Exploring Graduate Students’ Perspectives with SPoI: A Case Study

Abstract

Student Perceptions of Instruction (SPoI) surveys play a central role in evaluating teaching effectiveness in higher education, informing instructional improvement, faculty development, and institutional decision-making. Despite their widespread use, limited research has explored how graduate students interpret and engage with these evaluations. This qualitative case study examined how graduate students perceive the internal motivators, external pressures, and survey design features that influence their SPoI responses within a bounded institutional context. Seven graduate students from a College of Health Sciences at a public university participated in semi-structured online interviews. Data were analyzed thematically, resulting in four primary themes: Instructor Qualities and Classroom Interactions, Course Organization and Assessment Design,  External and Peer Influences, and Student Motivation, Honesty, and Process Improvement. Findings suggest that SPoI completion is a deliberative process shaped primarily by instructional experiences, moderated by structural and contextual factors, and influenced by students’ beliefs about the utility and impact of evaluations. Implications highlight the importance of survey design refinement, midterm feedback mechanisms, and transparent institutional communication to enhance both participation and trust in evaluation systems. This study contributes context-rich insights into graduate student engagement with instructional evaluations and informs the development of a subsequent large-scale survey instrument.