The MAP Request Form will open on Tuesday, February 10 for the spring semester.
What is a MAP?
A MAP is a unique opportunity for you to get student feedback on one of your courses during the semester while the course is in progress.
The MAP begins with a consultant from the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) visiting one of your classes to confidentially collect student feedback, analyze and synthesize the data, and then meet with you to discuss the feedback, highlight the teaching approaches you are using that support student learning, and identify ways to make timely adjustments to the course. Please note that our MAP program does not include a classroom observation.
A MAP requires modest effort, is easy to carry out, and uses little class time (around 25 minutes).
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| A CTL consultant collects, analyzes, and synthesizes student feedback on the course. | Then meets with you to discuss the feedback and possible teaching strategies. | After thanking your students for their feedback, you share any course changes you may make. |
The MAP is a confidential and voluntary service and feedback is shared only with you. Instructors may request one MAP per semester for one course section on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to faculty.
How does the MAP Program work?
We are now offering instructors the opportunity to request a face-to-face or remote MAP. The table below depicts the differences between the two options.
| Description | Face-to-Face MAP | Remote MAP |
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| Timing of the MAP | Conducted any time during weeks 4-9 of the semester. | Conducted any time during weeks 4-9 of the semester. |
Duration | Takes the first 20-25 minutes of class time on a specific class day. | Survey is open for 7 days. |
| Teaching Context | Conducted in a face-to-face course on the Amherst campus only. | Conducted in a face-to-face course on the Charles River and Springfield campuses only. Conducted in fully online courses. |
| Feedback Collection Process |
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| Timing of the Post-Map Consultation | Approximately one week after feedback is collected. | Approximately one week after the survey closes. |
| Considerations | A face-to-face MAP will take 20-25 minutes at the beginning of class. | Due to challenges with response rates, we encourage instructors to remind students often about the survey during the MAP week. |
What are the benefits of doing a MAP?
By doing a MAP, instructors will gain insights into their teaching and how students learn in their classes, as well as identify specific strategies to improve their instruction. Students also benefit from participating in a MAP: they are given opportunities to examine their assumptions about teaching and reflect on their learning. Past participants of the MAP noted that the experience helped to open up a dialogue with their students on teaching and learning, increased the level of trust between student and teacher, and contributed to an effective learning environment.
If you would like to collect your own student feedback
- Please see our Guidelines for Implementing Your Own Mid-Semester Assessment (available on OneDrive with a UMass account).
- For survey questions, consider using a version of the Forward FOCUS questions to distribute in your courses.
- Once you have collected student feedback, you can always request a consultation with the CTL to talk through your next steps.
Assistant Director and Senior Lecturer
If you have questions about the MAP program or how to implement your own mid-semester assessment, please contact Beth Lisi at