Schedule an interview for your class

Whether you teach a lab, lecture, or discussion section, a MID-QUARTER INTERVIEW is quick and painless, and provides valuable feedback you can use immediately to make you a more effective teacher. No guarantees, but many TAs EARN higher student evaluation ratings because they have truly improved as an instructor, and they have improved the class for their students.

What is a mid-quarter class interview?
This is a method of getting anonymous feedback from your students midway through the quarter. This is not an evaluation. It is strictly a method of obtaining information about your teaching. A TA Consultant (TAC) will visit your class, discussion section, or lab, and after you step from the room, she or he will elicit responses to three questions: What do you like most about the class? What do you like least? And what suggestions do you have for the instructor? These general questions will likely meet the needs of instructors teaching across the spectrum of disciplines, but they may be customized to meet your individual goals and needs.

When should I have the MQI done?
The fifth week of the quarter is ideal, but the fourth and sixth weeks are also good times. Although, be aware that having a class interview in the sixth week of the quarter will only give you four weeks to respond to feedback from your students and incorporate changes, if necessary, into your teaching. The sooner you schedule with the TACs, the greater the likelihood we'll be able to accomodate your first choice date.

What happens after I schedule an MQI?
A TAC will contact you to confirm your appointment, answer any questions you have, and schedule a follow-up consultation.

How long will the interview take?
Typically, the interview takes about 15 minutes. If you are extremely short on time, it can be accomplished in about half that time by having your students complete a written survey. But often, this doesn't give students enough time to fully consider or discuss with others what input they might want to give you.

Should I do the MQI at the beginning or at the end of class?
This is up to you. However, there are a couple of arguments for doing an MQI at the BEGINNING of class. Students tend not to feel rushed, and they are not tempted to skip out on the interview to leave class early.

Which interview format should I use?
The interview can be done in a written or oral format, individually or in groups, or a combination of both. Consult with a TAC to determine which format best meets your needs.

What type of information will I get from the interview?
"Review of the reading is very helpful", "homework turnaround is not fast enough", and "leave overheads up longer" are EXAMPLES of practical information generated by the three questions. The MQI will give you a much clearer idea of what your students feel about your class. It's also worth mentioning that students tend to like class interviews because they sense their opinions count, especially when you return to class and discuss the changes or efforts you will make.

What happens during the consultation session with the TAC?
You will discuss the results of your interview. The role of the TAC is to help you interpret the data collected from your students, and how and if you should implement changes.

To schedule a class interview, contact the TAC/AI Coordinator tac@ucdavis.edu 752-6050, or if your browser supports forms, click here. Please fill out a form for each section you wish to have interviewed. We will attempt to assign the same TAC to each.