Are You Listening? How to Boost Engagement and Achievement with Student Feedback Surveys
For too long, students’ voices have been an afterthought in education. Teachers have relied on test scores, classroom observations, and their best judgment to determine what works, often missing the real struggles and triumphs of their students. But education isn’t just about delivering lessons; it’s about understanding how students experience them. Student feedback surveys have changed the game, offering an unfiltered look into the classroom experience. When educators listen and show students that their feedback matters, they don’t just improve their teaching; they improve their students' learning experience.
Student feedback surveys are an effective way to better understand how students feel about what they’re learning, their relationships with teachers and peers, and what they need to be more successful. With this information, educators can make changes to instruction and classroom practices to improve learning for all students.
In this article, we’ll explore what student feedback is, why using a student feedback survey is important, the benefits for both teachers and students, and how programs like PERTS’ Elevate and Ascend can support educators in gathering student feedback to improve student outcomes.
What Is Student Feedback?
Student feedback refers to the insights and opinions collected from students about their learning experiences, including their perspectives on instructional strategies, course material, and classroom interactions. This feedback provides educators with a better understanding of how students perceive their learning experiences, how they engage with the material being taught, and whether they experience supportive relationships with their teachers and peers.
The process of gathering student feedback should go beyond simply asking students if they like the class or their teacher. Using a student feedback survey provides a structured approach to assess various aspects of the classroom environment. By systematically gathering this input, educators are able to make data-driven decisions to modify their teaching and try new instructional techniques to better meet the needs of their students.
Oftentimes, students are asked for feedback at the end of a semester or school year, such as during final course evaluations. While educators can learn from feedback provided once a class has concluded, any modifications a teacher makes likely won’t impact the students who actually provided the input. By asking for student feedback on a regular basis throughout the school year, educators can be responsive to the needs of their current students, which can have a positive impact on behavior, engagement, and academic achievement.
Why Are Student Feedback Surveys Important?
Student feedback surveys are essential tools for K–12 and higher education institutions. Student feedback surveys give students an opportunity to share their experiences and voice their concerns and needs in a safe and productive way. This creates a sense of agency and empowers students to take more ownership in their learning. The insights gained from student feedback surveys help teachers improve instructional practices and foster a more engaging, inclusive classroom environment.
Using student feedback surveys also promotes a growth mindset and a school-wide culture of continuous learning. By regularly gathering student feedback, educators gain new perspectives on their teaching practices and can use the data to reflect on their craft, identify opportunities for growth, and set professional development goals.
Student feedback surveys also encourage students to reflect on their experiences and develop their ability to give constructive feedback. When educators are responsive to feedback, they model for students how to receive and leverage input from others, a valuable life skill as students prepare for the workforce.
The Benefits of Gathering Student Feedback
Student feedback surveys are mutually beneficial for both students and teachers. Let’s explore just a few of the key benefits in more detail.
Enhance Teaching Effectiveness
Student feedback provides teachers with clear insights into what is working well in their classrooms, where improvements are needed, and what obstacles may exist for students. By understanding students' unique perceptions, teachers can make changes to improve the learning experience. This could involve modifying classroom processes and protocols to better serve students or exploring different instructional techniques.
This continuous cycle of reflection and data-driven adaptation ultimately leads to more effective teaching, fostering a more dynamic and responsive classroom environment.
Increase Student Engagement
When students see that their feedback is valued and acted upon, it significantly increases their engagement in the learning process. By using feedback to create positive changes in the classroom, educators help students develop a sense of ownership, motivating them to take an active role in their education. Students become more invested in the classroom, knowing their perspectives can shape the learning experience. This sense of responsibility encourages students to stay engaged, participate actively in lessons, and take pride in their academic progress.
Address Learning Gaps
Student feedback surveys help educators identify areas where students are struggling and promote collaboration between students and teachers to close skill gaps. Feedback also provides valuable insights into how different students learn. With this information, teachers can tailor instruction to meet the needs of each student, enhancing engagement and improving outcomes.
Improve Teacher-Student Communication
Encouraging student feedback strengthens communication between teachers and students, creating a more open and collaborative classroom environment. When students feel their opinions are taken into consideration, trust is built, which leads to improved relationships and better classroom interactions. The open communication that student feedback surveys fosters can help identify potential issues early, allowing teachers to address them proactively and keep learning on track.
Educators in Impact Florida’s Solving with Students Cadre are using student feedback to improve learning conditions, adjust instruction in real time, and support teacher growth. The result? Higher quality work and increased mastery of learning objectives.
