Think back to your own school days for a second. Remember those times when a new rule or program was implemented, and it completely missed the mark?

The truth is educators and administrators work hard to create a positive learning environment, but sometimes their efforts miss the target simply because they lack a crucial ingredient: direct insight into the student perspective.

School life is a unique journey for every student, and what works for one might leave another feeling disengaged. So, how do you bridge this gap and ensure your efforts resonate with all the students?

A student perception survey offers a direct line to this vital information. It helps you make informed improvements and take pride in what your school does well.

In this article, I’ll explain student perception surveys, why they are necessary, and the step-by-step blueprint for conducting them well, along with a list of sample questions.

Let’s begin with understanding what is student perception.

What is student perception?

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Student perception, as per the American Psychological Association, is thoughts, beliefs, and feelings about persons, situations, and events. 

It refers to how students view and understand their school environment, experiences, interactions, and everything that goes on around them at school. 

This filter is built over time, pieces of which come from what students see, hear, and experience. When they go to class, interact with teachers, hang out with friends, and participate in activities, they build up their views about school. 

Lots of things influence how students see their school, including:

• How teachers teach and interact with students.
• What students learn in class and how interesting it is.
• The friends and peers they hang out with, and how they get along.
• Facilities like classrooms, playgrounds, and lunch areas.
• Rules and discipline
• Support services such as counseling and health services.

Positive student perception builds when students feel supported by teachers, challenged in their learning, and have good friendships. 

When classes are engaging, activities are enjoyable, and students feel safe and included, their perception of school tends to be positive. 

On the other hand, negative perceptions can develop when students:

• Face strict or unfair treatment from teachers
• Find classes boring or too difficult
• Experience bullying
• Feel isolated
• Encounter inadequate facilities, etc.

Now, let’s dig into the importance of conducting a study perception survey and try to understand why it matters.

Importance of conducting a student perception survey

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Here are a few reasons why you need to implement the student perception survey frequently. 

Your students know more about your school than you

Giving students a chance to share their thoughts is super important because students are the ones who experience school every day, so their opinions matter the most.

Who experiences the school every day? Students! That’s why they know the hidden issues that management doesn’t.

Surveys help identify issues that might not be immediately visible. When students feel safe to express themselves, they can highlight problems such as bullying, unclear rules, classroom challenges, or even a hidden smoking area (Yes, it exists).

By listening to students, schools show that they value their opinions. This makes students feel respected and important. 

They feel more connected to the school community and are more motivated to contribute positively.

You get to know what's working and what's not

Even the best classrooms have room for improvement. Students can provide insights that teachers and administrators might not see. 

You can ask students about all sorts of things, like how comfortable they feel talking to their teachers, if the workload feels manageable, or if they feel like the lessons are interesting and relevant. 

The areas where you receive a positive response are the ones you want to keep up the good work on. Negative feedback, on the flip side, is super valuable because it allows you to address any concerns students have and make positive changes to improve their learning experience.

You can build trust and create a communication channel

Sending out student perception surveys shows that you're open to students’ input and want to improve their learning environment.

Trust grows when feedback from students leads to real changes. If a student mentions a problem and the school takes action, it encourages more open communication in the future. 

Involving students in shaping their school experience makes them feel important and heard. It fosters a sense of community where everyone works together to make the school a better place. 

It helps you in planning and decision-making

Schools often have limited resources. Student surveys help you prioritize how to use those resources most effectively. 

When you understand student preferences well, you can ensure resources are directed towards the areas that will have the biggest impact on student learning and well-being.

For example, if students express a need for more extracurricular activities, the school can allocate funds and staff to develop these programs. 

Survey questions for students perception survey

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In a student perception survey, you should use a variety of questions to gather comprehensive student feedback. 

Each type serves a different purpose and helps you understand students' experiences more deeply. Some popular question types include: 

• Likert Scale: This is a popular choice because it lets students rate their experience on a scale (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree). It's great for gauging general feelings, opinions, or comfort levels.

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): This question type lets students pick one or more answers from a list of options. It's helpful for gathering specific information such as preferred learning styles or preferred class activities.

• Open Ended Questions: These questions don't have predefined answers. They allow students to express their thoughts and experiences in their own words, which can be very insightful. Use it to encourage deeper reflection and gather detailed feedback on specific areas.

