What is the purpose of completing the student feedback survey?
The feedback provided from the online student feedback surveys for each of your classes will help assess your instructors’ teaching and help shape the quality of instruction at TCNJ. For the benefits to be realized, students need to complete the student feedback surveys thoughtfully and conscientiously. The feedback is used by instructors to reflect on their teaching and is included as part of information used to make administrative decisions. Fairness to both the instructor and TCNJ requires accurate and honest answers.
How do I access the online student feedback survey?
The student feedback survey is no longer administered through PAWS, but is now administered through Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys, which integrates with Canvas.
There are three ways you can access student feedback. In all cases, you will login with your TCNJ username and password.
- Email from Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys
When the student feedback form is available for you to complete, you will receive an email from the Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys system that will contain a table with your courses and links to the student feedback for each of the courses. - Canvas
Log into Canvas (need help logging in?) and you will see a link labeled “Course and Instructor Evaluations” on the left menu bar. - TCNJ Today Website (today.tcnj.edu)
Click on Student Feedback in the banner at the top of the page (where you can also access Google Apps, Canvas, PAWS, etc.).
Why don’t I see a link to the survey for one of the courses I am taking this term?
To protect anonymity for students, only courses with enrollments of 7 or more will participate in the online student feedback on teaching process. Some non-traditional courses (e.g., Student Teaching, Department 099 Seminars) will not participate in the online Student Feedback on Teaching process. Please ask your instructor if you have questions whether to complete the online student feedback survey for a particular class.
How long do I have to complete the online student feedback survey for my courses?
Online Student feedback surveys will be open to students during the last two weeks (not including the final exam period) of each Fall and Spring semester. Please check with each of your instructors for instructions on whether you should complete the student feedback survey during one of your class periods or on your own time. Academic Affairs will inform students/faculty of the student feedback period for summer and winter terms.
Can I save the survey and submit it at another time?
Yes. At the bottom of the survey, click in the box labeled “Save and Finish Later.”
Can I skip a question or leave a question blank?
You do not have to answer questions in the order they are presented, but you cannot leave any of the multiple-choice answers blank (required questions are indicated with a red asterisk). If there is a question for which you do not have an answer or that does not appear to apply to the course or instructor, please select “Not applicable,” rather than assigning an arbitrary answer.
What happens if my computer crashes while I am filling out the student feedback survey?
Any information you entered will not be saved. You will need to log back into Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys and start again.
Will my instructor know what I answered on the survey?
Your feedback is strictly confidential. The online student feedback process uses current technology to ensure the security of the data, the anonymity of the participants, and the confidentiality of the results. You enter the online student feedback surveys via Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys which is a secure, password protected environment. Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys does not link student names, student PAWS IDs, schools, or majors with the actual responses. After all grades have been submitted, your anonymous feedback will be provided to the instructor with no identifying information.
Am I required to fill out the student feedback survey?
Your participation is paramount to evaluate and improve the quality of instruction at TCNJ. You can make a difference in helping to improve teaching at TCNJ by giving honest and accurate feedback. TCNJ students are expected to complete the anonymous student feedback survey for each of their classes. By doing so, you are making your voice heard and improving learning for future students, and you pay forward your debt to past students whose feedback has improved the courses you are taking. Providing honest feedback is a responsibility of every TCNJ student.