CIS Student Course Evaluations - Generalizations

1. CIS Student Course Evaluations - Generalizations

2. Generalizations • Students happiest when • syllabus clear up front, • when grading scheme clear up front, • when work is spread out evenly over the quarter • when the big picture is presented at the beginning before the details are engaged • When as much information is put on line as possible so they can refer to it throughout.

3. Generalizations • Students happiest when • Real life examples incorporated in class • Expertise and passion of professor/instructor shines through • Homework reinforces classwork and instructor available to answer questions/engage with. • The laboratories are supportive of what they are learning, they get to get their hands dirty in novel ways and the laboratories are well explained. • The AHA for almost all students was some kind of demo or hands-on experience or application example.

4. Generalizations • Favorite Ugrad Courses were - hands down, going away Engaged laboratory classes • Software or hardware. • (DIP, Holography, CCD Lab, Electronics, etc.). • Those classes need to make sure they provide the necessary background lecture type material • To cement connection between what they are “doing” and what they are “learning”.

5. Generalizations • Students like the CIS instructors/faculty • Even when they have objections to the class structure/materials they almost always found the instructor (1) engaged, (2) easy to approach, (3) working hard, (4) responsive to questions. • In many cases students really feel very strongly positively about the faculty member. • 5) How much did the instructor stimulate your thinking and interest in the subject? • Generally, we do okay but could do better (relative to the other questions) on this question:.

6. Laboratories • Laboratories not sufficiently organized in terms of preparation/layout. • Laboratory exercises could be better tuned/developed. • Laboratory assistants are not sufficiently trained and engaged. • Request for matlab and not just IDL

7. Lectures • Biggest concern were lectures or lecture notes with errors in them. • Desire for actual specific in-print textbooks as prime source. This is repeated. • In classes with difficult mathematics, desire to see derivation done in real time (not by going through powerpoint). • In classes with difficult concepts/math desire for more tangible examples. • Some classes not sufficiently organized and prepped for by instructor.

8. Inclass and Online • Concern with audio and set up in a few classes for some periods for breeze. • Desire for real time derivation of formulas using the board or palette. This is very strongly heard and is the major issue presented with inclass/online. Students do not want to learn formulas/derivations from predrawn out powerpoint. Moves way too fast in that format and they don’t learn. • Desire for faculty member to repeat inclass student’s question so on-line student could hear. • For on-line classes where the on-line class was not taught using Breeze, there was concern from students that they weren’t really getting taught. (small number statistics here, but nevertheless).

9. Big Six for CIS • Improve laboratories that go with courses; *content, organization, preparation and instruction. • Use in-print Textbooks wherever possible, *minimize errors in notes, handouts etc.. • Do real time derivations and support with demo *don’t just use preset powerpoint for abstract/math *use demonstrations to drive home the concepts. • Prepare, review, and post syllabi *give students big picture of course material *Spread work evenly over quarter. • Stimulate student thinking and interest! • Hands on (software or hardware) courses very desirable.