SIFT - The Student Instructional Feedback Technique
SIFT is a proven strategy for collecting meaningful feedback from your students that helps you teach – and helps them learn – more effectively. This is especially useful to do during the first half of the semester.
Benefits
Receive timely, actionable feedback
Gain new ideas for teaching and learning
Support student reflection on learning
How it works
- You’re paired with a trained CTLM facilitator, who uses the last 25-30 minutes of a class session (in-person or synchronous online) to facilitate student writing and reflection on what is working well and what could be improved in the class and in students’ own approach to learning.
- Your facilitator gathers themes from the student feedback, shares them with you, and supports you in thinking through ways to implement constructive feedback.
Who can SIFT?
SIFT sessions are available to anyone who teaches for-credit courses at UW–Madison, including teaching assistants and those who teach sections such as labs and discussions.
Process
| Activity | Time commitment | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-visit meeting - Meet your facilitator to share information about your class and what you're interested in learning from the SIFT. | 30-60 minutes | Your office, CTLM office, or Zoom |
| SIFT session - Your facilitator visits the class to collect the students' feedback. You’ll plan a shorter lesson in order to wrap up and leave the room 25-30 minutes before the end of the period. Your facilitator will guide the students through a small group reflection and writing process and talk with them about the themes that arise. | 25-30 minutes at the end of class | Your classroom or digital space |
| Debrief – You and your facilitator meet to go over what the students observe is going well and consider ways to respond to constructive feedback. You can also think together about how to communicate back to your students what will and will not change in response to their feedback and why. | 60-90 minutes | Your office, CTLM office, or Zoom |
| Follow-up – Your facilitator emails you with any documents or resources requested and confirms plans (if any) for future communication. | TBD | TBD |
Interested in learning more?
Tell us a little about yourself and your course and we’ll follow up with you.