Program Evaluation

Our first evaluation of the program comes from Sarah Haley. Sarah says:

“I am an academic advisor and instructor for students in the Honors College.  My undergraduate degree is in Secondary Education with a major in German and a teaching minor in United States History.  My graduate degree is in Information and Communication Sciences. 

What I like most about your syllabus design is the inclusion of a rationale.  Many times in higher education students take a particular course for very specific and obvious reasons, but other courses can seem somewhat nebulous.  A course such as the one you have proposed can have great value for students, but it’s inclusion in a program can become problematic if students don’t understand why they’re taking it.  I think a class of this type can be invaluable, but the biggest challenge will likely be the student who simply doesn’t understand the value of broad-based courses.  Your introduction and rationale should help combat this. 

I would recommend some minor changes to this syllabus.  The first relates to the writing assignment given during week one.  Students are asked to write about what they expect to learn about themselves during the course, but during the next session’s discussion the topic is reflecting on personal strengths and weaknesses.  I would suggest altering the first writing assignment to be an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.  The topic of what they hope to learn could perhaps be an assignment emailed to students in advance of the first meeting.  Also the discussion of strengths and weaknesses scheduled for the second meeting should perhaps be broadened to include how these factors will affect their greater performance in school, instead of focusing on how the weaknesses will need to be improved to “do well in this course.”

Perhaps it is not part of this assignment, but the syllabus did not include a grading scale.  An attendance policy would also be a welcome addition, along with a statement regarding accommodations the students might need in order to be successful in the course.”

            She definitely points out some good additions for the program. If we were to add a grading scale to the syllabus, I think that it would be important to make sure that it is not too critical. We certainly do not want to attempt to grade people on their responses to personal questions. I think it would need to be more of a pass/fail type of course. If you turn all the work in, you pass. If you do not turn the work in, you do not pass. In addition, she does make a point with the special accommodations section for the syllabus. If we were to make this a real course, it would certainly need to have that portion added.

            Adding an assignment that students would have to complete before the first meeting of the class could pose a problem. Students who add the course late may miss these instructions and feel left behind. However, in a graduate setting, where most students are probably accustomed to reading all the communication they receive beforehand, this could actually work.

The second evaluation comes from Peg Terrell, Dean Schools of Business, Technology, and Applied Science & Engineering Technology Ivy Tech Community College Richmond.

The Reflections course sounds like a good transition back into the school setting. I’m curious, is this just a component of a required course in the students’ programs? Or is it designed to be a 1 credit life skills course?  Overall, it looks like a good transition course. You have learning objectives, discussion topics, and activities (assignments) that pull it all together. Good luck with it!

 

The intended usage of the course, whether an introductory course or an elective ,would certainly have an impact on whether students would sign up for the class.  Self reflection is not a high priority when you have young children, graduate classes, a significant other or other family, and a  career.  Completing in manageable time frame would be first priority, and self reflection as an elective may be an issue.