A box of feedback forms from last month
Leaving students fill in a feedback form on their last Friday. The forms go in a box. When someone has time, they type the scores into a spreadsheet and read the comments. The director discovers that a student last month rated her homestay one out of five and wrote that the room was freezing. She has already gone home and written a review.
Agents send their own surveys to students as well, and sometimes you only find out about a problem when an agent forwards their results.
Why end of course feedback arrives too late
- Students are only asked once, when they are about to leave.
- Paper forms are typed up later, if at all.
- Low scores are not seen by the person who could fix them.
- Students with limited English skip the comment box, or write what they think you want to hear.
- Results are not broken down by class, teacher or host, so patterns are hidden.
Feedback is collected like an inspection record, not like an early warning.
What late feedback costs
A student who is unhappy in week two and not asked until week eight has had six weeks of a bad experience, and the first you hear of it is a public review or an agent's complaint. Teachers and hosts do not get specific feedback, good or bad, so they cannot improve or be recognised. Management decisions about teachers, hosts and courses are made on impressions.
The feedback system we build
- At the end of each week, students get a short survey on their phone, a few questions on class, teacher, accommodation and school life. The first week's survey also asks about arrival and placement.
- Questions are shown in the student's own language if you want, and comments in other languages are translated for staff.
- Any low score or worrying comment is sent the same day to the person responsible: the director of studies for classes, the accommodation officer for homestay.
- The person follows up and records what they did, so there is a record that the concern was dealt with.
- Results are shown by class, teacher, host, course and agent, over time, with comments grouped by theme.
- A final survey on the last day asks for a public review, only after the weekly surveys show the student was happy, if you choose to work that way.
| Feedback about | Goes to | Shown by |
|---|---|---|
| Class and teacher | Director of studies | Class, teacher, level |
| Homestay | Accommodation officer | Host |
| Arrival and placement | Admissions | Arrival week |
| Activities | Activity coordinator | Activity |
| Overall | Principal | Course, agent, nationality |
Who sees what, and how feedback about individual teachers is used, is a management and staff relations decision for you. We can restrict views accordingly.
Feedback while there is still time
On Friday afternoon the accommodation officer sees one low homestay score and calls the student before the weekend. The director of studies sees that one class has scored lower on pace two weeks running and talks to the teacher. Teachers see their own results and comments. And at the end of each month there is a clear picture by class, host and agent, without anyone typing up forms.
When an agent asks how their students rate the school, you can send them the numbers for their students, not just a general impression.
Is feedback arriving too late for you?
- Feedback is collected once, on the last day.
- Forms are typed up long after the student leaves.
- Problems are first seen in public reviews or agent reports.
- Hosts and teachers rarely get specific feedback.
- Results cannot be broken down by class or host.