Case Study: University of Pittsburgh improves teaching feedback with Explorance Blue

University of Pittsburgh Implements Pre-Course Surveys to Innovate Teaching Effectiveness with Explorance Blue

The University of Pittsburgh relied mainly on end-of-term student evaluations to assess teaching effectiveness, but that feedback often arrived too late to help the current class. As student needs shifted around technology, accessibility, mental health, and work-life demands, the university wanted a faster way to understand what students needed during the term.

In 2024, the University of Pittsburgh implemented pre-course surveys with Explorance Blue, adding feedback at the start of each term and keeping pre-course, midterm, and end-of-term data in one system. The setup allowed faculty to use templates or customize questions, and the university said the approach improved faculty-to-student engagement, helped instructors adjust teaching earlier, and gave them a fuller view of student experience across the term.

University of Pittsburgh

Lisa Votodian

Survey Assessment Manager, University Center for Teaching and Learning