A good student perception survey uses a combination of question types to get a well-rounded picture of student experience. 

Here are some sample student perception survey questions to get you started. 

My teachers use clear and easy-to-understand language when they explain things.

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• Strongly Disagree

• Disagree

• Neutral Agree

• Strongly Agree

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• I feel safe and supported at school.

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• Strongly Disagree

• Disagree

• Neutral Agree

• Strongly Agree

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• I feel like I can express my ideas freely in most of my classes. 

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• Strongly Disagree

• Disagree

• Neutral Agree

• Strongly Agree

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• Which of the following resources do you find most helpful for your learning? 

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1. Textbooks
2. Online Learning Platforms
3. Group Projects
4. Individual Activities

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• What kind of extracurricular activities would you like to see offered at school?

1. More after-school clubs
2. More opportunities for field trips
3. More guest speakers
4. Other (please specify)

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• How do you prefer to receive feedback on your work from your teachers? 

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1. Written comments on assignments 
2. Verbal feedback in class 
3. Online feedback through an LMS 
4. Individual meetings with teachers
5. A combination of the above

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• How would you describe the overall cleanliness of the school facilities?

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• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

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• How comfortable do you feel asking questions in class?
  
  

• Very comfortable

• Somewhat comfortable

• Neutral

• Somewhat uncomfortable

• Very uncomfortable

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• How often do you feel stressed or overwhelmed with schoolwork?

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• Always

• Often

• Sometimes

• Rarely

• Never

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• What's one thing you would change about the way classes are taught at our school?

• If you could create a new student support program at school, what would it focus on?

• What kind of technology do you wish was available in your classrooms to help you learn?

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Now that you have a list of potential survey questions for students, you may be wondering, “how do I exactly put together a survey?” 

6 Steps to implement a student perception survey

Here are the six simple steps to implement your student perception survey: 

1 ⇒ Select your survey platform 

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There are many online survey platforms available. 

Some, like Google Forms, expect you to do the heavy lifting and do not provide advanced features. Others such as such as Formaloo, allow you to create engaging surveys within minutes and offer advanced features.

Consider factors like ease of use for students, data security, and reporting options when making your choice. You can also choose a low-tech option like paper surveys, but keep in mind the added work of data entry later.

2 ⇒ Design engaging survey questions

Create a mix of student survey questions, such as multiple choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. 

Ensure that the survey questions for students cover various aspects of school life, including academics, extracurricular activities, and overall student satisfaction.

And don’t forget to make them appealing and engaging to students. Ditch that boring 90s look and create modern surveys that appeal to the respondents.

3 ⇒ Set a timeline for your survey

Plan when you will conduct the survey, how long it will be available, and when you will review the results. A clear timeline will keep the process organized and ensure timely analysis of the data. 

Your survey length should ideally be within 10 minutes to minimize non-response. 

According to the Colorado Education Institute's student perception survey planning guide, the timeline for such a survey starts from planning 2 months before survey administration and ends at 1–3 months after administration. 

4 ⇒ Distribute the survey

Distribute the survey to all students while ensuring it reaches them through accessible means. Announce it through multiple channels like school announcements, classroom presentations, and social media (if appropriate for your school). 

Emphasize the importance of student voices and how their feedback will be used to improve their learning experience.

Consider providing time during school hours for students to complete it to increase participation rates.

5 ⇒ Collect and analyze the data

After a designated time frame, close the survey and collect the data. Many online platforms offer user-friendly reporting tools to analyze the results. 

Look for trends, patterns, and areas where students have common concerns or suggestions. Then, use this data to make informed decisions and plan changes. 

6 ⇒ Share the results and take action

Share the survey results with students, staff, and parents (as appropriate). Outline the key findings and explain how you plan to use the feedback to make positive changes at school. 

Seeing their voices translated into action will further motivate students to participate in future surveys.

Gather student feedback with Formaloo!

The crux of this article is that student voice matters – listen to it, learn from it, and use it to make a difference! 

And to do so, consider using Formaloo, the #1 AI-powered survey maker. 

Formaloo offers an advanced survey maker with a user-friendly interface, perfect for creating engaging and informative surveys. It is packed with features that allow you to easily track responses, generate detailed reports, and identify key trends – all in one place. 

‍Head over to Formaloo today and get started on your first student perception survey.