Course Feedback for Instructors (CFI) is an online questionnaire that instructors can use to get feedback from their students about their teaching. The system allows instructors to select the questions they want to ask from a bank of questions and is completely confidential so that instructors can get feedback they need to improve their classes.Â
The CFI system opens once the course selection period closes (about 2 weeks into the semester). Instructors can select questions and send questionnaires out until the last day of classes and can allow students to complete them through the end of exam period. Every instructor can set their own start and end date and can set their own questions.Â
Instructors will not see the report until after the closing date they set. For questions about the CFI you can contact course_feedback@sas.upenn.edu.
NOTE: Always preview the questions you have selected by clicking the "preview" button before you finalize your survey by clicking "submit." Once you have submitted your questions, you may change them until the date the survey opens but thereafter you cannot change them.
Once you have set the survey up, the system will send reminders to your students about the survey at regular intervals. When the system has closed, you will be able to see your results.
Begin at your Penn evaluations dashboard. Â
You can reach your dashboard through this link and then either click the "Subject View Management" button to see all your course tiles or scroll down to the list of courses. In either list, select the course for which you want feedback. Click on the blue "Create" button.
Set up your choices
Once you click the "Create" button you will reach the next tile that looks like this:
From this tile you can opt in to creating the CFI, choose questions, and set the timing for the questionnaire.
Choose timing
Use the drop down menu from the calendars to set up when you want your students to have access to the questions and when you want to close access. Wait to click update until you have chosen questions. (If you do click update, you can get back to this tile and pick questions by clicking on the "settings" gear on the course tiles.)
You will not be able to see your students' responses until the CFI closes.Â
Questions
Once you click the arrow next to "Choose your questions" you will see a list of categories of classes. You can expand each section to see the questions. Within each category there are open-ended and rating scale options.
You can add up to 12 questions. You also have the option to add personalized questions.
Note: you can also import questions from another CFI using the copy icon in the top right (near the "Submit" button).
When you are done selecting questions click "Preview" to see the questions and make sure of your selections. After that click "Submit" and your survey is set up. (Make sure that you click "submit"—not "save"—or the form will not be sent.)
Complete the CFI
Return to the previous tab and click "update." At this point, your CFI is ready to be sent out and students will receive a notification on the date you have set it to open.
If you are using the forms for mid-term evaluation, focus on incremental change. Don't try to completely redesign your course midway through the semester.
Talk to the students about their comments. Explain how the changes you are making will help them reach the goals you have set. As you discuss change with your students, be careful not to seem defensive.
Instructors who would like help designing or responding to midterm evaluations can contact either Bruce Lenthall or Catherine Turner at the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning & Innovation.
