These student survey question examples will help you transform your classroom and get learners engaged!
Approximate read time: 6 minutes
Student surveys help you provide the best possible learning experience and tell you which teaching methods are most (or least) effective. And they can even help schools or districts decide which courses, degree programs, or extracurricular activities to offer.
Apologies to all the English teachers out there for starting that last sentence with a conjunction 🫢
For educators and educational institutions, gathering feedback from students is like doing market research. You're basically learning which products or services people are most likely to buy and gauging satisfaction after a customer service interaction.
But obviously, the types of questions you ask will be a bit different from those of most marketers.
Let's take a look at some good survey questions for students and help you make your questionnaire!
Good survey question examples for students
- Which was your favorite classroom activity this year?
- Do you prefer to work alone or in groups?
- What are your goals in the class?
- Which topics bore you?
- What do you wish we practiced more in class?
- What would you do differently if you were the teacher?
- How long does it take you to do homework each night?
- What's your favorite learning style?
1. Which was your favorite classroom activity this year?
Over the course of the school year, you try all sorts of activities to engage your students – some hit the mark 🎯, others, well, not so much 😬.
By simply asking "Which was your favorite classroom activity this year?" you can learn what really clicks with your class.
This open-ended question is a treasure trove of insights, helping you identify the exercises that your students enjoyed most.
Once you have the survey responses, you can zero in on what works best and fine-tune lesson plans to include more of these student favorites.
2. Do you prefer to work alone or in groups?
Alright, let's talk about the elephant in the classroom: group projects.
They're like pineapple on pizza 🍍🍕 – you either love them or hate them. We've all seen the spectrum: from those who dive into group work with gusto to those who'd rather go solo.
So, why not just ask your students? Pop a multiple-choice question in your survey: "Do you prefer to work alone or in groups?" It's a straightforward way to get a read on their teamwork temperature.
And since it's a close-ended question, it's super simple to analyze the survey results. If a large chunk of your class leans one way, it's a pretty clear signal. Maybe it's time to mix things up to align with their comfort zones.
It's all about creating a learning environment where everyone can thrive, whether they're solo flyers or team players.
3. What are your goals in the class?
The answers to this class survey question can be as different as the students themselves. Some are just looking to cross the finish line with a passing grade, while others are on a mission to soak up every bit of knowledge like a sponge. 🧽
And let's not forget those who struggle with certain topics or subjects – everyone has their Achilles' heel, right? Asking a quick follow-up question will teach you more about your student's weaknesses and help you tailor your teaching to their needs.
Armed with this info, you can tweak your syllabus to spend more time on areas where students feel shaky.
4. Which topics bore you?
In an ideal world, every lesson would be a blockbuster. In the real world, sometimes a topic just doesn't resonate, and students zone out. It's natural, but you want to do your best to keep those yawns at bay. 🥱
The solution? Ask them point-blank: "Which topics bore you?" It's a no-nonsense question that cuts to the chase and instantly lets you know where learners stand on different subjects.
While you don't want to scrap key parts of the syllabus, this insight can be a cue to get creative. It's all about spicing up those spots in your curriculum to turn eye rolls into "aha!" moments!
5. What do you wish we practiced more in class?
Every class has its hits – those activities that make students sit up straighter and get that spark in their eyes. The trick is figuring out what those are. Sure, it's a bit like playing detective, but who doesn't love a good mystery? 🕵️
Here's a way to crack the case: ask, "What do you wish we practiced more in class?" It's a direct line to finding out what activities make their learning experience a home run.
By asking this, you're not just upping the fun factor but also uncovering areas where students feel they need more polish. Maybe it's a certain type of project or a skill they want to master.
This question is your secret weapon to making every lesson something they look forward to. The goal? A classroom where every learner leaves feeling a little more knowledgeable and a lot more inspired.
6. What would you do differently if you were the teacher?
It's easy to fall into the same patterns, and it's true for experienced educators too. 🧑🏫
That's why getting feedback from students with a class survey is so important. Asking students what they'd do differently if they taught the course is a great way to see lessons from their point of view.
Since it's an open-ended survey question, there's no telling what kind of feedback you'll get. The answers could touch on your teaching style, the course syllabus, or homework and other assignments.
And that can make asking this kind of question a little scary. But it also makes it an excellent way to get fresh ideas. 💡
7. How long does it take you to do homework each night?
Every student has homework — whether they like it or not.
It helps strengthen their learning and prepare for the next day. But too much can have a negative effect. So that's why this survey question is a great example.
Some students may receive too little homework, so they're not challenged enough to suit their learning. Others may feel stressed and overwhelmed by all of the work they have. The best way to find out is to ask and get their opinion.
8. What's your favorite learning style?
Students are different.
Some prefer having things in their hands and figuring out a problem themselves. Others prefer the guided instruction of a teacher. Others would choose to watch a video and then try it out.
Part of teaching is tailoring the subject to each student's preferred learning style. This helps get the best out of each student. And by asking them directly, the student gives actionable information to help structure their learning plan.
Instead of guessing or taking months to figure it out, it only takes one question.
How to quickly create an online student survey
Knowing what types of survey questions to ask is awesome, but how do you actually ask them?
Luckily, making an online student survey is easier than you might think, especially if you have a WordPress website!
You only need to install one plugin, Formidable Forms, and then you can drag and drop form fields (aka question types) to build your survey form.
Create a student survey from scratch by adding rating scale questions, text fields, ranking questions, Likert scale questions, dropdowns, and more. Click a field to add custom answer options, change labels, or add conditional logic.
Or, use this handy student survey template instead!
Don't worry; we won't tell your students that you cheated! 😉
With our money-back guarantee, you can try our WordPress survey plugin risk-free for 14 days. The survey and quiz maker are included in the Business plan and above.
👉 Learn more: How to create a survey in WordPress.
Ready to write your student survey questions?
That's a wrap! We hope you found these student survey question examples helpful.
These types of survey questions are an excellent way to learn more about your students so you can keep your class engaged and inspired.
They reveal what works, what doesn't, and how to adapt to improve engagement and learning outcomes. And they also help your students feel heard.
With Formidable Forms, creating online student surveys is quick and easy. Get our WordPress form maker now so you can spend less time fighting with technology and more time doing what you love: teaching! 📚🚀
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