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Streamlining the Continuous Module Dialogue process for staff and students
Professor Giles Thomas and Amelia Smith discuss how they designed a user-friendly Continuous Module Dialogue (CMD) process that works for students and academic staff.
24 September 2025
Continuous Module Dialogue (CMD) facilitates module feedback during the teaching cycle and allows for quick-fix issues to be addressed in a timely manner. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, we have designed a CMD process to be as user-friendly as possible for both students and academic staff.
Choosing the questions
Whilst taking inspiration from UCL's example CMD questions, we have also incorporated questions that align with our Department Education Plan and cover topics related to PGTA teaching. This provides us with a reliable data source to track the progress of our educational priorities, as well as identifying any areas for improvement around PGTA training. We try and keep the survey short, but always include the option for a free text response.
Automating the process
We conduct CMD four times per academic year during two dedicated weeks per term. We compliment this process with Moodle forums, which students often take advantage of to ask module staff questions regarding assessment, lecture content and exam queries. Having a uniform process for CMD allows students to recognise the opportunity to provide feedback when it arises. Furthermore, having a consistent set of questions for each module improves students’ literacy around the process and makes it easier to engage with. Our Learning Technologists create CMD forms via Microsoft Forms and send the QR codes to lecturers on PowerPoint slides via Power Automate.
Socialising the process
The week before CMD, we send out communications to academic staff letting them know that they will be receiving a QR code to display in their lecture and to set aside 5-10 minutes of their teaching time to allow students to engage in the process. The best response rates occur when academics provide the time and encouragement to complete the survey, avoiding times when students might leave the class e.g. at the beginning of a break or at the end of class. We have found that students are 30 times more likely to complete the CMD when the opportunity is provided to them during regular teaching time, when compared with only issuing a Moodle announcement.
Students are also contacted via email at the start of a CMD week to let them know what it is, how the data is used and when they can expect a response from their lecturer. The link is also shared on module Moodle pages to ensure those who miss a lecture can still take part and have their voice heard. The surveys stay open Monday to Sunday to ensure as much participation as possible.
If we notice low student engagement within a particular module, we keep the CMD survey open for an extra week and check in with the academic to make sure students are shown the QR code.
Closing the loop
To avoid survey fatigue, it is important that students understand the value of their feedback and how it is being acted on. Once the form closes, our Learning Technologists send the data to academics via Power Automate and ask them to respond to students within two weeks via an announcement on Moodle.
Whilst we also encourage conversations in person during lectures, Moodle is a way to guarantee the message reaches all students studying on that module. We also provide guidance for responding to feedback, to ensure academic staff feel supported.
Recognising good practice and areas for improvement
Data and comments are reviewed by the Education Leadership Team, who identify areas of good practice and consider how they can be shared with the department. Collating CMD data allows us to monitor our progress as a department against our educational priorities and identify any areas for improvement or common themes.
Improved communication between academic staff and students
Addressing concerns during the module allows for issues to be resolved in a timely fashion, leading to increased student satisfaction. A dialogue format also allows space for staff to explain the rationale behind module structures, clarifying any misunderstandings. We have been thrilled with the positive feedback from students about module coordinators taking their advice on board, which has strengthened the sense of student/staff partnership within the department. Furthermore, improved dialogue between module staff and students has also resulted in less concerns being raised at our Student Partnership Committees.
Giles' and Amelia's top tip
Clear communication to staff and students is important to ensure a smooth execution of the CMD process. Make sure staff are provided with guidance on how to engage with CMD and reminded of key dates to respond to students, so that the feedback loop is closed effectively.