Survey template: Online Course Student survey about course difficulty

If you want deeper insights into course difficulty from your students, you need to try a conversational AI survey template—it's faster, friendlier, and delivers clearer answers. Use and try this template now to see how engaging feedback with Specific can be.

What is a conversational survey and why AI makes it better for online course students

Gathering student feedback on course difficulty is always a challenge. Traditional forms are tedious for students, often leading to half-finished answers or skipped questions. We know that response rates with “normal” surveys barely break 30% in many cases, but that’s not the only problem—often, the answers you do get are vague or incomplete. That’s where conversational AI surveys change the game.

A conversational survey uses a chat-like interface that feels a lot more like talking with a human than simply filling out another form. Instead of dropping a list of static questions, the AI asks follow-ups, adapts language, and keeps the student engaged. And here’s why that matters: studies show that conversational surveys boost completion rates by up to 40% compared to traditional formats. The experience isn’t just more fun for students—it produces more accurate, detailed, and actionable data for you. [2]

Let’s make it even clearer with a quick comparison:

Why use AI for online course student surveys?

• Students are used to messaging; a chat-like survey feels natural, fun, and less like “schoolwork.”

• AI instantly follows up for deeper insights, so you don’t miss context or meaning.

• Faster to set up and analyze—so you get real results, not buckets of raw data.

Specific is built to give you the best-in-class conversational survey experience. Whether you’re surveying one class or an entire program, we make every step—from question creation to analysis—as smooth and effective as possible.

For ideas on what to ask, check out our article on the best questions for an online course student survey about course difficulty.

Automatic follow-up questions based on previous reply

If you’ve ever tried to interpret a vague survey answer, you know how frustrating it is. Maybe a student types “it was challenging,” and you’re left wondering—was the pace too fast? The workload too heavy? Or was there a particular concept tripping them up?

This is where Specific’s automatic AI follow-up questions shine. Our system reads the student’s answer and—in real-time—asks clever, context-aware follow-ups. It’s like having an expert interviewer on hand each time. No more following up by email or sifting through a pile of ambiguities.

Here’s how it plays out in real life:

• Online Course Student: “Some topics were tougher than others.”

• AI follow-up: “Which specific topics felt most difficult, and what made them harder than the rest?”

• Online Course Student: “I struggled with the assignments.”

• AI follow-up: “Can you share what aspects of the assignments you found most challenging?”

Without these follow-ups, you’re stuck with guesswork. But AI handles clarifying questions for you—so you get richer insights without lifting a finger. This approach has been proven to not only save hours, but also boost survey engagement and quality. [3]

Want to experience a survey that truly feels like a conversation? Try generating one with Specific, or learn more about our automatic AI follow-up questions feature to see the impact for yourself. These followups turn surveys into dialogues—making every response count, and turning your survey into a real conversational survey.

Easy editing, like magic

Usually, tweaking survey questions is a huge mental chore—revise wording here, reorder there, add logic over there... With Specific, you just tell the AI what you want to change in plain language. The AI instantly updates your survey, bringing expert-level adjustments without you sweating through menus or logic trees.

Edits happen in seconds. You can refine questions, tighten up tone, or adjust follow-up logic using only a chat—just like messaging a teammate. It’s a radical simplification of survey editing, letting you stay focused on the results, not the process. Explore more about how simple survey edits can be with our AI survey editor.

Flexible delivery: reach students where it works best

The way you deliver your survey can make or break your response rates. With Specific, you have two powerful options, each made for modern student life and adaptable to course difficulty surveys:

• Sharable landing page surveys: Instantly create a unique link you can send by email, course forums, or LMS. Easy to distribute after exams or at semester’s end. Ideal for large cohorts or remote learners.

• In-product surveys: Drop the survey right in your course platform, LMS, or education app. This meets students exactly where they’re working—so you get feedback while their experience is in fresh memory. In-app delivery can drive completion rates over 80%, slashing nonresponse bias and boosting data quality. [3]

For most course difficulty feedback, in-product delivery is gold: prompt students after completing a module or tough assignment, and get instant, context-rich responses. Landing page surveys are great for more general check-ins or when you need input from alumni or external students. Want tips for building the perfect student survey flow? Read how to easily create an online course student course difficulty survey.

Effortless AI-powered survey analysis

Once you’ve collected feedback, the magic of AI continues. Specific instantly summarizes every response, detects themes (like "math units are hardest" or "clear instructions helped"), and turns freeform text into actionable insights—no manual sifting or spreadsheets required. Our AI survey analysis features, including automatic topic detection and direct chat with AI help you quickly move from raw data to real understanding. See practical advice for how to analyze online course student course difficulty survey responses with AI and explore more about automated survey insights at AI survey response analysis.

Use this course difficulty survey template now

Get clearer, deeper feedback on course challenges straight from your students—use this AI survey template now and unlock a smoother, smarter approach to student research, powered by Specific’s conversational, AI-driven platform.