Student Feedback

Student feedback at Stellenbosch University is an important process aimed at supporting and promoting good teaching at the institution. Student feedback can either be informally gathered via Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) and Class representatives or formally through the institutional electronic Student feedback system administered by the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL).

Student feedback at SU is governed by a policy which encourages faculties and/or departments to keep the following points of departure regarding the use of Student Feedback, in mind:

The use of Student Feedback should firstly aim to empower individual lecturers to improve their own teaching. Only thereafter should feedback be used for any other purpose, and then with great circumspection.

The reliability of student feedback results could be affected by various factors (response rates, the time of obtaining feedback, etc.) These and other factors that could influence the results should be taken into account when interpreting the results.

Lecturers are encouraged to in turn, provide feedback to students about the use and impact of student feedback to promote learning and teaching.

Studenteterugvoer (lees in Afrikaans)

Studenteterugvoer by Universiteit Stellenbosch is 'n belangrike proses wat gemik is op die ondersteuning en bevordering van goeie onderrig by die instelling. Studenteterugvoer kan informeel ingesamel word deur die gebruik van Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) en Klasverteenwoordigers of formeel deur die institusionele elektroniese Studenteterugvoerstelsel wat deur die Sentrum vir Onderrig en Leer (SOL) geadministreer word.

Studenteterugvoer by US word gereguleer deur 'n beleid wat fakulteite en departemente aanmoedig om die volgende vertrekpunte rondom the gebruik van Studenteterugvoer in gedagte te hou:

Die gebruik van studenteterugvoer behoort in die eerste plek gemik daarop te wees om individuele dosente te bemagtig om hulle eie onderrig te verbeter. Slegs daarna kan terugvoer vir enige ander doelwit gebruik word – en slegs met groot omsigtigheid.
Die betroubaarheid van studenteterugvoer-resultate kan deur verskillende faktore (respons-tempo's, die tyd van die verkryging van terugvoer, ens.) beïnvloed word. Hierdie en ander faktore wat die resultate sou kon beïnvloed moet met die interpretasie van die resultate in gedagte gehou word.
Dosente word aangemoedig om terugvoer aan studente te gee oor die gebruik en impak van studenteterugvoer vir die bevordering van leer en onderrig.

Iingxelo zezimvo zabafundi (read in IsiXhosa)

Iingxelo zezimvo zabafundi kwiYunivesithi yaseStellenbosch yinkqubo ebalulekileyo nekunjongo yayo ikukuxhasa nokuphakamisa ukufundisa okulungileyo kwela ziko.

Iingxelo zezimvo zabafundi zingaqokelelwa ngokungamiselekanga ngendlela yoBuchule boHlolo lwaseGumbini lokuFundela (CATs) nabameli beeKlasi okanye ngokumiselekileyo ngendlela yeziko enge-elektroniki eyinkqubo yokuqokelelwa kwezimvo zaBafundi elawulwa liZiko lokuFundisa nokuFunda (IFF).

Iingxelo zezimvo zabafundi e-SU zilawulwa ngumgaqo-nkqubo okhuthaza iifakhalthi kunye/okanye namasebe ukuba agcine ezingqondweni ezi ndlela zilandelayo ngokujoliswe kusetyenziso lweeNgxelo zeZimvo zaBafundi:

Usetyenziso lweeNgxelo zeZimvo zaBafundi kufuneka kuqala lube nenjongo yokuxhobisa abahlohli abazimeleyo ukuba baphucule ukufundisa kwabo. Kusemva koko apho kuya kufuneka ingxelo yezimvo isetyenziselwe nawuphi na umbandela ongomnye, ze ke ngoko ngobulumko obukhulu.
Ukuthembakala kweziphumo zeengxelo zezimvo zabafundi kungachatshazelwa zizinto ezahluka-hlukeneyo (amazinga eempendulo, ixesha lokufumana iingxelo zezimvo, njl njl.). Ezi nezinye izinto ezinokuba nefuthe kwiziphumo kufuneka zithathelwe ingqalelo xa kuhlalutywa iziphumo ezo.
Abahlohli bayakhuthazwa ukuba ukubuyekeza oko, babonelele ngeengxelo zezimvo zabo kubafundi malunga nosetyenziso nemiphumela yeengxelo zezimvo zabafundi ukuphakamisa ukufundisa nokufunda.

The 2018 Learning and Teaching Policy (point 7.1.3) indicates that student feedback is the primary source of information about students' experiences of learning and teaching, but that the data should be used in combination with other sources of feedback. Examples of such sources are Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs), feedback from colleagues, self-evaluation and reflection and literature.

Since January 2020 only the electronic student feedback system is in use and no paper based Student Feedback forms will be provided or processed for both undergraduate and postgraduate modules 

Electronic Student Feedback System

The Electronic Student Feedback System is available through an electronic platform. The system is integrated within SUNLearn and provides access to students and the institutional Student Feedback Office.

In order to activate electronic student feedback for a module, lecturers first have to complete an E-registration form which will provide the Student feedback office with the information necessary to activate the electronic student feedback questionnaire for students enrolled for the specific module.

Timing is important: Schedule the survey well in advance to allow sufficient time for students to respond. Experience has shown that the response rates of surveys that open only once classes have ended are considerably lower than those taken before the end of a module. Ideally, students should have the opportunity to raise their needs and concerns before classes come to an end. It is important to discuss such issues with them and to demonstrate that lecturers value their feedback and respond to it.

Process for requesting activation of Electronic Student Feedback questionnaire for modules and lecturers:

Please click here for detailed instructions and information about requesting the activation of Electronic Student Feedback questionnaires.

Programme Feedback Questionnaire

Note: The review process of the Program Feedback Form will no longer take place. Until further notice, the form is not available for use.

Student feedback on learning and teaching programmes (excluding the mainly research-based programmes at M and D level) is obtained annually at the end of the final academic year. Final-year students are requested to complete the survey.
Programme committees and coordinators are responsible for requesting and overseeing this feedback process.

Lecturer Feedback Form

In order to provide a more comprehensive representation of the teaching and learning context, it is important that lecturers also provide feedback about their planning and experiences of teaching particular modules.
Please click here for the lecturer feedback form.

Frequently asked questions

For a list of frequently asked questions about Student Feedback, please click here.

Confidentiality

The Student Feedback Office is aware of the confidentiality of the reports and will not share information with unauthorized persons. Only staff from the Student feedback office at the Centre for Teaching and Learning have access to the information and authorized persons have access to information as indicated above.

For more information please contact:
Veronica Kleinsmith
Ilke Arnolds
Thabiso Zuma