The Student Instructional Feedback Technique, or SIFT, is a non-evaluative, confidential way to see how your course is going before the semester is over.
There are 5 steps to the SIFT:
- You meet with a consultant to determine goals for your SIFT.
- Consultant prepares a survey and small group processing activities that align to your goals.
- Consultant visits your course (without you!) to collect data from students.
- Using QR codes and accessible weblinks, consultant administers a Google Form to your students (sample form)
- Students gather in small groups to develop consensus (sample slides)
- Full group polling and discussion regarding major themes
- The consultant sifts through data to identify teaching strengths & opportunities.
- You receive confidential feedback (written & verbal) about possible next steps in your teaching. (sample feedback)
This process is triply confidential, meaning that
- consultants will not disclose who has requested a SIFT
- student feedback collected during the in-class portion is never shared verbatim with the instructor
- feedback is provided directly to the instructor for their own use (and never to supervisors/chairs, although instructors can share results with whomever they choose)
For more information and/or to schedule a SIFT, contact Lindsay Masland at maslandlc@appstate.edu.