FAQs Students

SOTEs (Student Opinion of Teaching Effectiveness) and SOLATEs (Student Opinion of Laboratory and Activity Teaching Effectiveness) surveys are official course evaluations used by San José State University to gather student feedback about instructors and courses. Students have the opportunity to provide confidential feedback about their instructors and their learning experiences. This helps improve the overall teaching and course quality across the university.

By submitting feedback you can help instructors understand what is working and what needs improvement. Your input can lead to better course design and learning experiences. You are also able to get early access to your final grades in MySJSU if you complete all of your assigned evaluations. 

For most classes, SOTEs and SOLATEs are available to complete during the last 10 days of class. If a class has 15 instructional days or fewer, then the final four calendar days of the class will be available to complete evaluations. For more information see University Policy F12-6.

SOTEs/SOLATEs are completed in the Explorance Blue platform. You can log in to the platform using the SOTE/SOLATE (Blue) tab on your Canvas course page or by clicking on the link in the email notification that you received. 

For instructions, follow the steps in the Explorance Blue Student Guide: How to Access Course Evaluations.

You will receive multiple email reminders during the period in which your courses are being evaluated. Make sure to check your SJSU email during the final 10 days of class for reminders and links to the surveys.  

If you receive an invitation to complete a SOTE/SOLATE survey but do not wish to evaluate the instructor because you have dropped the class or are in the process of withdrawing, we recommend opting out of the survey.

Opting out counts as completing the evaluation for the purpose of receiving early access to grades.

For instructions, follow the steps in the Explorance Blue Student Guide: How to Opt Out

Log in to your Explorance Blue homepage. If you have completed all of your evaluations, there will be no new tasks to complete under "My Active Tasks".  

If your course has more than one instructor, the SOTE/SOLATE survey will display the same set of questions for each instructor. The name of the instructor you are evaluating will be clearly displayed with each set of questions.

Once SOTE/SOLATE surveys close, IRSA cannot reopen them. Evaluation periods and deadlines are determined by University Policy F12-6. Please monitor your email for survey links and reminders, and be sure to complete your evaluations before the deadline.

You can edit your responses in the Explorance Blue platform as long as the survey is still open. Once the survey closes, you can no longer make changes. To edit your responses follow the steps in the Explorance Blue Student Guide: How to Edit Responses After Submitting

After you complete and submit a SOTE/SOLATE survey, the next screen will display any remaining course evaluations that are still open. Check the Explorance Blue Student Guide: How to Save and Submit Responses for more information.

Course evaluations provide confidential feedback to instructors, help them improve their teaching, and contribute to the University’s periodic reviews of faculty for tenure, promotion, and retention.

Your grades and standing in the class will not be affected by whether you choose to evaluate your instructor or by the responses you provide. SOTE/SOLATE evaluations are confidential, meaning that instructors cannot identify which students submitted individual responses.

Instructors receive SOTE/SOLATE results only after grades have been submitted for the course. Results are provided in a summarized format, and individual student responses remain confidential.

Your SOTE/SOLATE responses are confidential, and your name is not connected to your responses. Only authorized IRSA staff can access individual student responses. Faculty and department administrators receive only summarized results and cannot see which students provided specific responses.

Your responses to open-ended questions are included in reports exactly as you write them. To help protect your confidentiality, avoid including your name or other details that could identify you in your comments.

If you are having trouble accessing your course evaluations, try the following:

1. Use the link in your email. If the link does not work, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies, then open the link again.
2. Go directly to Explorance Blue. Sign in to Explorance Blue using your SJSU credentials to view your available course evaluations.
3. Access your evaluations through Canvas. Once your SOTEs/SOLATEs are open, you may see notifications or pop-up messages in Canvas. You can also look for the SOTE/SOLATE (Blue) link associated with your courses.

If you are still unable to access your course evaluations after trying these suggestions, please contact Institutional Research and Strategic Analytics (IRSA) at institutional-research@sjsu.edu for assistance.

If you are having trouble accessing your course evaluations in Canvas, try the following:

1. Use the link in your email. If the link does not work, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies, then open the link again.
2. Go directly to Explorance Blue. Sign in to Explorance Blue using your SJSU credentials to view your available course evaluations.

If you are still unable to access your course evaluations after trying these suggestions, please contact Institutional Research and Strategic Analytics (IRSA) at institutional-research@sjsu.edu for assistance.

If there are no tasks listed under My Active Tasks on your Explorance Blue homepage, you have either completed all of your currently available course evaluations or your upcoming evaluations have not yet opened.

If you receive an invitation to complete a SOTE/SOLATE survey for a course that you are not enrolled in, we recommend opting out of the survey.

Opting out counts as completing the evaluation for the purpose of receiving early access to grades.

For instructions, follow the steps in the Explorance Blue Student Guide: How to Opt Out

If you have questions about SOTEs/SOLATEs or experience technical problems accessing your course evaluations, please contact Institutional Research and Strategic Analytics (IRSA) at institutional-research@sjsu.edu.

You will receive access to your grades whether or not you complete your course evaluations. However, students who complete all of their assigned SOTEs/SOLATEs for the semester receive early access to their grades in MySJSU. Students who do not complete all of their assigned evaluations will be able to view their grades on the regularly scheduled release date.

You can find the date that grades are finalized and posted in MySJSU each semester on the Office of the Registrar webpage under Calendar.

If you did not complete all of your SOTES/SOLATES for the semester, current policy makes you ineligible for early access to grades. The hold indicates this in your account.

Your grades will be viewable on the regularly scheduled release date and the notification will automatically be lifted from your account.

You can find the date that grades are finalized and posted in MySJSU each semester on the Office of the Registrar webpage under Calendar.

On a case by case basis, IRSA considers allowing early access for students who haven't completed all of their evaluations if they can demonstrate hardship as a result of not having early access to their grades. Please submit any documentation of a hardship to us at institutional-research@sjsu.edu.