Review of Survey 9/27/2011: Toward a better teaching and learning

Review of Survey 9/27/2011: Toward a better teaching and learning Menglin S. Jin

1. Does Dr. Jin’s accent make it too difficult for you to understand class? Suggestions? • No. Dr. Jin’s accent was a little hard to understand the fire time I heard her speak, but you get used to it quickly. • It can be, maybe get Henry to explain the material if we do understand you. • It’s not very difficult for me to understand the class. Just feel it difficult for me to understand the English. • No, • 25-50% of the time it hinders understanding. • Sometimes, I recommend a book that may be referenced if the topic is of great importance. • Accent takes getting used to, but by now, I feel I understand you just fine. • No, if so I usually ask her to repeat it • only occasionally • sometimes. sometimes he talks too fast. • Not at all. I’ve gotten used to your accent. • Yes, also poor grammar makes assignments difficult. In class, please write difficult words on the board. Have the TA look over homework assignments • Not all the times, but there are some times when I can not fully understand which words you mean.

1. Does Dr. Jin’s accent make it too difficult for you to understand class? Suggestions? • Write out important words, • Give handout

2. Are class materials, mainly in ppt, well organized? Too much materials? Suggestions? • It is beneficial that the ppt’s are online, so students can focus on absorbing material in class, instead of rushing to write down every words. I think Dr. Jin could consider making slides a little more complete – there are numerous slides with not a whole lot on them, which makes for a lot of clicking mouse in class. • PPT and class materials are organized, however that one reading we had to do the other week was a bit difficult to grasp. • Maybe just too much for me • Yes in ppt, some times too much material and can let us and her miss the main focus • Yes • Powerpoint slides are okay, sometimes the material is too indepth. • Yes, powerpoints make it easy to access what was taught at any time. However, you often go through ppt slides way too fast in class. • Everything is well organized. • yes • most of them are. some ppt slides are not clearly designed. some ppt slides that have graphs do not explain what the graphs mean enough. • Sometimes, I feel that there is not enough information in the ppt slides to make things clear. • More text to accompany figures would be helpful, otherwise they are very useful • Yes, they are very organized! No, it is not too much.

2. Are class materials, mainly in ppt, well organized? Too much materials? Suggestions? • More time for reading . • Need to adjust material so it is NOT too indepth. • More text to accompany figures would be helpful, otherwise they are very useful

3. Does homework help you understand class lectures? • The problems are good for reinforcing class concepts. • Yes • Yes • Yes, but regarding calculations we need solutions • Yes • yes • I felt homework has been sufficient, especially homework #2 that forced us to take what we learned and apply it to problem solving/logic problems. • Homework definitely coincides with lecture and usually equations or concepts are in the ppts. • yes • yes • Yes! The Grad problems help give an advanced approach to the material • In general, yes. • yes Good! :D

4. Is homework fairly graded? • In general, yes. • yes • 4. Is homework fairly graded? • Very! As long as you work hard and show it, you will do well. • Yes • Yes • Yes • Mostly • yes • Yes • Yes, homework is fairly graded. • yes • yes • Yes. • Yes

4. Is homework fairly graded? • In general, yes. • yes • 4. Is homework fairly graded? • Very! As long as you work hard and show it, you will do well. • Yes • Yes • Yes • Mostly • yes • Yes • Yes, homework is fairly graded. • yes • yes • Yes. • Yes Thanks! Same to you!

5. Do you feel if during the lecture, students are engaged in class? • They could be more engaged; I thought it was a great idea to have presentations, where students had to use their brains. If Dr. Jin is the only person talking the entire class, some students lose focus/yawn. • Yes, especially during class activities • Yes • Yes <medium> • Unfortunately yes. • yes • Yes, you ask plenty of questions which is great • Yes, Dr. Jin usually has students read or do computations. • much of the time, no :< • yes • Yes. • only when necessary (called on, or in presentations), though this makes me uncomfortable • Most of the time

5. Do you feel if during the lecture, students are engaged in class? • Design more student-lead activity • Keep it optional • thought it was a great idea to have presentations, where students had to use their brains. If Dr. Jin is the only person talking the entire class, some students lose focus/yawn.

6. What class activities you feel helping your understanding and effectively engaging student into class? • The presentations are helpful, along withhaving students do mathematical calculations. • Practice problems, reading in class • I have no idea  per my experienced I still like the way that I sit and listen to the teacher’s teaching the knowledge. (will be respected!) • Making the lecture and PPT fewer focused and strong • (Blank) • Calculations that are done in-class are enjoyable, also videos are a good way to visualize the remote sensing concepts. • Asking students to use logic to answer questions you ask during lecture slides • When students are asked to read ppt. or asked questions. • making us do activities and solve problems on board • Group reading • I think class participation exercises are great (like a question to answer/turn in at the end of class). • The presentation helped, and I would like to do that again, as long as we are not graded on it. I appreciated the opportunity to speak in front of people because I need to improve on it. • I think asking students questions about the lecture material is the best way to engage student learning because it is almost like a competition as to who can get the right answer Will Do! Thanks for excellent suggestions!

