Feedback – Why on earth should I give it?

“Give feedback and make an impact!” Those famous words you can’t help but come across.

Course feedback, university facility surveys, bachelor’s feedback, master’s feedback, member surveys from student organizations and the student union, feedback surveys from events and many many more. You eye on numerous forms and ponder whether or not you should answer them. You should. But why?

Feedback is vital for many parties, such as the student union, the university, organisations and event organisers, to find out what works and what doesn't. Many aspects tend to remain hidden unless they are brought to light. In addition to highlighting areas for improvement, it’s also good to highlight positive matters so that they’re not ignored because they aren’t known to be important or useful. Afterall, the role of feedback is to highlight weaknesses as well as successes.

However, giving feedback shouldn’t have to feel burdensome or compulsory. Feedback surveys are excellent platforms for sharing ideas that the other people involved may not have thought of before. The ideas and comments don’t have to be world-changing; simple and “obvious” views go a long way too. Of course, it’s always good to keep in mind the fundamental purpose of giving feedback: the opportunity to make a difference. 

However, as a student, it’s sometimes difficult to see the real benefit and importance of your feedback. You feel that it’s not worth giving feedback because it doesn’t always benefit you directly. A good example of this is course feedback. Why give feedback on a course you have already passed? 

Sure, the feedback doesn't help you once you've completed the course. However, feedback can make an incredible difference to future students of the course. Everyone would certainly like the courses they intend to study to have been developed on the basis of feedback from previous implementations. How could development work be done if no feedback has been left by those who have previously studied the course? It couldn’t.

Moreover, the feedback on a course won’t be left only to the teacher's own interpretation. It will continue to be processed at higher levels and the feedback will be taken into account in the university's internal planning of the bigger picture beyond the course level. Therefore, every feedback is important, because the more feedback there is, the more the planning can be done according to the students' interests.

So next time you see a feedback survey in Peppi, imagine yourself a year younger choosing the same course. Is there anything that should be improved in the course? Was the course particularly successful in any way? All of this is important information to share so that the courses work appropriately through the years. 

After all, the student union, the university and the organisations are there for the students. So why not get involved in creating an environment where students can learn and live well?

Heidi Elers
Board member, Educational Affairs