Academic Operational Policies

Procedure Number: AOP 237

Procedure Title: Student Learning Experience Survey

Supersedes Existing Policy? Y

Procedure Owner: Senior Vice-President Academic 

Associated Procedure: Y 

Date Last Approved by the CET: August 2020

1. Introduction and Purpose

Student feedback is an important aspect of Loyalist College’s quality assurance processes. It helps faculty reflect on the quality of their instruction, supports faculty development and evaluation, and it helps identify exceptional teaching practices. Student feedback is used in the continuous improvement of programs offered by the College. This policy provides a framework for how student feedback is collected and shared to ensure meaningful and reliable results.    

2. Application

This policy applies to all courses and programs that lead to an Ontario College credential that are offered by Loyalist College, including distance courses where appropriate. 

3. Definitions

Ontario College Credential: includes Ontario College Certificate, Ontario College Diploma, Ontario College Advanced Diploma, Ontario College Bachelor’s Degree and Ontario College Graduate Certificate programs.

Formative feedback from students: is the collection of student feedback for the purpose of improving or altering teaching practice in order to improve student learning.

4. Policy Statement

The College approved standard survey will be administered in a systematic and consistent manner to obtain student feedback for each course in each semester.

In circumstances where the standard survey is not appropriate, an alternative survey may need to be developed, approved and implemented.  The survey will address the following:

  1. Student Engagement – individual student’s motivation in the course.
  2. The Course – the variety of assessments, rubrics, and connections made to the course learning outcomes.
  3. Course Delivery – support from faculty, timeliness of feedback, use of the learning management system, structure of the class, student workload, and relevancy and application of learning resources used.
  4. The Learning Environment – whether the environment supported the learning.

The standard survey will be reviewed and revised, every three years, by an ad-hoc committee with representation from the Union College Council, the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, and students. Proposed revisions to the standard survey will be reviewed and supported by the Academic Management Committee and approved by the Senior Vice President Academic.

The standard survey will be facilitated in the last third of each semester for a period of at least two weeks.

Student anonymity will always be protected during the administration of the survey and the collection and dissemination of the results.

The use of the College approved standard survey does not preclude the use of formative feedback tools by faculty.

5. Related Documents or Links

6. References

Loyalist Research Ethics Board: http://www.loyalistcollege.com/about-loyalist/research-services/research-ethics-board/