7. Per your experience in other classes, can you give some suggestions about what other class activities may help to active student in the topics? • One suggestion would be to have students go to the board at the beginning of class when homework is due and explain how/why they did what they did. • (Blank) • The same answer at Question 6. I do not like the way to let students learning by themselves then teaching in classes, it’s hard for me to understand (or just because my English is not good enough to understand) • Solving assignments in class and post • (Blank) • Having outside reading, looking at Current Satellite products discussing the reasons for why we have TRMM, MODIS, AVHRR. Maybe g ointo ground-based remote sensing (Radar, Lidar, Sodar) • I have no complaints about how this class is taught • (Blank) • show a short interesting videos that apply to the topic occasionally • videos • See #6. I also think having a student read a paragraph straight from PPT isn’t that helpful. • Writing on the board is helpful • Simple class discussions. I like the videos!

8. Is TA helpful? • (Blank) • Yes • I haven’t get a chance to turn to him for help, so I don’t know whether he is helpful. • Yes, but if he is going to grade, first he has to solve it or prof has to solve, otherwise it will be biased grading • Very • Always. • Yes, he is always available for questions • Yes, having a TA is great for HW assistance questions and keeping stuff organized. • yes • yes • Yes he is! Always willing to answer questions! • Yes, he helped me clarify some homework questions • yes, very!

9. Is Dr. Jin approachable? – When you need to talk with her, is she available or reachable? • Dr. Jin’s office door is open when she is there, and can always be reached via e-mail. • Most of the time • Yes. • (Drew an oscillating wave) ??? • (Blank) • Yes, I’ve never had a problem accessing Dr. Jin. • Yes, I always see you in your office with an open door • Yes, I have been to her office a couple times when door is open and she has accommodated my questions or needs. • yes • yes • Yes • Dr. Jin gets frustrated easily, making me less likely to approach her for help. • yes, she is quick with email responses Sorry I made you feel that way.

10. Do you feel you are respected by the professor in class? • Yes. • Yes • Yes. • Medium • (Blank) • Yes, very much. • Yes • Yes. • yes • More than last year • Yes • I am unsure. • yes :D Yes you are respected by me!

11. Does Dr. Jin leave you any impression about not respectful to students? Give example so she can avoid to say the same way… • I think some students might take a comment the wrong way, but this could be a language issue. • If someone messed up, give feedback on how they can do better. • No. • (Blank) • Occasionally. Don’t say how a wrongfully calculated answer is stupid. Correct it, but do not scold/insult. • No • No, Dr. Jin is very respectful and connects with the class through humor which is great • Sometimes, but I am not sure if it is on purpose. Sometimes she laughs at answers. • Don’t laugh at times students are answering a question. Students often feel like they’re being made fun of. However, this is much less of a problem this semester compared to last semester. • Most of the time No. Sometimes when people answer a question wrong she laughs a little. • The only issues I see is the times when last semester’s student reviews are brought up. That makes students feel akward. • Not really • no, I just think the tone of voice can be a little abrupt sometimes

12. Do you feel Dr. Jin’s eager to teach? • I think Dr. Jin is more passionate and concerned about research, but wants to see her students do well when teaching. She is very caring, and works hard to prepare for class. • Somewhat, It would be nice if you went into more detail about each slide. • Yes. • Medium • Sometimes • Yes • Yes • I believe she does enjoy teaching and wants students to do well. • yes • yes • yes, much more so than last semester. I’ve seen more interesting in teaching well/engaging students. • Yes • yes Hi Thanks Guys!

13. Do you feel Dr. Jin make the requirement and her expectation for class, homework, and exam clear enough? • Yes. • Yes • Yes. • Yes • Yes • Yes • Yes • Yes. • yes • class and homework yes. we have yet to take an exam. • Yes. Everything has been fair so far. • When clearly stated, yes. When questions/instructions are difficult to read due to poor writing, then no. • yes, however, there was a lot of confusion for HW 1. Solution: TA’s help!

14. Please provide any comments/suggestions of what Dr. Jin can help to make the class an enjoyable and productive experience for you. • (Blank) • (Blank) • I have no idea. To me the first step is to well understand the lessons and haven’t’ think that further. • Positive attitude towards students • Most people do not like being called on in the middle of class to read portions of slides. • If powerpoints have too much reading, try having a video for the class to watch. Also, would like to learn about other remote sensing platforms; not just space-based. • (Blank) • (Blank) • (Blank) • (Blank) • The only complaint I have is the constant construction noise, and that’s not Dr. Jin’s responsibility at all. I’ve definately seen a strong desire to address previous teaching problems and improve as a teacher, which is most important for teaching. • In the future, a rigorous textbook that we use for the class would be helpful. Please seriously consider assistance when writing homework and exams to ensure clear english so there is less confusion • (Blank) More handouts! More video More positive (which I aleeady am) Better english (TA)

Review of Survey 9/27/2011: Toward a better teaching and learning