Douglas Olsen
Fordham University has introduced a new course evaluation system, the Student Experience Survey (SES), which replaces the Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ). The SES is designed to encourage students to reflect on their education and provide concise, constructive feedback. It offers students between 13 and 15 questions, including ratings and narrative feedback, and is intended to boost student involvement and provide teachers with actionable feedback. The scores obtained for each dimension of the survey are intended to show where students perceive strengths and weaknesses in the course presentation, acting as a guide for self-improvement. The survey period opens 14 days before the last day of class, and students can complete the surveys online via laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Emails can also be sent to students who have not completed their evaluations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the survey | Student Experience Survey (SES) |
| Previous name of the survey | Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) |
| Number of questions | Between 13 and 15 |
| Time to complete | Less time than SEEQ |
| Rating scale | Yes |
| Narrative feedback submission | Yes |
| Additional questions | Study time and preparatory time for the course |
| Online survey period | 14 days prior to the last day of class |
| Comparison with other classes/instructors at Fordham University | Two questions form an Overall dimension |
| Rating scale for Overall dimension | 1 to 9, with higher scores reflecting higher levels |
| Workload/Difficulty dimension | 5 is "just right" |
| Comparison with department averages | Tenths of a point differences are not important |
| Standard deviation | 1 to 1.5 points |
| Use of evaluation feedback | Used by department chairs, reappointment, promotion and tenure committees |
| Email system | Emails can be sent to students who haven't completed their evaluations |
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What You'll Learn
Student Experience Survey (SES)
The Student Experience Survey (SES) is a new course evaluation system introduced by Fordham University. It is a triaged version of the older Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) and is designed to boost student involvement and provide teachers with concise, actionable feedback. The SES offers students between 13 and 15 questions to answer, which is substantially fewer than the SEEQ, and will take less time to complete while still providing valuable information.
The survey includes a rating scale for students to verify their course participation, as well as narrative feedback. There are also additional questions devoted to study time and preparatory time for the course. The SES aims to encourage students to reflect on their education and provide constructive feedback, rather than just rating their professors and classes. This helps to minimise bias and misrepresentation and embodies the university's Jesuit mission.
The SES is completed online via laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and the survey period opens 14 days prior to the last day of class. Students have two weeks to complete the survey, and it is to be done in class during this time. Emails can also be sent to students who have not completed their evaluations.
The SES is an important tool for the university, with the feedback being used by all department chairs and committees for reappointment, promotion, and tenure decisions. It also helps students by providing information to help them choose which classes to take and celebrate faculty who are doing well. The feedback is also valuable for instructors, who can use it to revise and improve their classes.
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Student feedback and instructor self-improvement
Student feedback is an essential component of the educational process, offering valuable insights for instructor self-improvement. At Fordham University, student evaluations are conducted through an online course evaluation system, allowing students to provide feedback via laptop, tablet, or smartphone. This system, known as the Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ), has been recently replaced by the Student Experience Survey (SES). The SES is designed to encourage students to reflect on their education and provide concise and constructive feedback.
The SES offers 13 to 15 questions, including ratings and narrative feedback, along with inquiries about study time and course preparation. This streamlined approach has proven more engaging for students, resulting in higher completion rates and more written feedback. The evaluations are not just a numbers game, as specific and thoughtful comments are highly valued and influence classroom practices. Students are encouraged to understand the importance of their evaluations, which are utilised by department chairs, reappointment committees, and university administrators.
Instructors can benefit greatly from student feedback as a guide to self-improvement. The evaluations reveal areas of perceived strengths and weaknesses in course presentation, providing actionable insights for enhancement. When interpreting the evaluations, it is essential to consider the context and nature of the course. Scores are typically compared to department averages, with deviations of more than two standard deviations considered significant. However, slight differences of tenths of a point may not be meaningful, as scores can vary within a standard deviation range of 1 to 1.5 points.
To improve the effectiveness of student feedback, instructors should communicate the value of evaluations to their students. Letting students know that their opinions matter and that their feedback is used to revise and improve classes can encourage more thoughtful responses. Additionally, instructors can emphasise that evaluations are not just about rating professors but about reflecting on their educational experiences, benefiting themselves, their classmates, and future students. By fostering a culture that values feedback, instructors can create a positive cycle of continuous improvement.
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Department averages and score comparisons
When it comes to understanding student evaluations at Fordham University, it's essential to consider department averages and score comparisons. The university has adopted an online course evaluation system, allowing students to provide feedback via laptops, tablets, or smartphones. This system, known as the Students' Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ), offers valuable insights for both instructors and students.
