UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Starfish mid-semester progress surveys are open now until Oct. 23.
Instructors and teaching assistants formally listed as instructors of record in LionPATH will receive an email prompting them to complete progress surveys for their full-semester undergraduate courses, numbered 499 and below. Progress surveys can be completed by clicking the survey link either in the email or under “Outstanding Surveys” in the Starfish dashboard, checking boxes with feedback options for each student, and, if desired, providing written feedback. Instructors can raise a flag, give kudos or recommend a student “to-do.”
Progress surveys are one of the most efficient methods of communicating concerns about students’ performance in a course. Academic advisers are asked to follow up on an instructor’s concerns and requests for adviser assistance by reaching out to students and closing the loop on flags and to-dos.
Through the fall 2024 early indicators survey, which closed on Sept. 18, instructors and teaching assistants raised 489 flags, 15,899 to-dos and 118,015 kudos for 57,341 students in 7,180 course sections.
“When instructors complete progress surveys, we can see that access to advising and other resources is enhanced for students most in need of support surveys,” said David Smith, associate dean for advising and executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies. “Combining concerns with suggested actions helps students to take those actions and advisers to differentiate care in ways that reflect how we want to shape academic advising across Penn State.”
Learn more about Starfish’s positive impact on academic advising and student success at Penn State’s Starfish Info website. Starfish is administered and supported by the Division of Undergraduate Studies.
How instructors and TAs can provide feedback outside of progress survey periods
Instructors and teaching assistants have other options for sharing student progress in Starfish, including ones that may be better for those needing to share progress for select students outside of survey periods or for a large class using Canvas Grades.
How students can respond to flags and to-dos
Students should contact their instructors or academic advisers if they receive a flag or to-do and need help in improving their coursework. They also can seek tutoring or use resources and services suggested in progress survey emails such as learning support, disability services, basic needs support, or personal support through University Health Services or Counseling and Psychological Services. The Division of Undergraduate Studies released a video tutorial for students on how to find Penn State support services, as well as how to use the Starfish dashboard and profile.
It is always important for students to track their own progress in a course. The absence of progress survey data should not be interpreted as the absence of concern or need for change.
The Division of Undergraduate Studies is the second largest unit of enrollment at Penn State and leads academic advising across the University. It is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.