Timeline
Towards the end of every teaching session, students are invited to provide confidential feedback on courses in which they studied. For Semesters 1 and 2, the survey is activated in Week 12 and continues to run for four weeks until just after the end of the exam period. This survey window allows the greatest opportunity for students to provide feedback around their individual assessment schedule.
Below is a timeline of the milestones in the SELT journey.
- Surveys open. Students check email or SELT Surveys app for available surveys.
- Surveys run for four weeks. Chat to your students about the importance of respectful and constructive feedback.
- Surveys close. Analytic Translation & Insights (ATI) team screen surveys for offensive comments.
- Grades are released to students.
- SELT feedback is made available to teachers and course convenors via ANU Insight.
See the detailed SELT survey timetable.
Analysing the data for Colleges
The data around response rates is analysed by the Planning, Data and Analytics (PDA) division at multiple points during the survey window. PDA works primarily in providing data for evidence-based decision making throughout the University and delivering client-focused services.
The information is then passed onto ANU Colleges, who perform course reviews and other activities to support performance improvement.
More detailed information on Procedure: Student surveys and evaluations is available in the ANU Policy library.
Preventing conflict
During the SELT process:
- To prevent bias and conflicts of interest, survey results are not viewed or distributed to teachers until after the grades are finalised and issued to students.
- Comments that may suggest a threat of harm to self or others, or may contain potentially offensive comments, including, but not limited to, abusive, discriminatory, malicious and/or demeaning language are flagged and removed before qualitative feedback is released to staff.
Who has access to survey responses?
Teachers will see their own personal feedback, and course feedback may be provided to teachers, convenors and School or College Executive for course review. Feedback is also visible to the SELT team (Analytic Translation and Insights) for screening, analysis and publication purposes.
All personal information is handled in accordance with the ANU Privacy Policy and is only used for the purpose it was collected or that you have consented to.
Where can we find SELT results?
Both qualitative (student comments) and quantitative (numbered ratings) SELT feedback are made available to teaching staff on ANU Insight after grades have been released to students. Individual teaching results are provided to the teacher and will also be available to their relevant management line and the College and University Executive.
Information on using Insight can be found on the SELT results page.
Staff and students can also view quantitative SELT data on individual course pages via Programs and Courses.
Results for students
Students can view quantitative SELT data on individual course pages via Programs and Courses.
Student privacy
All responses to the SELT survey are confidential. Confidential feedback means that information about who provided SELT feedback will not be disclosed to course convenors or teachers. Teachers cannot see, or ask to see, the identity of a student. ANU can identify a student response only in very specific circumstances, including cases where there is concern for student or staff welfare, or comments that breach the Student Code of Conduct.
Do SELT survey results impact promotion or performance review?
The Education Indicators for Promotion at ANU cites student evaluations (such as SELT) as one piece of evidence that academic staff can use to apply for promotions. At the same time, the ANU Enterprise Agreement specifically states that results from the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT), or any similar student evaluation, will not be the sole basis for identifying an underperformance issue in relation to teaching and related duties.