Survey Results. Course Structure For The Rest of the Semester

MTH 360,

All 12 students in MTH 360 have completed the assessment survey and reported to me.  I have included a formula in my gradebook that boosts everyone’s homework average by 2.5 points.  I still plan to drop one homework score in addition to this bonus.

Here are the results of the survey and my comments about course structure changes going forward.  The survey took an average of 4 minutes and 21 seconds to complete

Question 1:  How would you rate approach on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 best)?

Average Response:  8.8 out of 10.

Question 2:  What is your main opinion about mode of content delivery?

Stick with You Tube Videos: 9

Change to Fixed Zoom Meetings: 0

Doesn’t Matter: 3

As a result of this question, I will continue to deliver all content by YouTube and we will not have scheduled live Zoom classes.

Question 3: Length of YouTube Videos

Stick to an average of 15 minutes:  11

Make Them Shorter: 0

Make Them Longer: 1

Just do one long one a week: 0.

As a result of this question, the length of the YouTube videos will not change.  They will be targeted to average 15 minutes.

Question 4: If we Zoom, I prefer Zoom at what times?

During scheduled class time: 8

Late Afternoon: 3

Night: 1

As a result of this question, anything we do in Zoom will happen on Tuesday/Thursday at 9:30 AM.

Question 5: How many Zooms per week if we Zoom?

Two per week: 10

One long one each week: 1

Three per week: 1

Every day of work week: 0

As a result of this question, anything we do in Zoom will happen on Tuesday/Thursday at 9:30 AM.

Question 6: Office Hours

Keep it by email anytime: 8

Zoom at fixed time: 3

Doesn’t Matter: 1

As a result of this question, the primary office hour style will remain thru email and you are welcome to email at any time.  However, since there was mild interest in Zoom as an office hour option, we will have Zoom live office hours on the following days and times:

Tuesday, April 14 at 9:30 AM

Thursday, April 16 at 9:30 AM

Tuesday, April 28 at 9:30 AM

Thursday, April 30 at 9:30 AM

Tuesday, May 5 at 9:30 AM

These time WILL NOT change and no additional times will be added to them. More details including Zoom meeting codes and passwords will be sent later.

Question 7:  Chat Sessions

Good Idea Once a Week: 7

Chat was at night is why I didn’t show: 3

Chats are lame: 2

Comment: Despite the majority thinking it is still a good idea, because of the open office hours and scheduled Zoom sessions, chats have been eliminated.

Question 8: Open Comments

Thank you for the many detailed comments in this section.  Here are my responses to a few cherry-picked statements.

Student: “When I get confused or stuck on a little part I find it difficult to type out my problem especially if I'm not sure where I'm messing up. I know that you can't sit next to us and look at our paper and go from that but maybe we could do live Zoom meetings in place of our study sessions we were doing on campus.”

Dr. Miller:  Yes, this is why we will go to a few Zoom office hours. This seems reasonable.

Student: “Have one or two videos aside from lectures in which you just work out problems.”

Dr. Miller:  Ask questions during live Zoom office hours or talk with me via email.  I’m comfortable with the amount of videos being made staying the same.

Student: “Dr. Miller has made this transition to online classes one of the easiest. I like the blog where everything is organized and it says what e-mails were sent out when.”

Dr. Miller: Thank you.  Several of you said things like this and I appreciate it.  I am a HUGE fan of the blog.  Anyone not checking it to stay organized should be reading it daily.

Student: “I do not believe that it would be necessary (really in most cases) to hold live lectures.  Just because we have that technology doesn’t mean that it’s the “right” way to do it”

Dr.  Miller:  Bingo.  This comment wins the internet.

Student: “can we make things due during or actual class meeting time(TR), our previous assignments have been due the day we normally don’t have class(MWF).”

Dr. Miller:  I thought really hard about this, but I just don’t think I can do it.  The COVID-19 period pretty much eliminated the concept of daily structure for all of us.  We all need the flexibility to study and work at the times that we dictate.  I’m more than open to being flexible with each of you individually, but to only make things due on TR is too rigid in my opinion.  I’m going to continue to use every day of the week as a potential video day or due date, while trying to space them out to the best degree I can.

Student: “The overall structure is dependent on my time and my effort. Unlike other courses they are more strict and on schedule but this course being flexible gives some relief.”

Dr. Miller:  This is really what I am/was going for.  I know not EVERYONE sees it this way, but it is clear that this is the majority thought and so we’ll stick by this flexibility the best we can.

Thank you for all of your input.  You are welcome to send me any other comments by email at any time!