Faculty resources
HOW TO ACCESS BLUE
You will receive emails from UAF-course-eval@alaska.edu which contain a link to the Blue login page (using you UA credentials). You can add personalized questions by clicking on the course title and also see previous years’ results. Personalizing questions and managing settings will open in a new tab. To navigate back to the main menu, return to your previous tab.
You’ll be able to add personalized questions at least 4 weeks before final day of instruction. Student links will be made available 2 weeks before finals week (this varies for late start and irregular-length courses). Evaluations close the final day of instruction. Instructors will be provided two copies of their student course evaluation reports: Instructor Summary Report and Comprehensive Instructor Report. Instructors will get their reports no later than two weeks into the beginning date of the upcoming semester.
PERSONALIZE YOUR QUESTIONS FOR MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK
In order to get feedback from your students that is actionable and meaningful, you should personalize additional questions that are relevant to the way you teach. Students will recognize that you’re looking for real feedback if you ask authentic questions.
1. ADD QUESTIONS FROM THE QUESTION BANK
2. ADD YOUR OWN QUESTIONS
3. THE SUBMIT BUTTON IS EASY TO MISS!
IDEAS FOR IMPROVING RESPONSE RATE
Help students understand that you actually use their feedback to assess your own teaching practice. Explain the difference between comments that are helpful and comments that aren’t. Don’t forget to remind them that comments about what did work are as helpful as what didn’t.
Provide a link to the Blue system and let students know that you use feedback to improve your teaching early in the semester by putting those things in your syllabus. If you teach an online course, this is doubly important since students may miss the conversation that provides context on student evaluations. Additionally, consider adding a “how to” link to a video.
Though students get reminders from the UA system, remind them in a personal email or Blackboard announcement. They may pay more attention to something coming from their instructor.
Once the evaluation period is open, make sure you check the response rates and encourage
students to complete the evaluations if yours are low. Just below the “Home” button
in Blue there is a “Response Rates” button. You’ll be able to see response rates once
the evaluation period is open.
OTHER INFORMATION
TEACHING ASSISTANT EVALUATIONS
In order for a TA or Student Instructor to be evaluated the name will need to be entered into Banner based on the connected course information. Please contact your unit’s administrative associate to have course information updated in Banner. You may also contact uaf-course-evals@alaska.edu with questions or concerns.
FAQS
Yes, Blue is similar but only available online. This puts a greater burden on you as an instructor to encourage students to complete the evaluations.
Students are invited to access the BLUE® portal and complete the evaluation of their courses at their earliest convenience. However you can provide class time for students to fill out the survey.
Yes. Add some of your own personalized questions in order to get relevant and meaningful comments.