Student Report on Course Experience (SRCE)

The Student Report on Course Experience (SRCE) is a process for gathering student-generated data on teaching, and it has replaced the survey known as the Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI).

Because students play a vital role in the SRCE, they will be asked to complete an end-of-semester report for all courses, and, in some courses, they may also be asked to complete a mid-semester report. Due to the wide range of disciplines and approaches to teaching that co-exist in the university setting, the SRCE process and corresponding surveys may look slightly different in each course.

Some of the survey questions include references to course elements that instructors may use to structure and teach their classes. Explanations of those terms can be found in the glossary below.

Glossary for SRCE

  • accommodate variety of needs: adjusting teaching methods, assessment formats, and/or learning environments to cater to diverse learners
  • active learning: a teaching method that asks students to engage as participants in the learning process beyond being receivers of information (e.g., working independently, working together, reflecting on their learning, investigating, creating, completing tasks)
  • assessments - tasks designed or selected by instructors and completed by students, which the instructor uses to evaluate their learning 
    • format - refers to the structure of the assessment (e.g., multiple choice quiz, lab report, performance, essay, artwork)
    • mode - refers to the method used to deliver the assessment (e.g., individual, group, peer assessment, or portfolio-based evaluation)
    • type - defines the purpose of the assessment (e.g., diagnostic to help direct future learning, formative to provide feedback on the learning process, summative to assess progress on learning outcomes) 
  • available/availability: the degree to which a teacher is accessible to students both in class and outside of scheduled class time, within reason (e.g., office hours, email communication, online platforms), to allow students to ask questions, seek clarification, or get additional support 
  • community engagement - according to the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, community engagement refers to “a spectrum of activities that occur in the context of a reciprocal collaboration between University students, faculty, and staff and partners in our larger communities (local, regional/state, national, global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources”; in a course, community engagement may refer to guest speakers from or collaborative projects with community organizations
  • disability accommodations - a Disability Accommodations Notice (or DAN) is an official document provided to a student by the Disability Services office, which the student, in turn, may share with their instructors; it outlines modifications, or disability accommodations, that may be made to the way a course is taught if needed to help students with disabilities fully participate in academic activities and demonstrate their knowledge (e.g., extended time for testing, alternative textbook formats, etc.)
  • external accreditation standards: a set of requirements that an organization or person must meet to be recognized as reaching a particular standard beyond the University (e.g., language proficiency exams, professional certifications, graduate school entrance exams)
  • feedback - guidance and information provided to students about their performance on assignments, assessments, and course activities, including how to grow as a learner and improve in the course
  • learning outcome - a description of what a student will be expected to know or be able to do at the end of a prescribed period of time in the course
  • learning support resources: a range of strategies designed to support student learning such as academic coaching (e.g., providing personalized guidance and strategies to improve performance and study habitats), office hours, facilitating study groups, providing information on accessing academic support through the Weinstein Learning Center (e.g., for tutoring, study skills, writing and speech centers)
  • lines of communication - refers to the channels and methods through which information is exchanged between students and professors (e.g., office hours, emails, discussion boards, online platforms)
  • low- or lower-stakes opportunities - activities and assessments that carry a lower weight in the course (e.g., no grade or lesser portion of the overall grade); usually provide an opportunity to “practice” with knowledge and skills that will be assessed again in a higher-stakes situation
  • multiple perspectives: examining a topic or issue by considering various viewpoints, experiences, and interpretations; may include drawing information from a variety of sources and identifying potential biases when appropriate to the discipline
  • online course site - Blackboard, Box, or other online sites that house course materials for students (e.g., assignments, readings, grades, etc.)
  • peer/group interactions - ways of interacting with other students enrolled in the course, which may include online and/or in-person, happening in real-time or not, paired and small group, and various other modes of student-to-student interaction
  • professionalization activities - activities designed to provide students with skills relevant to pursuing a profession in the target field (e.g., written, oral, or digital communication or presentation, group work, leadership opportunities, field work, etc.)