The Baron had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Ziba Vaghri about the importance of student opinion surveys: 

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What is the importance of student opinion surveys?

The Student Opinion Survey (SOS) has three purposes for three parties involved in it: the students, instructors, and institutions. The SOS is valuable not only for enhancing students’ own learning experiences, but also for improving teaching practices and strengthening the institution’s overall quality. For students, this survey provides an opportunity to exercise a core human right: their right to be heard. It can also facilitate students’ growth and development.

The right to be heard is a human right we are all entitled to. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) declares the right to freedom of expression, including imparting information and ideas, as a human right for all of us. For the student body, particularly for undergraduate students, this right was declared under Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, as our students age and become older than 18, they do not lose this right but are still entitled to it under another human rights treaty, the UDHR.

How does the right to be heard apply to students in academic institutions?

The right to be heard is critical to our human dignity and the sense of democracy within societies, and is a non-negotiable element for social progress. Its significance lies not only in protecting freedom of thought and speech, but also in fostering inclusive and accountable institutions. For students, provision of such spaces that allow the use of their voice and exercise of their human rights emphasizes the respect of the universities for their agency and provides them a pathway to help shape the environments in which they learn and grow developmentally.

Within universities, such a practice of hearing students’ voices can strengthen democratic processes and foster transparency, both of which can reinforce accountability. It also allows institutions to adapt to changing needs and integrate diverse viewpoints. This itself strengthens the relationship between students and their universities. 

What are the benefits of participating in SOS to the students’ growth and development?

Student opinion surveys provide a useful opportunity for students to practice and hone the habit of communicating their thoughts in a constructive, unbiased, and non-confrontational manner. By sharing their opinions on courses, teaching methods, and quality of learning spaces, students can actively participate in shaping their educational experience. Additionally, the process requires self-reflection and acknowledging one’s agency, and can be conducive to human development and growth.  These skills are learned and honed during our university journey. By every repetition of the process of providing and receiving feedback, the skills are reinforced in students. The existing research data also suggests that the youth and young people who express their opinions are more likely to transition to adults who engage responsibly in civic life.

Lastly, when young people are encouraged to voice their thoughts and perspectives, they develop skills for critical thinking and decision-making. This can build their confidence and empower them with the feeling that they can have a role in and influence a change. Such an empowerment enhances personal growth.

How can the responses to student opinion surveys aid instructors and professors?

For us, as instructors, student opinions serve as an invaluable tool to understand the efficacy of our teaching methods and how they are perceived by our students and modify them when needed. We need such feedback to refine our teaching methods and communication strategies, improve the ambience of our classrooms, and build a connection with our students. This give-and-take communication enriches the teaching-learning relationship and has many advantages, especially for the educational outcomes of our classrooms.    

How do the responses for student opinion surveys make an impact at the institutional level?                           

At the institutional level, the accumulated survey data from students can inform policy, curriculum design, and resource allocation. When universities consistently listen to student voices, act upon them, and then inform the students about the impact of their voices, the circle of right to be heard is completed. By closing this circle to its completion, the universities create more inclusive and effective learning environments and reinforce their commitment to quality education and to supporting both parties involved: the instructors and the students.

What may be some difficulties with student opinion surveys? Do you think the benefits outweigh any potential challenges overall?

The benefits definitely outweigh the challenges. The process of giving and receiving feedback through SOS can indeed have its own challenges. But all in all, the benefits outweigh the challenges. The instructor always runs the risk of subjecting themselves to biased or unconstructive feedback, especially when anonymity, which is a non-negotiable component of the process, is fully in place. However, I think that as more and more students complete SOS, such anomalies and outliers will get diluted, and real issues will surface as authentic opinions are expressed. The instructor also has to be very clear and make every attempt to balance the students’ preferences with academic rigour as well as the institutional standards.

Ultimately at the society level, the collective exercise of this right reinforces the social fabric, creating a culture in which collaboration, understanding, and responsiveness underpin sustainable societal structure.

The Baron would like to thank Dr. Ziba Vaghri for taking the time to collaborate with us on this important topic.