Student Feedback (SGID)
Inviting mid-term feedback from students is an excellent pedagogical practice. It is essential that the modality through which feedback is gathered matches the course's modality.
- For synchronous on-campus courses, a traditional Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) is appropriate. Twelve is the required minimum class size to ensure the process protects student anonymity.
- For online synchronous courses, Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) via Zoom is appropriate and most effective if the course has some peer-to-peer interaction or discussion. Twelve is the required minimum class size to ensure the process protects student anonymity.
- For online asynchronous classes or classes with 12 or fewer attending students, a Qualtrics survey utilizing questions about student learning in the course is appropriate.
- For hybrid/hyflex classes, a Qualtrics Survey utilizing questions about student learning is appropriate.
These modalities for gathering mid-term student feedback are described below.
What are the benefits of gathering Mid-Term Student Feedback?
Student and instructor response to the Mid-Term Feedback process has been outstanding. Students appreciate the mid-term timing, which provides opportunities for changes to affect them. Instructors value personal interaction and supportive connections with colleagues, as well as the concrete student input in a form which facilitates its use by the instructor.
How is a Mid-Term feedback report used?
Because both the SGID and Qualtrics survey reports are confidential and designed to give formative feedback to the instructor, no one besides the instructor sees it. No copy of the report is kept, either by the facilitator or TTaDA.
The report is NOT to be used as an instrument to evaluate teaching. Although an instructor may choose to refer to or quote from a report in a teaching portfolio, to explain how they respond to student feedback, the report itself should not be included. The reason for this is to help ensure that the Mid-Term Student Feedback process remains confidential and that the results of the process are used only by the instructor, for the purpose of improving teaching and learning in the class.
What modalities for student feedback are available?
- For in-person or online synchronous classes, Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID), either in-person or via Zoom,
- For online asynchronous classes or classes with 12 or fewer attending students, a Qualtrics Survey is used to gather feedback.
Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID)
Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) is a voluntary, confidential feedback process that enables instructors to get frank, useful comments from students on a 16-week course that meets synchronously and is still in progress.
Designed to increase communication between the students and the instructor, with the aim of improving learning in the class, the process uses small group student interviews to identify strengths of the course, areas of student concern, and possible ways to address those concerns.
SGID Deadlines
Fall Semester
SGID Requests must be submitted by October 31st, 2025.
SGIDs must be completed by Thanksgiving Break.
Spring Semester
SGID Requests must be submitted by February 18th, 2026.
SGIDs must be completed by Spring Break.
Request your SGID well in advance of these cutoffs. We have a finite number of trained facilitators and when demand is high, we may not be able to meet every request. We will fulfill requests on a first-come, first-served basis. Requests can be made as early as the beginning of the semester.
Who can request an SGID?
The Instructor of Record for the class, who has the authority to make changes to their course curriculum.
How many SGIDs can be requested per semester?
Currently, we are able to support one SGID request per instructor per semester. If an instructor is looking to get feedback for their other courses as well, we highly recommend using a Qualtrics Survey to gather student feedback for the rest of an instructor’s course load.
What are the Best Practices for conducting an SGID?
- SGIDs are conducted during the fourth and seventh weeks of the semester.
- The faculty member must voluntarily request the SGID; it cannot be required.
- There must be a minimum of 12 students in attendance when the SGID is conducted (this is for both in-person and Zoom SGIDs). If 12 students are not in attendance, the SGID will not be conducted.
- The course instructor should introduce the facilitator to the class before leaving to allow for anonymous student feedback.
- The requesting instructor and facilitator are both clear on who is responsible for their own responsibilities throughout the SGID process.
Who are the SGID Facilitators?
All SGIDs are conducted by volunteer SGID facilitators—UND faculty members who receive special training in how to conduct instructor and student interviews according to the established SGID process. If you are interested in training to become an SGID facilitator, please contact Anne Kelsch or Anna Kinney.
If you are interested in training to become a facilitator, please let us know via this link.
How is the SGID scheduled?
After the SGID has been requested and the parameters for either an in-person or Zoom SGID has been approved, Jenifer (Jen) Polson will make an SGID pairing between the instructor and facilitator. The instructor and facilitator will then schedule the following steps in the SGID process:
- The pre meeting
- When the SGID will be conducted
- The post meeting
What happens during the SGID process?
- Prior to the scheduled class visit, the instructor and facilitator meet to discuss the course and determine what questions the instructor would like to get feedback on.
- The day of the SGID:
- The instructor introduces the facilitator to their class before leaving so that students can anonymously provide their feedback.
- The facilitator meets with the class for about 30 minutes, directing the students to form small groups to discuss and come to a consensus on their answers to the questions provided. The questions frequently reflect interest in the strengths and areas for change and/or improvement in the class.
- When the facilitator is done with the SGID, they will let the instructor know so that the class can proceed as scheduled.
- Soon after the class, the instructor and facilitator meet again to review the process. The facilitator provides a written summary of student comments for the instructor, and together they review and interpret these comments.
- When the instructor meets the class next, they take a few minutes to respond to the students’ comments and discuss questions and issues that arose in the SGID.
How do I request an SGID?
SGID Requests can be made using the link below. Using the information provided in the request survey, either Jen Polson or Emily Sauvageau will reach out to the requesting instructor to help them set up the best modality for their course. Jen Polson is the point of contact for traditional SGIDs, and Emily Sauvageau will be connecting Instructors with Qualtrics Survey directions and assistance.
If courses do not meet the above best practices minimums for a traditional SGID (Face-to-Face or Zoom), Instructors will be directed to use a Qualtrics Survey as the best modality for their course.
Qualtrics Survey
Teaching Transformation and Development Academy (TTaDA) has put together multiple templates that instructors can pick from and revise according to their desired focus in gathering student feedback.
Types of Qualtrics Templates
- A straightforward, four question survey
- A more robust survey, with various optional questions
Who can help set up a Qualtrics Survey?
When Emily Sauvageau reaches out to the instructor with instructions for setting up the Qualtrics Survey, she will copy the Instructional Designer (ID) assigned to the instructor’s college in the email communication. The instructor and ID can work together to figure out specifics in terms of who will own the survey in Qualtrics, discussing what questions to ask based on the instructor’s concerns and/or focus they want the feedback to address, how results will be delivered to the instructor, etc.
Why is a Qualtrics Survey the most effective modality for my course?
A Qualtrics survey guarantees that all students have the opportunity to provide feedback in an asynchronous course and that in a small class feedback remains anonymous.
What happens during the Qualtrics Survey process?
- Prior to releasing the survey to students, the instructor and ID meet to discuss the survey and to collaboratively figure out what role the ID is able and willing to perform in this process.
- The instructor should also talk with their students before releasing the survey so that there are clear expectations in what purpose the instructor hopes the survey will serve and why the instructor is looking for feedback.
- Soon after the survey closes, if the instructor and ID planned to meet again, they will. Otherwise, the instructor will review the feedback they receive from their students.
- When the instructor meets the class next, they take a few minutes to respond to the student comments and discuss questions and issues that arose in the survey