Student comments from EPID600 Spring 2009

______________________________

“I am enjoying our group but think the case studies are too long and that the groups are too big. I think the set-up lends itself to frustration over inefficient use of time and conflict within the group with so many people answering so many different questions. I have not worked in EPID long enough to know if this is good practice for a real life setting. I find the reading and class generally quite provocative and well-organized but struggle with my feelings [about] the case studies and feel like the groups shares that negative energy a bit.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/15)
______________________________

“This class is pretty exceptional. Except for the fact that the case studies and the lectures are misaligned, it's structured very well. Having everything online is a plus.”
Abhinav, BACH student, BIOS, TA: Adamson (1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/15)
______________________________

“We've got a fantastic lab group and work really well together. I actually look forward to EPID lab! Thanks for all of your work to help us understand and work through these concepts.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/14)
______________________________

“Group 14 rocks!”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/12)
______________________________

“Despite the large number of people enrolled in this course, I really appreciate Vic and the TAs' efforts to make our interactions as personal as possible and to teach in an engaging manner! This is one of a select few courses where the professor has clearly gone above and beyond in order to communicate the course material with a focus on student learning.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/13)
______________________________

“Ahinee is the best TA ever.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/14)
______________________________

“Thank you for extending the due dates for the group case studies. It was a bit of a challenge to get everything done and make sure that everyone contributed to the online discussions. Please keep the names of the case studies and lectures consistent between the documents and the schedules.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/12)
______________________________

“I think our group works very well together. We all talk each week and we all have different strengths and weaknesses.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/11)
______________________________

“Group 16 is full of very smart, collaborative individuals. I have learned a lot from them!”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/11)
______________________________

“My T.A., Ahinee, is awesome. Her short lectures before group discussions are very beneficial.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/15)
______________________________

“I feel like my group works together really well, we all come prepared, and we are able to work together to reach a consensus on our answers and learn from each other.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/13)
______________________________

“We should also be mindful of the fact that some students are prone to contribute more effectively online through the discussion board than in the class.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/14)
______________________________

“I'm not sure where the TA eval form is located. Nikki is a wonderful TA. Her lectures are very informative. She is also helpful with clarifying the case study quesitions.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/12)
______________________________

“Please work with your case study questions to ensure that they are as unambiguous as possible. Nothing is worse than being penalized for not interpreting a hazy question "correctly."”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/12)
______________________________

“The class is interesting and the presentations that my TA does each week are very helpful.”
(1st peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/02/12)
______________________________

“My group has been great! We've developed a great way to organize our thoughts and really work well together.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/05)
______________________________

“Adamson has been a fantastic help this semester -- very supportive, but not overbearing. I'm really glad that he was our TA.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/11)
______________________________

“Thank you for a great class! The last lecture convinced me that I have to pursue an MPH; your passion is very palpable and you showed us how the subject is relevant to so many global issues of our time.”
Joe, NOND student, INTI, TA: Adamson (2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/23)
______________________________

“Ahinee, thank you for your excellent review of the material and thoughtful questions to point us in the right direction on the case studies. Good luck in all your future endeavors! Vic, I enjoyed your lectures and case study assignments but found the course format to be an administrative nightmare that invariably made things about three times more complicated than they needed to be.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/28)
______________________________

“It's obvious how much Vic cares about the subject and public health. I really liked the last lecture. Also, I like the jokes you incorporate into lectures. Ahinee was also a really caring and helpful TA.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/24)
______________________________

“Ahinee was an AMAZING instructor. I sure hope that she becomes a teacher at the college level because she is extremely adept at conveying complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. Her teaching greatly improved my experience of this challenging course!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/26)
______________________________

“Great group! Worked very well and efficiently together most sessions.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/11)
______________________________

“Ahinee is seriously amazing. She is so supportive and really brings epi down to a level where anyone can understand it. She keeps sections light and full of humor while also being professional and extremely instructive. She really is just great. And thanks for a great semester and introduction to epid, Vic!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/24)
______________________________

“Team ##16 was an excellent group to work with and our TA was extremely helpful! Thank you Ahinee for making epi understandable.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/18)
______________________________

“My recitation group was absolutely awesome! The group really made the epid experience much better!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/23)
______________________________

“We had a very good mix of people in our group. Some were a lot more confident than others, I use the word 'confident' as I feel that those who did not speak that often were not comfortable with the subject matter, but did however come to class prepared. It was an enjoyable experience because of the mix of people that were present. Comments for Vic, some of this stuff could be worded more simply. We often take a lot more time in our class session just interpreting a question than just answering it, maybe that is part of the teaching I don't know, but as the student it can be frustrating when you are not familiar with some of these topics. Comments for Ahinee, you have been a great help, very supportive and always available. Thank you.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/29)
______________________________

“Overall, I thought our group was great. We worked well together and everyone came prepared. When we were stuck, Nick was good about providing guidance without giving away the answer.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/24)
______________________________

“Nicholas was an excellent teacher and made the sessions fun and informative. Thanks!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/26)
______________________________

“Thanks for a great semester!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/24)
______________________________

“Thanks Nicholas, I appreciate all of the help you have provided this semester!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/12)
______________________________

“Our group had a good balance - I feel like although there were some weeks when some people couldn't contribute as much due to heavy work load in other courses, overall, everyone participated and was engaged in the course.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/18)
______________________________

“I think that our group was great! For a collection of people from all different backgrounds, I feel like we all complemented each others knowledge. By the time we got back from spring break, we had really clicked as a group and our discussions were great! I highly recommend keeping the class a class and not an online class because I feel like I learn a lot from interacting with my group.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/05)
______________________________

“Nikki was one of the best TA's I have ever had. Thanks Nikki”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/23)
______________________________

“I enjoyed the setup of this class. Working with my peers was an enjoyable way to learn epi material.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Classroom course, 2009/04/23)

(An additional 11 comments were received but the students did not authorize their dissemination.)

Back to top Comments from all semesters EPID160/EPID600 home page

2009a, compiled 04/30/2009