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Response Rate and LENS

Posted 4:44 p.m. Monday, April 21, 2025

colleagues giving a high-five, Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

A few more strategies

by Kristin Koepke, CATL Director

As university instructors, we understand the importance of gathering feedback from our students to improve our teaching methods and course content. The learning environment survey, LENS, is a crucial tool for this purpose. However, increasing response rates can be challenging. Here are some reminders about ways to do that and two new ideas.

Strategies from other blog articles... 

  1. Take some time during a class period to talk with students about what is on the LENS including the types of comments you find useful, sharing examples of how
  2. Share with students ways that you have used previous constructive student comments to make alterations to your courses.
  3. Provide time during a class period for students to complete the LENS. Please be sure to leave the room if you provide time; 10-15 minutes should suffice.
  4. Monitor response rates and remind them regularly throughout the survey period.
  5. Incentize students for collective completion by the class rather than individually (i.e., if the whole class gets to #% response rate then all students get # extra credit points). This is to help respect the confidential nature of the instrument. 

Additional Strategies

  1. Respectful Communication and Acknowledgment:
    • Talk respectfully with students about the reciprocity of feedback.
      For instructors who spend a lot of time providing feedback to students, you can ask them to return the favor by completing LENS. Throughout the semester, I spend a good amount of time creating and providing students with thoughtful, personalized feedback in a variety of ways and I talk to them about the value of feedback. The feedback I give to student is constructive and considerate. When LENS rolls around, I make a point to remind my students about my role in providing them constructive and considerate feedback throughout the semester and present LENS as a chance for them to formally reciprocate the feedback loop by sharing their respectful and thoughtful feedback. I express appreciation for their efforts and acknowledge the balance and give-and-take within the classroom environment.
    • Script Example: "I want to take a moment to talk about the learning environment survey, LENS. Throughout the semester, I've dedicated a significant amount of time to providing you with feedback to help you succeed. Now, it's your turn to give me feedback through LENS. Your insights are invaluable and help me improve the course for future students. I appreciate you taking time to share your comments and ideas, much like I have taken time to provide feedback to you in a variety of ways. Together, we create this balanced classroom environment."
  2. Collaborative Approach:
    • Swap with a Colleague: Coordinate with a colleague who teaches at the same time or find someone available for the first 10 minutes of your class. Ask them to introduce the importance of the survey and stay while students complete it. This can add a sense of urgency and importance to the task.
    • Departmental Scheduling: Work as a department to develop a schedule where instructors support each other in promoting survey completion. I know the management department does this and has really improved their response rates.
    • Script for Visiting Instructor: "Good [morning/afternoon], everyone. I'm [Instructor's Name], and I'm here to talk to you about the learning environment survey, LENS. This survey is a vital tool for your instructor to gather feedback and make improvements to the course. Your honest and thoughtful responses are crucial. I'll be here for the next 10 minutes while you complete the survey. Professors do not receive your responses until after grades are due and they can't be tracked back to a specific student. Thank you for your participation. After 10 minutes, Professor >>> will rejoin your course."

By implementing these strategies, you can create a more engaging and responsive environment that encourages students to complete the LENS survey. Remember, their feedback is essential for continuous improvement and fostering a positive learning experience.

Need more details on the logistics for LENS or support on how to use LENS for your own improvement? Check out these website:


* content partially generated by genAI, Microsoft copilot chat


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