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Instructor FAQs

Where can previous CIF Reports be found?

CIF reports from Fall 2008 through Spring 2024, non CIF Blue pilot courses, can still be found in Tableau.  You will need to select your name from the Instructor drop down box.

We are working with the vendor to migrate all former CIF data into the Blue system so that there is only one location to retrieve/view reports.

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Why promote CIF Blue to your students?

Your students’ feedback is invaluable for improving teaching and learning across the University. Their responses not only help shape formative feedback for your courses but also contribute to program improvements and inform decisions made by department chairs, deans, and the Office of the Provost. Additionally, Course Instructor Feedback plays a key role in the holistic evaluation of teaching in tenure and promotion processes.

With your support, we can maintain our outstanding response rates (~80% every semester). Here are some easy ways to encourage students to share their thoughts through CIF Blue:

  • Provide in-class time for surveys: After your CIF Blue survey window opens, consider setting aside a few minutes at the end of class. Students can quickly complete their survey by visiting the CIF Blue site.
  • Use this sample slide: Share this sample slide to introduce CIF Blue to your students. It's a simple way to explain how their feedback impacts their learning experience and contributes to program development.
  • Offer an incentive: Set a response rate goal (e.g. 90%) and reward the class if they meet it! Some incentive ideas:
    • An extra day for a final assignment
    • A raffle or fun prize

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How many questions can I add to each course CIF Blue survey?

You may add up to six learning goal questions and up to 15 of your own customizable questions for each course.

NOTE: If you are team teaching a course, you must collectively choose which learning goals and customizable questions will be added to the survey since the total number of objectives and questions are limited by course section, not by instructor.

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What type of Learning Goals can I add?

You may select a total of six learning goals from a list of 100+ learning goals in 18 categories. The question prompt for Learning Goal items reads: "Rate your progress toward the following learning goals, taking course level into account.” There are several questions across multiple categories, including those outlined below. There is a complete listing of Learning Goals available to review.

  • Analysis / Synthesis
  • Communications
  • Recall
  • Creativity / Aesthetics
  • Evaluation / Reasoning
  • Ethical Formation
  • Application
  • Quantitative Skills
  • Investigative
  • Problem Solving
  • Language Acquisition
  • Self-discovery
  • Interpersonal Development
  • Activity Based
  • Music
  • Theology Foundations
  • Field of Education for Ministry
  • Human and Spiritual Formation

NOTE: If you are team teaching a course, you must collectively choose which Learning Goals will be added to the survey since only a total of six learning goals per section, not per instructor, can be added.

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What type of customizable questions can I add?

For each course, you may add up to 15 of your own customizable questions. There are 16 possible response sets or the ability to add a “comment” field for each question. The response sets are:

  • Yes to Not Sure

  • Very Satisfied to Very Dissatisfied

  • Frequently to Not At All

  • Too Much to Too Little

  • Very Important to Not Important

  • Extremely High to Not Applicable

  • Very Much or Greatly to Not Applicable

  • Excellent to Not Applicable

  • Extremely High to Very Low

  • 50% Or Less to 95% Or More

  • 0-1 to 15 Or More

  • “A” to Audit

  • Strongly Agree to Not Sure/No Opinion

  • No Improvement Is Needed to Not Applicable

  • 3 Or More Times A Week to Not Applicable

  • Explicit Requirement For My Major, Minor Or Concentration to Free Elective

  • Comment

NOTE: If you are team teaching a course, you must collectively choose which questions will be added to the survey since only a total of 15 questions per section, not per instructor, can be added.

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Can I see if my students have received and/or completed the survey?

Yes and no, once a CIF Blue survey launches you are able to see how many students were invited to complete a survey, the number of students who have started a survey, or completed a survey; however, you are NOT able to see if an individual student has completed the survey. You also have the ability to send additional reminder emails to the students invited to complete a survey, this is outside of the reminder emails that the CIF Blue system will send to students.

To view this information, you will need to open your course(s) Subject Management task.  For step-by-step instructions on how to view this information, please refer to the Did Students Complete the Survey User Guide.

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Why some courses are not listed in CIF Blue?

The department chair has the authority of what courses within their purview are evaluated. There are also default policy decisions that automatically exclude courses, such as:

  • Courses with 6, 7 or 8 as the second digit in the course number are by default marked “N” for do not evaluate, however, the department may decide to change the course/instructor to “Y” to be evaluated.
  • Instructors with 1% teaching load will not be evaluated, even if the department marks the instructor “Y” for evaluation. 1% teaching load is to be used for administration purposes and the person does not have teaching responsibilities.
  • Courses have fewer than three (3) students enrolled at the time a CIF Blue survey is scheduled to open.
  • Courses being taught at off-campus location that has not been authorized by the Provost's office for inclusion in the CIF Blue process.
  • Instructor(s) of record is missing from course data in Banner.

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How can I find the survey window dates for my course?

You can view the survey window dates for your course in CIF Blue by accessing the Response Rate Tracking or Subject Management tasks in CIF Blue. For step-by-step instructions on how to view this information, please refer to the Viewing Survey Window Dates user guide.

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How do I view the response rate for my course(s)?

You can view response rates for a course or courses by reviewing them from the Subject Management task (active survey windows) or via the Response Rate Monitor (after survey window has closed).

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What does PRELIMINARY mean in a report title?

If PRELIMINARY is in the report title, this identifies a report that was made available BEFORE the official end of semester report is available, typically these are for courses that had survey windows end prior to fall or spring break. The report is identified with the PRELIMINARY in the header and just above the instructor/course demographics on the report. These reports are NOT to be used for Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT) purposes.

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Where can I find information session videos and slide decks?

The CIF Blue team holds periodic information and training sessions for the various components of the CIF Blue process. You can find the session recordings under Additional Resources.

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