Student Focus Groups
Want to know how your students are experiencing your course while there’s still time to make adjustments? A Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) is a structured way to gather mid-semester feedback that’s richer than a survey.
During an SGID, a CTL consultant meets with your students (without you present) to ask a few simple questions about what’s helping their learning and what could be improved. Because the process is facilitated by a neutral person, students often share more openly.
What you can expect:
- Pre-meeting with you to discuss your goals and select the best questions.
- 20–25 minute class session where the consultant facilitates the focus group discussion.
- Summary report that synthesizes student feedback and highlights common themes.
- Debrief meeting where you and the consultant review the report and discuss strategies or next steps.
- Faculty follow-up with students to close the loop and let them know what changes you will (and won’t) make and why.
Why consider a focus group?
- It provides timely, actionable feedback while the course is still in progress.
- Students appreciate knowing their voices matter and often become more engaged as a result.
- The process highlights both what’s working well and specific ideas for improvement.
