Life Sciences in the 21st Century: Evaluation

Life Sciences in the 21st Century Summary of Student Evaluations

Conducted on December 6, 1995
by D. E. Mullins
Course Coordinator

This summary is based upon 20 respondents out of 24 students who were enrolled in the course. Directions and questions are in bold, student scoring and responses in normal type.

General instructions:

Since this is a new course, your assistance is requested in developing and improving it for students who may elect to take it in the future. Specific comments and innovative ideas would be appreciated in addition to your response to questions provided below. Do not sign this form unless you feel compelled to do so.

Scoring system used : Poor = 1 Fair = 2 Good = 3 Excellent = 4

Achievement of Objectives:

Were the objectives of the course achieved? (by objective)

'to assist students in developing an awareness and appreciation of biology as part of human history, and how it will provide for our future environmental, technological, cultural, social and governmental needs'?
- SCORE = 3.55
- Specific comments:
  - 'There was a lot of emphasis on where bio can be taken... I liked that...gave me ideas.'
  - 'This part was very informative and a lot of things were discussed that I wasn't aware of.'
'to assist students in selecting an area of career-oriented study in the biological sciences or closely related fields'?
- SCORE = 3.40
- Specific comments:
  - 'If more time could be allowed for students to persue the field they are interested in after all the presenters have gone and after the tours maybe have 'special sessions the final week'

Overall Student Rating of the Topic Areas, Subject Matter Covered and Delivery by the Lecturers:

SCORE = 3.24

Usefulness of Assignments:

Reading assignment report:
- SCORE = 2.78
- Specific comments:
  - 'I learned a lot from this one"
Undergraduate program of study:
- SCORE = 3.50
- Specific comments: None
Description of a typical work day:
- SCORE = 2.94
- Specific comments: None
Career Scope/Graduate and Professional School Day:
- SCORE = 2.94
- Specific comments: None
Graduate Program description:
- SCORE = 3.44
- Specific comments: None

Tours:

Did you find the tour informative and helpful?
- SCORE = 3.72
- Specific comments:
  - 'I really enjoyed being able to see facilities for myself and have a hands on approach to see how a degree in that field could get me an
  - 'I would have liked to have been able to go on more than one tour.'
  - 'I loved it; Human Resources !'
  - 'Yes I though it was very helpful'
  - 'Very nicely done & I enjoyed the places we visited'
  - 'If I didn't go on the tour, I may have gotten into the wrong field.'
  - 'People were nice.'
  - 'I really learned a lot about wood products!!'
  - 'I hadn't had the opportunity to tour the Fralin center and found it extremely helpful.'
Would you have been willing to attend more than one tour if they could have been scheduled at a time other than the lecture period, i.e. after a lecture 5-6:00 pm, or alternately on Saturdays?
- Yes = 88.9%
  No = 11.1%
- Specific comments:
  - 'Probably so, if I had time to'
  - 'Possibly, depending on work, amt of schoolwork'

Computer & Home Page:

Your access to computer networking?
- Personal = 33.3%
  Roomate = 44.4%
  Computer Lab = 16.6%
  Friend = 6%
- Specific comments: None
Were instructions clear?
- SCORE = 3.50
- Specific comments: None
Were the exercises helpful in demonstating the resources available on the WWW?
- SCORE = 3.39
- Specific comments: None
Were the lecture outlines provided on the Home Page useful?
- SCORE = 3.39
- Specific comments:
  - 'I expect they will be very helpful on the exam'

General:

Has the information provided in this course been useful in helping you gain some focus on developing your career expectations and goals?
- Yes = 100%
  No = 0%
- Specific comments: None
Would you recommend this course to other first semester freshmen who might be considering a career in a biologically-related field?
- Yes = 100%
  No = 0%
- Specific comments: None
Please comment on any major changes which you feel should be made to improve the course:
- 'I think this is a good seminar to introduce new students to a variety of fields of biological study they may not otherwise be exposed to'
- 'None, well prepared and informative'
- 'It was a good class'
- 'Nicely done, congrats on the 1st try.'
- 'This course needs to be advertised more!'
- 'I thought that you were a very helpful and understanding teacher, thanks.'
- 'Maybe have more tours and visit different builldings in which different areas of study take place. Have different types of presentations rather than the same kind week after week.'
- 'No major changes. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to take notes because so professors wanted to listen.'
- 'I enjoyed it because it showed me what I've been doing (hopefully) in the next ten years.'
- There needs to be a chance for more student involvement in the lectures."
- 'More tours....they were useful.'
- 'In the future, this course should probably become a requirement. I wish I had the opp to take it when I was a freshman instead of as a senior.'

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