Course Teaching Feedback
The University of Queensland (UQ) is committed to enhancing teaching quality through systematic student feedback mechanisms. The Student Evaluation of Course and Teaching (SECaT) and Student Evaluation of Tutor (SETutor) surveys provide students with opportunities to reflect on and evaluate their educational experiences. These surveys focus on course content and teaching practices across their enrolled courses.
The administration of the course teaching feedback surveys is governed by the Student Evaluation of Course and Teaching Procedure. This procedure details the processes and requirements for preparing and delivering these surveys and is centrally managed by the Student Surveys and Evaluations Team (SSET) within the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI).
Key dates: Semester 1 2025
- Surveys open: Monday 19 May 2025
- Surveys close: Friday 6 June 2025 (11:59pm AEST)
Course Coordinators, Lecturers, and Tutors to:
New System for Semester 1, 2025
From Semester 1, 2025 we’re implementing a more modern, reliable and efficient system to manage student feedback.
Why we’re moving to a new system
We’re making this change to make completing surveys and accessing feedback easier.
Key improvements include:
- Simpler, more user-friendly experience for both staff and students
- 1 survey per course, combining course, teaching and tutor questionnaires
- Access all survey related functions from single location – “Subject Management”
- Promote survey completion by downloading and circulating course/class unique survey QR code
- Monitor real time response rates
- View report in HTML and download it in PDF format
Support
For help accessing your surveys, see the:
Course teaching feedback questionnaires
Course teaching feedback surveys use standardised questionnaires, which are formally reviewed and revised by the University’s Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Committee (TLSEC).
Personalised or customised questions are not permitted in these surveys.
For a comprehensive list of the questions, refer to Section 9 of the Procedure.
Data preparation guidelines
To facilitate the creation of the surveys, consult the Evaluation Data Preparation Guide. This guide provides a detailed breakdown of data requirements within Course Profiles via Jac.
SECaT surveys
SECaT surveys are administered for every course with 5 or more (≥5) enrolments each time it is taught, and for every lecturer with a Threshold Teaching Load (defined in Section 8 of the Procedure) on a course entered in UQ’s curriculum management system (i.e. Jac).
For courses with multiple scheduled classes, surveys may be merged if certain classes have fewer than five enrolments. For details on merged surveys, contact evaluations@uq.edu.au.
SETutor surveys
SETutor surveys are administered at the course level with 5 or more (≥ 5) enrolments, with 1 SETutor evaluation per Tutor (defined in Section 8 of the Procedure), per course. This includes where the Tutor delivers multiple tutorials/laboratories across different modes of instruction for one course.
To mitigate survey fatigue, a SETutor survey should not be administered for a staff member if they are evaluated as a lecturer in a SECaT survey for the same course during the same evaluation period (please refer to para 19 of the Procedure).
Feedback for small courses
For courses with fewer than five students enrolled, SECaT and SETutor surveys are not generated. In such cases, refer to the Assuring and Enhancing Course and Teaching Quality Guideline for informal feedback tools that allow for customised question sets. Data collected through these tools are for personal feedback purposes and are not reported through formal mechanisms such as UQ Reportal or included in the Individual Academic Profile (IAP).
Increase survey response rate
Increasing response rate
Listen to how other UQ teaching staff improve their SECaT response rate
Listen to how other UQ teaching staff encourage constructive student feedback
To encourage student participation in surveys:
Advance Notice: Inform students about upcoming online evaluations and encourage them to check their student email accounts and the 'Have Your Say' module on Learn.UQ (Blackboard) during the evaluation period.
Purpose Communication: Explain the significance of evaluations and their role in enhancing teaching quality. Utilise promotional materials, such as the slide with the QR code.
Class Time Allocation: Allocate class time for students to complete evaluations using their own devices. This approach has been associated with higher response rates.
Key message communicated with students
The following message can be used to communicate with your students:
Course coordinators are encouraged to summarise evaluation outcomes and outline responses to feedback for subsequent student cohorts. This information can be included in the Course Profile, on Learn.UQ (Blackboard), and discussed during the first class of the semester.
Student feedback should be honest, constructive, and respectful. UQ recognises that valuable feedback may sometimes include critical language. However, feedback that is abusive, malicious, discriminatory, or violates University policy will not be accepted. Comments not meeting expected standards of behaviour will be addressed in accordance with relevant UQ policies.
Accessing feedback reports
Staff will receive an email with their course teaching feedback reports on the Monday following the official release date of final grades each semester, as specified in the UQ academic calendar. Before reviewing these reports, consider consulting the SECaT Reading Tips for guidance on interpretation.
To maintain confidentiality, evaluation reports are only distributed when a survey meets the reportable data threshold of five or more responses. Quantitative results of all course evaluations from 2015 to the current semester are available for staff and students. Results can also be accessed via UQ Reportal. To request access, submit an online form. Links to various reports available for download from UQ Reportal are provided on the course and teaching reports webpage.
Request to redact or remove abusive, malicious or discriminatory comments
The process for redacting or removing student comments is outlined in Paragraph 37 to 38 of the Procedure.
Data confidentiality
The University will ensure that all data is collected and managed in accordance with University policies and relevant privacy laws, including the Information Privacy Act 2009 (QLD).
UQ is not to provide information that will identify a student who responds to the SECaT or SETutor survey unless required elsewhere in the Procedure or by law.
Students are requested not to self-identify and student identities remain confidential and are not released to teaching staff. However, if the student does self-identify, teaching staff are not to contact individual students about their responses to SECaT and/or SETutor surveys.
The identity of students remains confidential within SSET. Student identities are not disclosed to individual staff.
Contact the Student Surveys and Evaluations Team (SSET)
For any enquiries regarding course teaching feedback surveys, please contact the UQ Student Surveys and Evaluations Team (SSET): evaluations@uq.edu.au
Access your reports
SECaT results are emailed to Course Coordinators and made available via UQ Reportal.
Resources
Videos
Encourage constructive SECaT feedback
Improve your SECaT response rate
Improve your SECaT results
Student and staff user demo
Watch how to navigate the system (UQ staff login required)
Learn how academics from your school get the most out of SECaT.
Watch the SECaT interview series (YouTube)
Promotional assets
Resources to share with students to encourage SECaT and SETutor participation.
Promotional video for students (YouTube)
SECaT promotion slide with QR code (PPTX, 317.1 KB)
Guides
Ensure that SECaT and SETutor surveys are properly created
Evaluation data preparation guide (PDF, 78 KB)
How to effectively use the reports to enhance your practice
Reading and interpreting SECaT reports (PDF, 116.2 KB)
Learn how to navigate the Course Teaching Feedback website as either a student or teaching staff