Course and Module Feedback Review

Consultation has now begun on the University’s approach to Course and Module Feedback. More information, about the current approach, can be found on the Internals Surveys Webpage. More information on the project and how you can share your views is outlined below.

DCQE, in partnership with the Student Union, are reviewing the ways in which we capture module and course feedback from students. The findings from the consultation will inform new approaches which will ensure that student voice mechanisms are timely, transparent and appropriate.


The Student Voice Principles and Student Survey Policy can be found in the Student Voice Policy

What is the aim of the consultation?

There are 5 key aims which define the scope of the consultation exercise :


  1. Increase engagement with module and course level feedback in order to address low response rates

  2. Increase the validity of feedback by reviewing the timings of current course and module questionnaires within the annual cycle

  3. Increase access to student feedback data through a review of systems

  4. Capture the student perspective via co-creation activity to inform the new approach

  5. Improve communication, to all stakeholders, in all aspects of these two feedback cycles

What consultation activities are taking place?

The following consultation activities will run from March to 14th April 2022.


  • Consultation Questionnaire (open to all students and academics)

  • Discussion groups for Academic Staff to attend

  • Student Co-creation Workshops


Academic staff may also feed their views into FESEC for their Faculties via Heads and Associate Deans.

I'm a Student - how can I get involved?

The Students' Union are running co-creation workshops with Course Representatives to help shape the new approach. Workshops are run online and open to all students. If you'd like to take part please email jonathan.scowen@upsu.ac.uk


As part of this we’d like to invite you to help to design what a new approach to giving feedback on your teaching could look like. Do you want more questionnaires? What have your lecturers done that has worked well and felt authentic in terms of listening to and acting on your feedback about the module/course? When is the best time to ask you how things have gone/ are going with your course?


We want to know your experiences of giving feedback, how it can be improved and what can be done to highlight the way feedback in used more widely.


The Surveys Team currently co-ordinate the release of module and course surveys, the collection of feedback and the release of data at set times. A central system called Eva Sys tracks and manages this process for the whole university. We want a new approach because we are facing the following challenges :


  • Low response rates, sometimes no responses at all for some modules


  • Timings - Module and courses run at different points across the academic year and are all structured individually. This works for some modules but not for all.


  • Closing the Feedback Loop is difficult and so students don’t always see what impact their feedback is having

What is the aim of the co-creation session?

Mainly we want to improve the ways you give feedback about your teaching and how you learn about the impact that has had. We will take a practical approach to scope out an ideal feedback environment using creative and different approaches.


We are hoping that a new approach can be designed which :


  • Encourages more students to give their feedback because they feel it is a meaningful activity

  • Makes sure that feedback is asked for at the right time for both staff and students

  • Provides accessible information to students about how feedback is acted upon in a format that they like

  • Improves the lines of communication between central departments and faculties about the data that is collected