorsed their final report. Read more about the History of the Holistic Model of Teaching Assessment and review The Reports produced by the Course Evaluation Project Team (CEPT).

5. Are the SCP survey questions relevant to my specific Faculty/program/course?

The SCP survey questions were designed to be applicable to all course contexts and to measure the dimensions of teaching outlined in Waterloo’s Framework for Teaching Effectiveness.

6. Are the SCP survey questions subject to change? 

Yes, the Teaching Assessment Processes (TAP) team closely monitors SCP survey results through ongoing analyses. Any concerns with the results - such as indications of non-response or other bias - prompt the TAP team to engage in consultation to determine the underlying cause and make recommendations to improve the questions.

7. Why doesn't the SCP survey include any “overall” questions? 

As a result of their extensive research and consultations, the Course Evaluation Project Team (CEPT) recommended against the use of “overall” questions. The literature on course evaluation surveys indicates that students are more likely to draw on their own biases (instead of their course experiences) when asked to respond to an “overall” question (see Gravestock & Gregor-Greenleaf, 2008). This was also demonstrated at Waterloo, as the two “overall” items originally proposed in designing draft questions for the SCP were found to result in lower scores for female instructors. Additionally, our student focus groups revealed that these items failed to connect with the themes identified by students that influenced their perception of effective instruction (see Focus Group Analysis: A Summary of Key Themes from Students in all Faculties, 2019).

8. What is the process for adding more questions to the SCP survey?

The SCP survey was built on a cascaded model, which means that questions can be added at the Faculty, program, and/or or course levels should it be determined that more granular feedback could better inform teaching improvement. The process for including additional questions involves consultation and testing, which is led and coordinated by the Teaching Assessment Processes (TAP) team. Faculties and departments interested in adding questions to the SCP survey can contact Sonya Buffone or Kathy Becker to book a consultation. 

SCP Survey Administration 

9. When and how are SCP surveys distributed to students?

Effective Winter 2024, SCP surveys are administered during the final two weeks of classes, ending at 11:59 pm on the last day of classes. This was a change from prior terms when Faculties used different start and end dates, which caused confusion for students taking classes offered by different Faculties.

The SCP survey is administered electronically using Waterloo’s Perceptions survey platform. The primary mode of communication is intended to be through communication from each course instructor to their students. This could be by communicating and giving time in class or posting announcements in LEARN. After the survey has been open for nine (9) days, the survey platform sends one (1) automated reminder email to students with incomplete surveys.

10. What measures are in place to ensure a high response rate?

To ensure a high response rate for SCP surveys, the most effective strategy remains active engagement by course instructors. Research indicates that students are more likely to complete the survey when instructors directly ask them to do so and share specific examples of how past feedback has been used to improve the course. Where feasible, dedicating time during class to complete SCP surveys can further demonstrate the value the instructor places on studentfeedback. Resources are available for course instructors.

The Teaching Assessment Processes (TAP) team complements instructor efforts through UW-wide initiatives, including creating promotional content for digital screens within our buildings and hosting information booths to engage students. These initiatives aim to raise awareness about SCP surveys, particularly among new students, reinforcing the importance of student feedback and fostering a culture of participation.

11. What about the use of incentives to increase response rates?

The use of bonus marks or other incentives in the administration of course evaluation surveys is a debated topic in the literature, with mixed findings about its effectiveness and appropriateness. Some find that providing incentives leads to less thoughtful responses, as some students might rush through the survey just to claim the incentive offered. Encouraging participation through incentives can also be perceived as coercive, especially in higher-stakes courses where students may be particularly grade conscious. And offering incentives creates disparities when students in some sections have access to incentives while students in other sections do not.

Overall, while incentives might boost participation, encouraging thoughtful participation through non-incentivized strategies—such as instructor engagement and clear communication of the survey’s importance—is generally favored in the literature for ensuring high-quality and meaningful feedback. For these reasons, Waterloo’s course instructors are encouraged to refrain from offering incentives for SCP survey completion. Any institutional use of such incentives would need to be carefully considered with an eye to institutional values prior to implementation.

12. Are students’ SCP survey responses anonymous?

Although students log in to the Perceptions survey platform, their survey responses are never connected to their identity.

13. What about anonymity for students in very small classes?

Effective Winter 2024, students can complete SCP surveys for all of their classes, even very small ones (5 or fewer students). This was a change from prior terms when surveys were not administered for very small classes. To maintain student anonymity in very small classes, these survey results will not be released to instructors. Plans are underway to identify a threshold, such as minimum number of responses received, after which results can be released without risk to student anonymity.

Use of SCP Survey Results

14. How do students, instructors, and administrators access SCP surveys or results?

All users log in to the same platform: perceptions.uwaterloo.ca.

15. When are SCP survey results available to instructors and administrators?

Effective Winter 2024, SCP survey results are released to instructors 48 hours after the “Grades due” deadline listed in the Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar. This was a change from prior terms when Faculties used different release dates, which caused confusion for instructors with teaching tasks in different Faculties.

16. Who can access SCP survey results and how are they used?

Once logged in to perceptions.uwaterloo.ca:

• Students can:
  •  access and complete SCP surveys for their current term’s courses; students do not have access to SCP survey results
• Instructors can:
  • Review details of surveys that are set up for courses they are teaching in the current term
  • Monitor response rates for courses they are teaching in the current term
  • Access and export numerical survey results for courses they taught in past terms
  • Access and export written responses for courses they taught in past terms
• Administrators can:
  • Review details of surveys that are set up for courses in their unit for the current term
  • Monitor response rates for courses in their unit in the current term
  • Access and export numerical results for courses in their unit from past terms
  • Review and revise administrative access (permission) for their unit

Bias and Fairness in SCP Surveys

17. Are there recommendations for students on giving effective feedback?

Students are encouraged to adhere to the following when providing written comments on their SCP surveys:

• Be honest: write about your learning experience
• Be specific: provide examples
• Be focused: restrict comments to your own experience
• Be constructive: offer suggestions for improvement
• Always use language that supports your instructors’ wellbeing; abusive comments (e.g. about aspects of instructor identity) may result in your entire survey response being removed.

18. How does the SCP survey address the potential for biases related to gender, race, age, accent, or other protected aspects of instructor identity?

Over its four-year development, the SCP survey was rigorously tested and revised to mitigate the impacts of bias. The Teaching Assessment Processes (TAP) team collaborates with other units to undertake repeated statistical analyses of SCP survey responses examining the influence of instructor identity characteristics on numerical responses. Findings are published as Reports to the UW Community as they are available.

19. What protections are in place to limit the impact of harmful comments?

Instructors who receive an SCP survey response containing content that is abusive or otherwise harmful in nature can contact Sonya Buffone or Kathy Becker. Depending on the nature of the comment, they may also wish to connect with the Office of Indigenous Relations or the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism.

Supports and Resources

20. Where can instructors find support to incorporate student feedback into their teaching development?

The Centre for Teaching Excellence is available to support instructors as they grow their teaching practice. They have also developed this page specifically on Reviewing and Analyzing Feedback from Student Course Perceptions Surveys.

These resources are designed to guide instructors and academic administrators through teaching assessment processes, including Student Course Perceptions (SCP) surveys. They will be updated and informed by ongoing testing and monitoring, discussions with stakeholders, experiences shared by other Canadian universities, and continued review of the research literature.