Evaluating the Effectiveness of Institutional End-of-Semester Surveys: Perspectives of Postgraduate Computing Students

Institutional end-of-semester surveys are widely used in higher education to gather students’ evaluations of modules and teaching practices and to inform quality enhancement processes. However, existing research has largely focused on quantitative satisfaction measures, with limited qualitative exploration of how students interpret and engage with feedback systems, particularly within discipline-specific contexts such as postgraduate computing education.

This study explores postgraduate computing students’ experiences of end-of-semester survey effectiveness through a thematic analysis of qualitative data collected via Microsoft Forms. A survey link and QR code were distributed to students enrolled in two postgraduate computing modules, resulting in 52 responses. The questionnaire included open-ended items examining perceived usefulness, clarity and relevance of questions; impact on the teaching–learning environment; influence on academic satisfaction; timing of administration; and strategies to enhance engagement. Thematic analysis identified five themes: perceived benefits of feedback, clarity and relevance of survey questions, the role of timing in feedback collection, students’ need for guidance in providing meaningful feedback, and strategies to improve engagement. The findings indicate that while students recognise the potential value of surveys, their effectiveness is shaped by the relevance of questions, transparency in how feedback is used, and support for meaningful student participation. This study provides qualitative insight into how feedback systems are experienced within postgraduate computing education and highlights the importance of feedback literacy, contextualised survey design, and institutional transparency in enhancing the effectiveness of student evaluation processes.