Student Feedback Surveys Help Florida Educators Boost Grades & Improve Behavior
Best Practices for Gathering Student Feedback
While student feedback surveys can be a highly effective tool for improving outcomes, their effectiveness depends on how they’re implemented. To maximize the benefits of student feedback surveys, it’s important to follow these best practices when creating and administering them:
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Simple, Focused Questions: Student feedback surveys should be concise, specific, and clearly worded. They should use quantitative questions to gather actionable data and include qualitative open-ended questions to give students the opportunity to provide more detail. Responses to open-ended questions can surface issues, opportunities, and wins teachers may not be aware of.
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Clear Purpose and Expectations: Educators should explain to students the purpose of the survey and how the feedback will be used to improve their learning experience. They should also explain the importance of providing honest feedback and emphasize authentic interest in learning what students think, how they feel, and their recommendations for improving the learning experience.
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Prompt Data Analysis: Data from student feedback surveys should be reviewed as soon as possible after administering the survey, and insights from the survey should be shared with students so that they know their input is valued. Even more importantly, educators should share with students what actions will be taken based on their feedback, as well as why some things that surfaced in the survey responses cannot be changed. For example, teachers may not be able to get rid of homework altogether, but they can work with students to adjust the amount or make it more meaningful and relevant to their learning.
Thoughtful planning and a clear approach are necessary to utilize student feedback surveys effectively. By following best practices, educators can ensure they gather meaningful data that drives improvement, fosters trust, and enhances student engagement.
PERTS' Student Feedback Survey Programs: Elevate and Ascend
PERTS' Elevate (grades 6–12) and Ascend (higher education) programs offer student feedback surveys to help educators understand how students perceive their learning environments. Based on the data, teachers can make impactful changes to learning conditions that promote engagement and success.
I was reminded that what I think and what students think are NOT the same thing because what I thought was meaningful work was definitely not meaningful work to them.
Rae Ann Crandall
Teacher, San Ramon, CA
How Do the PERTS Student Feedback Programs Work?
Step 1. Administer the Student Feedback Survey: Students complete a 5–10-minute student feedback survey that measures their perceptions of classroom learning conditions and experiences.
Elevate
(Grades 6–12)
Elevate collects student feedback on nine core learning conditions.
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Affirming Identities
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Classroom Community
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Feedback for Growth
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Learning Goals
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Meaningful Work
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Student Voice
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Supportive Teaching
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Teacher Caring
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Well-Organized Class
Step 2: Reflect on Student Feedback Data
After students complete the survey, educators receive detailed, actionable reports that help them understand their students’ experiences. These reports are available in aggregate for schools, districts, or colleges. Individual reports are provided for each teacher and class. The insights can help educators make changes to teaching strategies and improve classroom conditions.
Step 3: Leverage Student Feedback to Enhance Student Outcomes
By analyzing the student feedback data collected with Elevate and Ascend, educators can adjust their teaching practices to better meet students’ needs. This fosters a collaborative approach that enhances student engagement, increases student ownership in learning, improves student motivation, and strengthens teacher-student relationships—all of which lead to improved academic, behavior, and social-emotional outcomes.
PERTS also provides targeted practice guides for grades 6-12 and higher education that offer actionable strategies to improve key learning conditions. These research-based guides help teachers address specific areas of improvement, such as:
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Creating a Sense of Belonging: Strategies for building an inclusive classroom environment where all students feel accepted and valued.
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Enhancing Student Engagement: Techniques to increase active participation and keep students motivated throughout the learning process.
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Promoting Effective Communication: Approaches to foster open dialogue between teachers and students, encouraging feedback and mutual respect.
Step 4: Continuously Improve and Refine Teaching Practices
After implementing new teaching strategies based on feedback, educators re-administer the student feedback survey to assess the impact on learning conditions. This continuous improvement cycle allows teachers to evaluate what’s working, identify areas for further growth, and refine their practices to better meet students' needs. By repeating this cycle, educators foster a culture of growth and responsiveness, ensuring sustained improvements in the classroom environment.
Get Started Gathering Student Feedback with Elevate and Ascend
Creating a positive learning environment starts with understanding students' experiences. The Elevate and Ascend student feedback programs by PERTS provide research-backed solutions to help educators enhance learning conditions, boost student engagement, and drive achievement. Ready to create meaningful change in your school? Start using PERTS’ student feedback surveys today!
Unlock the Power of Student Feedback with PERTS
PERTS experts are ready to help you understand how collecting and using student feedback can drive meaningful improvements in your school. By leveraging student insights, you can enhance engagement, strengthen teacher-student relationships, and create a more supportive learning environment for all students.