Using Plus/Delta for Student Feedback (Teaching Tip)

We are officially almost one month away from the midterm of Spring 2022. In addition to preparing any summative assessments for midterms, consider integrating a way for students to provide feedback about how the course is going so far. One way to do this is the Plus/Delta (also called Plus/Change).

This Midterm Assessment Technique is used around the midpoint of a semester and asks students to reflect on what has been successful in helping them learn thus far (Helminski & Koberna, 1995). This is framed in a way that the student is asked what they should continue doing to support their learning (Plus). Additionally, it asks the students to provide feedback on what could be improved. The learner provides suggestions for improvements to support their learning (Delta).

Consider proposing these questions to your students through Canvas or Qualtrics, allowing for anonymous feedback. Some examples for Plus/Delta include:

Plus

• What is helping me learn in this class? What is working well?
• What am I doing, or what do I need to continue doing, to improve my learning in this class?

Delta

• What changes are needed in this course to improve my learning? What isn’t working well?
• What is something I need to improve my learning in this class?

At the conclusion of the Plus/Delta collection period, the instructor collects the information, breaks the feedback into themes, and reports the information back to the class. In doing so, it allows for an open conversation about the feedback and shared responsibility for the teaching and learning that takes place for the rest of the semester. To learn more about the Plus/Delta technique, check out the CELT website.

Resource

Helminski, L., & Koberna, S. (1995). Total quality in instruction: A systems approach. In H.V. Roberts (Ed.)., Academic initiatives in total quality for higher education, (pp. 309-362). ASQC Quality Press.