Each semester, Temple students provide feedback on course materials and instruction using Student Feedback Forms (SFFs). Temple first implemented a university-wide system for evaluating courses in 2002, and has enhanced the form and systems periodically, including in 2012 when the administration moved from paper forms to online. In fall 2020, the university implemented a new form and system, developed by the joint faculty and staff Assessment of Instruction Committee (AIC), the Office of Institutional Research & Assessment, and Information Technology Services (ITS).
Temple University is committed to high quality instruction in graduate, undergraduate and professional programs. Student feedback regarding instruction is an integral part of assuring quality in the University's educational programs. Every instructor—each person teaching at the University—is required to have his or her teaching evaluated by students every semester using a standard form adopted for such purpose.
Policy (02.78.14), Nov. 2002
SFF System
The main objective for the development of the new SFF system is to provide useful course and teaching data that recognizes the diversity of the programs within the Temple's schools/colleges by allowing for question selection down to the course/instructor level. This creates a form and evaluation process that better aligns with department, program and instructor needs, making for a more purposeful evaluation of courses and teaching.
The new version of the SFF includes eight, university-level items common to all students: five response-scale items, and three open-ended questions. The main feature of the new system is that it allows forms to be customized with the ability to add items at several levels.
- Instructor (ability to add up to 4 items)
- Subject area/department (ability to add up to 3 items)
- School/college (ability to add up to 3 items)
- Special designation (Honors, Online, Writing Intensive and General Education; ability to add up to 2 items each)
This allows instructors, departments, and colleges to each assess aspects of courses and instruction that are of most value to them.
Reports
The SFF system allows for faster delivery of SFF instructor reports; instructor reports are posted as soon as the grading deadline has passed. Instructors access reports via the Reports tab in the new SFF Admin Panel. SFF reports for Summer 2020 and prior can be accessed through the old report system at titan.temple.edu/cateresults/
The reports include percentages and means for each item, comparative data, and open-ended student comments. Data for instructor added items is made available only to instructors.
Instructors use the SFF reports to improve their teaching and course materials. Student feedback also helps instructors and administration make merit, tenure and promotion decisions, as well as other important decisions about how courses are taught at Temple.
Updates Effective Summer II 2025
We are pleased to share that an updated format of the SFF Instructor Report will be implemented for courses beginning this Summer II 2025. The updates were made in response to recommendations from the Assessment of Instruction Committee (AIC) and shaped by feedback from faculty and academic leadership across the university. The format and structure of the report has been revised to enhance clarity, accessibility, and the overall usefulness of the information provided. A summary of the key updates is included below for quick reference:
- A graphical display of response rates with side-by-side comparison to university wide rates.
- Visualized item-level response data, replacing the previous UML metric, with simplified bar graphs and percentages.
- Comparative data tables showing the mean score for the section, subject code, and school/college, based on the four most recent semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer I, and Summer II).
- Open ended comments presented in two formats: grouped by student and grouped by item.
- Bookmarks within the PDF for each major section of the report, allowing for easier navigation.
A detailed overview of the revised SFF Instructor Report format is available here.
Links and Resources
The SFF system is intuitive and easy to use, and the resources below have been developed to guide users through the new features, including a short instructional video demonstrating how instructors add items to their SFF. These resources are also available in the SFF Admin Panel under the Resources tab.
SFF system (the system is also accessed in TUPortal under TUapplications: SFF Form Creator and Reports): sff.temple.edu/admin
Link for students to complete their SFFs: sff.temple.edu
Questions?
Please email us at sff@temple.edu.