Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning
Mid Semester Feedback
The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning offers two types of instructional diagnostic at the mid-point of the semester: Small Group Instructional Diagnostic (SGID) and Mid-Point Instructional Diagnostic (MID). Both diagnostics offer simple and straightforward evaluation processes that use student feedback to help faculty improve their courses before the end of the semester. You can learn more about each process below and book an instructional diagnostic for the upcoming semester.
- Small Group Instructional Diagnostic
Small Group Instructional Diagnostic (SGID) uses structured small group discussions among students during class time to provide confidential feedback to an instructor. During your class time, students will anwser questions first as individuals, then as small groups. Afterwards, the feedback will be assessed and themes pulled out for a post survey that will be sent for students via email to once again anwser individually.
SGID at a Glance
Watch the video below to learn more about our SGID process.
- Mid-Point Instructional Diagnostic
Mid-Point Instructional Diagnostic (MID) uses a class survey given to students outside of structured class time to provide confidential feedback to an instructor. Students will anwser an individual survey online. Afterwards, the feedback will be assessed and themes pulled out for the instructor.
Booking for Spring 2025
Spring 2025 Mid Semester Instructional Diagnostics will take place:
- March 3-13
Please contact the CITL with questions at citl@tntech.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
- » At what point in a course should I implement an SGID?
SGIDs are conducted at the midpoint of the spring and fall semesters.
- » What are the benefits of gathering feedback from students using SGID than the end
of semester evaluation?
The SGID process is anonymous, and the feedback is given directly to the instructor. The facilitator helps the instructor gather meaningful and honest feedback from students that will help improve the course, instructional delivery, teaching, and learning within the remaining part of the semester. When feedback from the students is implemented, it can even positively affect the rating students give to instructors on end-of-semester course evaluations.
- » Who should request this process?
The SGID is best for use in classes where (a) the instructor is new to teaching the course, (b) the instructor is implementing adjustments to the course, (c) the instructor needs to evaluate the current experiences of the students at the mid-point of the semester, (d) the instructor has not used the SGID process in the course for several years, (e) or the instructor wants to gather information to improve course content in future classes.
- » How much class time does this process take?
The SGID process on average requires 20-25 minutes of class time. The process can be done either at the start of class or at the end of class time.
- » Who should facilitate my SGID?
The CITL will provide trained personnel who will conduct the SGID by talking to students and capturing observational data during the SGID process.
- » What is the facilitator’s role in the SGID process?
The facilitator’s job is to (a) represent the voice of the students to the instructor, (b) synthesize the collected data for the instructor, (c) help the instructor interpret and respond to the data that has been collected.
- » What are the steps in facilitating SGIDs?
Booking A SGID:
- Use the Book Now button below to schedule you SGID.
- After you have booked your SGID and filled out the required information, you will be contacted to schedule a Pre-Meeting with your SGID facilitator to discuss the process and determine your goals.
The Week of:
- On the day of, the facilitator will visit the classroom to conduct the data collection. A survey link will be sent from the CITL to your class to collect the responses.
After:
- A report will be developed that consolidates the feedback provided by the students (Data Analysis & Report-Writing Procedure).
- The report will be shared with the instructor who requested the evaluation. As noted in the Pre-Meeting, the facilitator and the instructor will meet for a debriefing to share the feedback gathered from the SGID process.
- The instructor communicates with their students acknowledging the students’ responses and feedback.
- » Can an online course be evaluated this way?
Yes, SGIDs can be conducted in online courses. The process for conducting a SGID for an online course follows the same steps as other course modalities, except for the facilitator joining the online class meeting and creating breakout rooms for the small groups.
