Reflecting on teaching another term

Every semester the university conducts formal course evaluations which enquire about the course as well as the lecturer. This past semester was my second to last term teaching W200 where I could incorporate student feedback into my teaching practices. Since I began position as an Associate Instructor teaching W200: Computers in Education I have struggled with a few repetitive issues which include a lack of clarity in giving project directions and my unapproachable personality. One of the big changes I have made in my instruction is bringing in specific examples of my k12 teaching experience and to explicitly describe my instructional decisions. I believe that making the learning environment authentic, by drawing my experiences, would make the content more approachable. Also by explaining to the student why I make certain teaching decisions I believe that will help them become better educators. While I felt as though I had improved on these aspects they were negatively commented up on in my fall 2015 evaluations. Again this semester, some of my students felt that I wasn’t giving clear enough directions on the major projects and that my personality was blunt and overly sarcastic. Despite these negative remarks the students ranked my instruction fairly positively. Overwhelmingly, the students didn’t like the course load and the 3 hour classes. My students believed that I was an outstanding instructor (3.4/5 and 2.9/5) and promoted an “atmosphere conductive to learning” (3.6/5 and 3.5/5). The students stated that I motivated them to do their best work (3.3/5 and 3.1/5) and I emphasized student learning and development (3.7/5 and 3.4/5).

Perpetual Heart Break Machine

These past two weeks my students submitted their feedback evaluating the course, my instructional strategies and suggesting improvements. In looking over the initial feedback, I felt it was somewhat heart breaking in their honestly in commenting. In actually averaging their ratings it wasn’t so bad. While most of the comments were negative I realized that they were not directed at me, persay, but the structure of the course. So I moved from being slightly distraught about not being an effective or engaging teacher…to not being able to really implement the changes they suggested.
For example, an overwhelming number of students hated the 3-hour-long 8 am class (not something I had control over) and suggested the class over two weeks. While I cannot control the length or scheduled time, I feel like I should be able to engross and entertain the students enough so that they don’t notice the horribly early and long class.

Another suggestion that came up was reduce the number of PowerPoint (slides) and reduce the number of assignments. Again this wasn’t something I can directly control, as all class sections have the same work load. While realizing that the work load can be overwhelming, I try to give the students additional ‘lab time’ so that they can work on projects. Even though I have been implementing this from the beginning, students still commented that it was not enough. Every week I struggle with trying to balance lecture, engaging discussions and in-class time for projects. Generally a third to half of my class time is devoted to ‘lab-time’ and it still doesn’t seem to be enough.

There was a hiccup in implementing the survey and it was administer twice, the first time 18 of 23 students responded later only 8 resubmitted their thoughts. Half of the questions were on a likert-scale (of 5 or 4). The first time (4-scale) the students agreed the course as outstanding by 2.5 of 4, the second time (5-scale) it improved to 3.5 of 5. Next the students evaluated the outstanding nature of the instructor. Both surveys were very close in response with a 2.7 of 4, first time, and a 2.9 of 5, the second time marking the teacher as outstanding.
The following responses were drawn from the second survey administration. The students rated the clear communication of content as a 2.5 of 5. The students rated the clarity of explanation of requirements/expectations/assignment as a 3 out of 5. Students rated appropriate use of class time as a 2.5 out of 5. On a more positive note the students felt that the instructor was creatively using teaching strategies, ranking it a 3.2 of 5. Lastly, the students noted that the instructor gave timely feedback by rating it 2.3 out of 5.

When students were asked about recommendation to improve the course and suggestions to the instructor a majority of the students responded that the course had too many things due (n=6), with overwhelming due dates and expressed a need to consolidate class resources. An additional student commented that the content housed to many resources and websites. Within the actual class structure, students commented that the class was too long and too early in the morning (n=4). A couple of the students mentioned that there needs to be less PowerPoint (n=3), less in class discussions (n=1), and more time in class to work on projects, homework, and assignments (n=4). Additionally these lectures needed more consistency from week to week (n=2), more explanations/instruction (n=1), and a great focus on projects not on in-class examples (n=1).
There were three students who commented that the instructor was doing alright. Another two students mentioned that student not be graded as stringently. Lastly, one student commented that “the instructor could assist the students in a less sarcastic manner.” These two points are aspects that I feel I have the greatest control in changing and will work diligently in the coming weeks to explain my grading manner and appear less sarcastic.

When students were asked to list things that they did not want to change they discusses the general content and diversity of technology introduced (n=9), the benefits of the projects, particularly the digital story (n=2), the real-world application of the teacher websites and ePortfoilo (n=2), and the scaffold nature of the course (n=1). Moreover the students did not want to see changes in the structure, content, or method by which the PowerPoint were displayed (n=4). As far as the instructor specific embellishments the students liked the text reminders (n=1), the ease and timely manner of receiving feedback (n=2), and that I do not allow my students to procrastinate on projects (n=2). Additionally a student appreciated the structure of the course that allowed students to choose independent and group projects.

Most meaningful aspects of the course were identified as the creation of the teacher and ePortfolio websites (n=8), introduction of the tools, such as Google drive, Skype and Google docs (n=6), and the utilization and discussion of the 3Es (4 in my class, engagement, enhancement, effectiveness, efficiency) (n=5). Students also noted that the content exploration tools/tasks (n=1) and production tools/tasks (n=2), as well as class projects, such as the digital stories (n=2), case analysis (n=1), webquests (n=1) as meaningful activities.
Least meaningful aspects of the course were claimed to be the digital story project (n=2), and all the video editing that accompanied the project (n=8), along with the case analysis (n=5) and webquests (n=2), commenting particularly on the lack of application of early education teachers. Lastly students noted that the teacher and ePortfolio websites (n=1), “busy work” and “time wasters” in class (n=1), demonstrations in class (n=1), the Go Animate (n=1) and voki (n=1) clips, and the use of Google documents (n=1) were not useful to the class.

And for the random student who suggested a picnic: let’s have one when the weather gets a little warmer!

Evaluation – The song that never ends

This theme of evaluation seems to keep coming up, over and over again much like a song whose words are at the tip of your tongue but you just can’t seem to get them out. This week was I actually evaluated…it wasn’t a self-reflection of what I could have changed but an external review that involves a camera recording my entire class, a formal sit down, and report. Despite that external pressure I didn’t feel the need to over prepare or fluff up my class with cool new tricks. In fact, even thought I was being recorded I found myself just teaching and the evaluation stuff faded away. At that moment I was focused on delivering content in the best way I could, I wasn’t thinking about what I could have changed from last week or five minutes past.

So 24 hours post instruction, it still hasn’t hit me, the whole you are being evaluated thing. I think that be because I know everyone out there is going to have their two cents about teaching and what is the best way to do ‘this’ or ‘that.’ At the end of the day I am my own worse critic and I think more than getting that report or told how I preformed, I want a copy of me teaching so that I can analyze what I did and what I can do to make it better.