UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Instructors will be invited to provide crucial early feedback to their undergraduate students during the Starfish early indicators progress survey from Sept. 9-18.
For most courses, completing progress surveys during the survey periods will be the easiest and most impactful way to share information about student progress and, if necessary, activate a larger student support network.
Progress surveys are highlighted with two campaigns each semester and alert students and those who support student success to act proactively and reinforce an instructor’s recommendations. Feedback can help with course-based challenges or identify other concerns such as lack of access to technology, transportation or course materials before a student gets too far behind.
Starting Sept. 9, instructors and teaching assistants formally listed as instructors of record in LionPATH will receive an email prompting them to complete progress surveys for their full-semester undergraduate courses, numbered 499 and below. Progress surveys can be completed by clicking the link, checking boxes for each student, and, if they wish, providing written feedback. Instructors can raise a flag, give kudos or recommend a student “to-do.” Academic advisers are asked to follow up on an instructor’s concerns, reach out to students and close the loop on flags and to-dos.
The Starfish team, with members from units across Penn State, continues to refine its approach to student support and make processes for instructors more efficient and effective.
“We’re eager to continue collaborating with our faculty and graduate instructors to support the excellent work they already do surrounding student success,” said David Smith, associate dean for advising and executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), which leads academic advising and Starfish development at Penn State. “With the help of the University’s academic advisers and others in a student’s network, we are seeing how instructor interventions early in the semester and during midterms can help undergraduates achieve more successful outcomes in their courses.”
The mid-semester progress survey period will open Oct. 7 and close Oct. 23.
How to provide feedback outside of progress survey periods
Instructors and teaching assistants have other options for sharing student progress in Starfish, including ones that may be better for those needing to share progress for select students outside of survey periods or for a large class using Canvas Grades.
The Division of Undergraduate Studies is the second largest unit of enrollment at Penn State and leads academic advising across the University. It is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.