Instructor Resources

Explorance Blue is a survey and evaluation platform that supports feedback processes. Explorance is a Canadian-owned company used by more than half of the U15 institutions for student feedback, and has received positive feedback from USask, McGill and UBC on their experience with the platform.

UCalgary has undertaken an overhaul of the course feedback system, guided by the USRI Working Group Recommendation report endorsed at GFC in April 2022. The report includes 43 recommendations including updating the technology that we use to administer course feedback surveys, including the USRI and the faculty forms.

As of Winter 2024, all faculties are using Explorance Blue to facilitate course experience surveys. 

Follow this guide to access past reports hosted on PowerBI. 

Students will receive an email from UCalgary Course Experience Surveys with direct links to their current course surveys. They can also access them from the D2L course shell. You can also remind them in your course that surveys are open and how their feedback contributes to stronger teaching and learning. 

As we update to new technology, there is a brief window where course survey results will not be available for surveys administered in the new technology between Fall 2023 to Spring 2024. All releasable reports will be available in Fall 2024. All previous year reports remain available. 

There are many ways you can encourage students to complete surveys. A few of the easiest ways include:

• Set aside time in class for students to complete their online survey
• Share with students how you use feedback to make changes to your courses
• Tell them about the purpose of course surveys to enhance the teaching and learning across campus

If you have already set aside time in class, you can remind students about the upcoming end date through D2L or during class time. Surveys are optional, but ensuring students know that their feedback in anonymous and will only be shared with instructors after final exams / projects are submitted may also help students to complete their surveys. 

If you have received a comment that you find hurtful or abusive, you should contact your academic leader, which could be your department head or the faculty's Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning (ADTL). They can work to ensure the comment is handled through appropriate processes. 

Mid-semester feedback provides you with an opportunity to "check the pulse" of a class partway and can be useful in making adjustments as needed.