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Making college a productive time for students is an ongoing challenge for educators. They know what constitutes knowledge that can be used in the workplace and in life. But students come with their own needs and expectations.
Engaging them where they are provides valuable information about how to present learning and what subjects to offer. In addition to what they learn, life for students at college is important. Most are in age range when they are still getting socialized, and life at college plays a big role.
A college survey can be a valuable tool to use with students, as well as faculty and staff, to find areas that need improvement.
Here is a look at four types of college surveys that should be in the toolkit for all institutions of higher learning.
1) Student Survey
Using online survey software, college administrators can provide valuable feedback. For example, freshman come to campus with expectations about what they will learn, social life opportunities, options for sports, questions about part time work and other issues that affect the quality of their college experience. Having them fill out a survey tells staff what they need to work on to meet these expectations.
For seniors, a survey can tell faculty and staff what they liked about their time at the college, what they felt could be improved. It can cover classes, dorm life, job opportunities, financial aid, career counseling and other issues that are critical to how a graduate perceives his four years at the institution.
The value of using a quick survey to collect this type of data is that it has a good chance of getting filled out. Students will spend the time to fill out short surveys that are easily available online. Good response gives administrators valuable information direct from the students.
2) Faculty and Administration Survey
Professors, instructors, and other members of the teaching faculty have expectations and requirements that need to be met. These are what contributes to job satisfaction and adds to their productivity.
The more administrators understand about these needs, the better they can tailor policies that support the faculty. Using survey software, short polls can be published online for quick feedback on issues.
3) Coursework Evaluation Survey
Getting feedback on courses lets administrators and faculty updating courses for upcoming semesters. It also lets them develop improved criteria for evaluating the courses that work best.
Individual course surveys give professors valuable information about how the course was taught, what students liked and didn’t like about it.
4) Campus Safety Survey
Using a survey tool, administrators and security staff can put together short polls that ask about fears and concerns among students, faculty and others on campus. A big issue today, security includes a wide range of factors, including self-locking dorm rooms, emergency buttons on campus, better lighting, and the availability of security all hours of the day and night.
The more university administrators know about issues on campus, relating to courses and to social concerns, the better they can deliver a quality experience for students and faculty.
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