The SEEQ survey is administered online each semester towards the end of the term, and it plays a crucial role in facilitating communication between faculty and students. The survey includes questions about the overall class and instructor compared to others at Fordham University, rated on a scale of 1 to 9, with higher scores indicating higher levels of satisfaction.
Department averages come into play when evaluating these surveys. Each time evaluations are received, instructors also get the average scores for their department for that semester. This departmental data encompasses all courses and dimensions covered in the survey. By comparing their course ratings to the department averages, instructors can identify areas of improvement and enhance their teaching methods.
It's important to note that scores may not differ significantly from department averages. Small differences, such as tenths of a point, are usually not meaningful. For instance, if an instructor's score is 6.0, and the department average is 6.5, it's likely within the expected range. This is because variations among faculty scores typically fall within a range of one to one and a half points, known as the standard deviation.
In cases where an instructor's scores deviate substantially from the department averages, it's essential to consider the nature of the course. Certain courses may inherently vary based on content, regardless of the instructor. If an instructor's score deviates by more than two standard deviations from the average, it may then be justified to conclude that their scores are significantly different from the department's.
The Student Experience Survey (SES), introduced in Spring 2025, is a more concise version of the SEEQ. It aims to encourage students to reflect on their education and provide constructive feedback. This new system has seen higher completion rates and increased written feedback, benefiting both students and faculty.
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Online evaluation system
Fordham University has an online course evaluation system, which allows students to complete course evaluation surveys online via a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The Online Survey period opens 14 days before the last day of class, and students are expected to complete the surveys during class time over these two weeks. The system also allows for emails to be sent to students to remind them to complete their evaluations.
The online evaluation system is designed to boost student involvement and provide teachers with clear and actionable feedback. The Student Experience Survey (SES) is the latest iteration of the evaluation system, which was introduced in Spring 2025. It is a streamlined version of the older Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) survey, offering students between 13 and 15 questions to answer, which takes less time to complete while still providing valuable information.
The SES encourages students to reflect on their education and provide constructive feedback. It includes a rating scale for students to verify their course participation, as well as narrative feedback. There are also additional questions devoted to study time and preparatory time for the course. The scores obtained for each dimension of the survey are intended to show where students perceive strengths and weaknesses in the course presentation. This information can then be used by instructors to improve their courses and provide a better educational experience.
The evaluation results are viewed by department chairs, reappointment, promotion, and tenure committees across the university. They are also used by instructors to revise and improve their classes. The scores are often relatively close to the department averages, with differences of tenths of a point typically not being significant.
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SEEQ (Student Evaluation of Educational Quality)
The Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) is an online course evaluation system that allows students at Fordham University to provide feedback on their courses and instructors. The SEEQ is designed to boost student involvement and provide teachers with concise, actionable feedback. The evaluation system aims to encourage students to reflect on their education and provide constructive feedback, rather than simply rating their professors and classes.
The SEEQ questionnaire covers various dimensions of the course and instructor's performance. Each dimension is rated on a scale of 1 to 9, with higher scores indicating higher levels of performance. The dimensions evaluated include the overall quality of the class and instructor compared to others at Fordham University, as well as more specific aspects such as workload and difficulty. The workload/difficulty dimension has a unique rating system, where a rating of 5 is considered "just right".
The scores obtained in each dimension of the SEEQ are intended to highlight areas of strength and weakness in the course presentation. They serve as a guide for improvement and are used in conjunction with peer evaluations to enhance the educational experience. The feedback provided by students is valuable for both instructors and the university administration. Department chairs, reappointment committees, promotion committees, and tenure committees across the campus use student evaluations to make informed decisions.
Instructors can benefit from understanding how their scores compare to the department averages. While small differences in tenths of points may not be significant, larger deviations of more than 2 standard deviations from the average can indicate areas for improvement. It is important to consider the specific nature of the course when interpreting the scores, as some courses may inherently vary based on content, regardless of the instructor.
The SEEQ has been widely adopted and is considered a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating teaching effectiveness. It has been used in various higher education settings and countries, demonstrating its applicability and multicultural validity. The questionnaire has undergone psychometric analyses, confirming its high levels of validation and reliability.
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Frequently asked questions
Student evaluations at Fordham University are a means of communication between faculty and students. They are intended to show where students perceive strengths and weaknesses in the course presentation and act as a guide to self-improvement from the audience perspective.
All department chairs, reappointment, promotion, and tenure committees campus-wide review student evaluation feedback. Instructors also use the feedback to revise classes.
Fordham University adopted an online course evaluation system that allows students to complete course evaluation surveys online via a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
The new course evaluation system, called the Student Experience Survey (SES), is a triaged version of the older Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ). It offers students between 13 and 15 questions to answer, which takes substantially less time to complete while providing valuable information.
