Empowering Instructors | Supporting Excellence
Improving Practice from Course Evaluations
Instructional Insights | by Cathleen Morreale, Ph.D.
Published December 8, 2025
Course evaluations can be a rich source of feedback for instructors. Course evaluations are not just an institutional requirement but can be a great way to reflect on teaching and continuous improvement. When approached with a growth mindset, they reveal how students experience the classroom and where teaching strategies may or may not be landing
In this Instructional Insight, we’re unpacking how higher education instructors can turn course evaluations into meaningful tools for growth. Rather than viewing them as judgment or red tape, you'll learn how to interpret evaluations constructively, spot patterns in student feedback, and identify small but powerful changes to improve your teaching. We’ll also explore ways to reflect on feedback with curiosity and use it to foster transparency and trust in your classroom. Whether you’re new to teaching or a seasoned professor, this Insight will help you make course evaluations work for you—not against you.
- Reframe course evaluations as formative feedback tools that support continuous improvement and student-centered teaching practices.
- Identify patterns in qualitative and quantitative evaluation data to make evidence-based decisions about instructional adjustments.
- Develop strategies to communicate changes to students based on their feedback, fostering transparency, trust, and a responsive learning environment.
Guiding Questions for This Insight
- What patterns do I notice across multiple evaluations or courses?
- Which pieces of feedback surprised me—and what might they reveal about students’ perspectives?
- Are there one or two small changes I could make that might significantly improve clarity or engagement?
- How can I create a feedback loop by letting students know I’ve acted on their input?
Today we’re diving into a topic that might cause some faculty to cringe—but shouldn’t: making the most of course evaluations.
Course evaluations can feel like a formality—or worse, a judgment. But what if we reframed them as a powerful tool for growth?
First, let’s talk about what course evaluations are really for. Yes, institutions use them for accountability and decision-making, but their most powerful role is formative. Evaluations give us a glimpse into how students are experiencing our teaching—what’s working, what’s not, and where there might be disconnects.
But here’s the kicker: the usefulness of evaluations depends on how we read them. It's tempting to focus on the numerical ratings, especially if they're lower than we'd like. But the true value often lies in the qualitative comments.
So how do we approach them constructively?
- Look for Patterns, Not Outliers. One comment from a frustrated student doesn’t mean you need to redesign your entire course. But if multiple students mention unclear expectations or poor pacing—that’s a signal worth investigating.
- Separate the Emotional from the Informational. It’s natural to feel defensive. But once that initial reaction fades, return with curiosity: What can I learn?
- Compare Across Courses or Semesters. Are there recurring themes? Is one course consistently rated lower in clarity or engagement? That could point to areas for targeted improvement.
Once you’ve gathered insights, translate them into action:
- Clarify expectations. If students were confused, maybe assignment guidelines need tightening.
- Enhance engagement. If students felt the course lacked interaction, think about low-effort, high-impact strategies—like adding peer discussions or polling, such as TopHat.
- Communicate adjustments. In your next course, tell students early on what you’ve changed based on feedback. This models responsiveness and shows that their voices matter.
Also, consider sharing your evaluations—selectively—with a trusted colleague or teaching and learning center. They can offer perspective and help you interpret the feedback more objectively.
Remember, course evaluations are not the final word on your teaching—but they are a valuable chapter in your story of growth. With a little reframing, they can be less about judgment and more about development.
Thanks for joining me today on Innovation Insights. If you found this helpful, subscribe and share it with a colleague. Until next time, keep experimenting, keep reflecting, and keep teaching better—together.