Dr. Gillian Sandstrom is an Associate Professor in the Psychology of Kindness in the School of Psychology. Gillian worked in industry for 10 years as a computer programmer before discovering positive psychology. This led to pursuing a Masters in Psychology at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), where Gillian developed a smile-and-wave relationship with a lady who worked at a hot dog stand. During her PhD studies at the University of British Columbia, inspired by this relationship with the hot dog lady, Gillian started studying interactions with weak ties. Her work since then has focused on the benefits of minimal social interactions with weak ties and strangers, and the barriers that prevent people from connecting. After completing her PhD, Gillian worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Cambridge before taking on a lectureship at the University of Essex.  

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What I did 

In my teaching, I use a method called Lecture Comprehension Checks (LCCs) to gather rapid student feedback. This is a simple but effective technique that allows me to understand what students are learning, where they are struggling, and how they feel about the module material. At the end of each lecture, I ask students to fill out a small slip of paper answering two or three key questions. Depending on the subject I am teaching, these questions may vary, but they always focus on comprehension, engagement, and areas for improvement. 

For example, when I taught undergraduate statistics, I asked: 

• What did you learn today? 

• Are you still confused about anything? 

• Are you completely lost? 

For a module on positive psychology, I was more interested in student engagement with the content, so I asked: 

• What topic did you find most interesting? 

• What was the least interesting? 

• What would you like to learn more about? 

More recently, in my Social Connection and Disconnection module, I used similar questions to gauge student learning and encourage suggestions.   

Why I did It 

The primary reason I use LCCs is to be responsive to student needs. Rather than waiting for formal evaluations at the end of the term, this method allows me to make real-time adjustments to my teaching. 

I also find that students appreciate being heard. Many have commented on how valued they feel when they see their feedback shaping the course. When they express confusion about a particular topic, I dedicate time in the next lecture to address it. If they highlight a particularly engaging topic, I make sure to expand on it in future lessons. 

I pair this with another practice to build rapport with students. At the end of class, I stand at the door to collect the slips, which allows for a moment of personal interaction with each student. These brief exchanges enhance engagement and help me show students that I care. 

How it works 

At the start of each lecture, I distribute small slips of paper. Students can write on them at any point during the class and hand them in as they leave. I deliberately use paper-based feedback rather than digital surveys because of the response rate. I experimented with a QR code survey, but not a single student used it. There’s something about the physical act of writing and handing in a paper slip that encourages participation – maybe there’s a bit of peer pressure when you can see others filling out their slips. 

The key elements that make this method effective include: 

• Anonymity – students are more honest when they can provide feedback anonymously. 

• Simplicity – the slips contain only a couple of questions, making them quick and easy to complete. 

• Routine – because this happens every lecture, students become accustomed to it and engage more actively. 

I read through all the responses as soon as possible, usually right after class. This allows me to identify common themes and areas of confusion. If multiple students are struggling with the same concept, I dedicate time in the next lecture to revisit it. I also make small, real-time adjustments to my teaching methods based on their feedback, and I make sure to tell students what changes I’ve made. 

Impact and student feedback 

The impact of LCCs has been overwhelmingly positive. Students appreciate having a direct way to communicate their thoughts, and I have been able to improve my teaching based on their input. 

Some of the specific changes I have made due to student feedback include: 

• Adding more group discussions – initially, I used Padlet for anonymous contributions, assuming students would prefer it. However, after receiving comments about how much they enjoyed in-person discussions, I phased out Padlet and encouraged more verbal participation. 

• Adding takeaway slides – a student noted that they found the summary slides at the end of the lecture to be helpful. As a result, I began systematically adding these at the end of each sub-section of the lecture, not just at the end. 

• Clarifying graphs with bullet points – after feedback that some graphs were difficult to interpret, I started adding brief bullet point summaries next to them. 

Beyond structural improvements, LCCs also humanise the classroom experience. Students sometimes share personal reflections or stories related to the lecture content. For example, after discussing social networks and “six degrees of separation”, a student excitedly told me about two friends who had a “Bacon number” of two. Another student connected a discussion on kindness to cultural practices in their home country.  

During one class session, a student left during the break and handed their LCC to me as they left. When I read it after the lecture, I discovered that the student had used it to explain why they had left early: a difficult personal/family issue. Luckily, I teach a small enough class that I was able to figure out which student wrote the LCC, and I was able to reach out and offer them support. 

From my perspective, the emotional impact of reading these responses is also significant. Teaching can be draining, but knowing that students are engaged, enjoying discussions, and valuing the course content is incredibly motivating. I often look forward to reading their comments as soon as I can. 

Top tips 

1. Keep it simple and flexible – ask only one or two questions, and encourage students to share whatever is on their minds 

2. Show/tell students how you have used their feedback. They want to know that it is worth their time, that you are really listening and open to their suggestions. 

3. Pair this practice with a moment of connection as students leave class. I stand at the door to collect the LCCs, which gives me a chance to make eye contact and exchange pleasantries with every student. 

NOTE: I’m currently using this technique in a final year optional module with 60 students, but I have used it in classes of several hundred students too.