USC is proud to participate in the Student Experience Project (SEP), a national initiative that helps faculty support student success through a growth mindset, clear expectations, and effective instruction. All USC instructors of record are invited to collect student feedback and join the SEP Community of Practice. Connect with us to learn more.
Faculty who participate in the SEP commonly cite that they continue their participation because they want to better understand how their students experience their courses. Additionally, some faculty participate to receive feedback on class design to help their students better succeed. The SEP is built on a body of research which demonstrates that when faculty adopt a growth mindset, their students are more successful as demonstrated through their grade distribution: The Student Experience Project Research.
Additionally, faculty who participate in SEP through collecting student feedback and attending CoP meetings receive a certificate for the semester as well as a letter of commendation to recognize their dedication to their students.
The Community of Practice (CoP) is the heart of SEP. Faculty collaborate with one another to share feedback from students, troublshoot challenges from the semester, and set goals for their teaching. The Community of Practice meets three times a semester with two offerings of each meeting to accommodate faculty schedules.
Hear about our faculty's experiences with the CoP: Participating in the SEP CoP.
The current faculty co-facilitators are:
September CoP Meeting
October CoP Meeting
November CoP Meeting
The primary tool for SEP faculty used to collect feedback from students is the Ascend Survey platform. Ascend measures seven learning conditions in the classroom and is typically distributed three times a semester. Feedback faculty receive from their specific classes is confidential and private (including qualitative responses), but faculty can see an aggregate data report of the entire community.
Faculty can select the learning conditions they would like to measure in the survey as well as adjust the number of times they collect student feedback in a semester to meet their preferences.
Learning conditions measured include:
Hear faculty's experiences using Ascend to collect students' feedback: Using the Ascend Survey.
Faculty select SEP practices during the semester they choose to implement in their courses. The Ascend Survey will recommend teaching practices based off students' feedback, and the CoP provides space for faculty to adjust practices and suggestions to meet the needs of their specific students and disciplines. SEP practices are typically low-lift and can be implemented during the semester rather than at the end of the term.
These practices enforce a growth mindset and effective communication with students, such as providing frameworks for feedback, normalizing academic difficulty, and increasing social connectedness in the classroom.
Hear how our faculty are implementing SEP practices in their courses: Implementing SEP Practices.
If you would like to try SEP practices yourself before joining the CoP, choose a practice based on how much time you have:
All practices come with step-by-step guidance and templates you can adapt.
If you have questions about SEP, please email Shelley Dempsey, Ph.D. (GARNET) or Mitchell Herring, Ed.D. (CTE).
