Feedback is important – But when collecting feedback on your online course, mistakes can easily happen. We show five classic mistakes in feedback and explain how you can easily avoid them.
Feedback questionnaires are a powerful tool for getting opinions and ideas from others and getting better at what you do – for example, in creating online courses.
I found an interesting article titled “5 Easy Mistakes To Make When Collecting Feedback For Your Online Course” on the blog of “eLearning Industry.” Below, I give you a brief summary:
What mistakes can you make with feedback in your online course and how do you avoid them?
The 5 Most Common Mistakes in Feedback
Mistake 1: Asking too many questions
If there are too many questions, participants will either quit the questionnaire prematurely, or they will answer the questions “haphazardly” to finish quickly. In both cases, the feedback is not helpful to you.
Tip: Ask few, targeted questions! Think about what you could improve in your course. Skip less relevant questions.
Mistake 2: Asking the wrong type of questions
A classic feedback question at the end of an online course is: “Would you like to share something about the course with me/us?” But be careful: This question is too general for honest feedback.
Tip: Encourage your participants to think! A better question would be, for example: “If you could change two things about this course, what would they be and why?”
Always a good idea: Ask open-ended questions – but provide guidance. Open means the participant should ideally not be able to answer the question with one word. An example:
Poor: How did you like the course?
Better: What exactly did you particularly like about the course and why?
People always appreciate positive feedback – but honest criticism helps you improve your online course.
Mistake 3: Not soliciting feedback
Most questionnaires are filled out after the course ends. However, there will always be participants who do not want to express their opinion (or do not want to do it directly). Here you should follow up!
Tip: Use other channels to reach your participants and ask for feedback! Good channels for this include targeted emails or social media.
Mistake 4: Avoiding tough questions
In order to really improve your online course, you inevitably need some “unpleasant” feedback: You only get honest constructive criticism if you openly ask your participants for it.
Tip: Specifically ask for criticism! A suitable tough question could be: “What could have made you abandon the course?”
Mistake 5: Asking too many closed questions
Closed questions and yes/no questions are quick to answer and easy to evaluate. However, you won’t receive helpful ideas or suggestions this way.
Tip: Always provide an open option for responses, where your participants can respond in their own words freely.
Conclusion: How to Avoid Mistakes in Feedback
Mistakes in feedback can easily be avoided. To receive truly helpful and honest feedback from your course participants, you should adhere to these 5 tips:
Ask few, targeted questions!
Encourage your participants to think!
Use different channels to gather feedback!
Specifically ask for criticism!
Always provide an open option for responses!
Do you have one of your feedback forms at hand? Then take 10 minutes now and check your questions against the mentioned 5 points. It’s worth it!
