Center for Teaching & Faculty Development

The Midterm Assessment Process (MAP) is an opportunity for instructors to get student feedback on a course while the course is in progress. The MAP is a confidential and voluntary service. Unlike the mandatory evaluations all departments ask students to fill out at the end of the semester, MAPs are done earlier (around midterm) to allow the instructor to make meaningful changes during the course. The MAP is one of the most widely requested services offered by the Center for Teaching & Faculty Development (CTFD). It allows instructors to:

gauge how and what students are learning;
obtain student responses to activities and materials of the course; and
compare the instructor's ideas about the course and its teaching and learning objectives with those held by the students.

The MAP also offers the time and attention of a CTFD consultant who collects, synthesizes, and helps interpret student feedback, and identifies appropriate teaching suggestions and print or web-based resources. Unlike end-of-term evaluations, MAP feedback goes directly to, and only to, the instructor.

The CTFD offers two ways to obtain feedback. The first and most widely used is the Small Group Teaching and Learning Questionnaire, as part of which students work in small groups to answer questions. We recommend this version for small to medium-sized classes because it offers the best direct feedback from students. The other option is an Individual Teaching and Learning Questionnaire that each student fills out independently. This is often requested for large classes, but the instructor and the consultant will determine which option will be most useful. Both are typically conducted between weeks 4 and 9 of the semester.

1. Small Group Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (20 minutes)

The Small Group Teaching and Learning Feedback Questionnaire is typically composed of two open-ended questions that are generally very effective at capturing student feedback:

"What do you like most about this course and/or the teaching of it?"
"What suggestions would you make to improve this course and/or the instructor's teaching of it? "

The CTFD consultant can also work with the instructor to design one or two additional questions at the discretion of the instructor. On the day of the MAP, the instructor is asked to be present for the start of the class, introduce the CTFD consultant, and leave the room while the consultant places students into groups of 3-5. Students designate a recorder, discuss their perceptions of the class, and indicate those items that are most important for the instructor to hear. If time permits, the consultant may also ask the groups to report their findings to the larger class. The consultant will then turn the class over to the instructor, and will compile the data for a full consultation that usually occurs within a week or two of the MAP.

2. Individual Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (15-20 minutes)

The Individual Teaching and Learning Questionnaire allows each student to offer his or her opinions by completing a 30-item questionnaire containing 3 sections: Instructor, Course, and Overall. Students rate various aspects of the class on a 5-point scale. Open-ended questions also encourage students to provide additional feedback for qualitative analysis. The consultant will then turn the class over to the instructor, and will compile the data for a full consultation that usually occurs within a week or two of the MAP.

We've welcomed an unprecedented number of new faculty to campus in 2012-13, and many have asked for teaching services. We will offer MAPs for Spring 2013 on a first come, first served basis. Priority will be given to first-year faculty. To request a MAP, please fill out the following form. Please refer all questions to the .

spacer10

spacer11

spacer12

spacer13
shadow2

Text Only Options