EAS 270: Summary of Student Feedback Notes (of 16 Oct/06), and Instructors Comments and Plans for Improvements

I received 24 comment sheets. Thanks for having done this constructively. I appreciate both the compliments on what is working well, and the suggestions for improvement.

• Only one technical difficulty was mentioned: when I walk away from the dais, I am inaudible at the back of the room due to the construction noise.

  I shall make it a habit to wear the microphone.

• Quiz 2 was too long.

  Yes. As someone noted, 1 min/question is insufficient. I had wished Quiz 2 to be more challenging than Quiz 1, which many people had completed within 15 minutes. However clearly it was too long for comfort. I shall trim back to 1.5 minutes per question for quiz 3 and other exams.

• More examples in class of use of the equations

  This is valid. I have placed sample numerical questions on the web, and this should serve to help you prepare for mid-term and final exams. Answers will be provided later.

• "Did we need to spend $130 on a text book that we did not even need for the tests??"

  "I have no idea where he gets these questions from??"

  "Your questions are 90% from lectures and lecture notes. Why did I read 150 pages?"

  "I studied the text for 3 full days, 150 pages, and it was pretty much useless for this quiz."

  Only the four map questions were not directly linked to the textbook (from the start I had made it clear that 20% of questions are map questions - see course outline). All other questions on Quiz 2 tested textbook material. I have added page references to the Quiz: please cross check.

• "So why should I attend class?... What do these maps mean?"

  I do suggest you attend class.

• "The lecture notes are too vague"

  I do not provide lecture notes. I provide only a copy of the visuals I will use in class. You write your own lecture notes, based on my lecture and your own reading.

• "If I don't understand them (skew T diagrams) in class, or miss something, I cannot go to the book to learn it."

  This is why the TA and I have office hours. We are available for questions. You have our E-mail addresses. The difference between the Stuve diagram covered in the textbook and the Skew-T diagrams I show is insignificant. There is no conceptual difference at all.

• Please provide a review class

  With 3 quizzes and two exams, we'd lose 5 classes and have no hope to cover the course materials. If time permits, we may be able to have one review class before the final exam.

• Difficult to see the "a", "b" locations on map.

  Agreed. I didn't want to obscure contours. I'll keep this in mind next time, and add arrows if needbe.

• Forbid students from leaving class early - very distracting.

  This is not enforcable. Some students have no choice, and have spoken to me about their need to slip out. I agree that it can be distracting, but we have to live with it.