Student comments from EPID600 Fall 2006
(in order by date submitted -
click here for random order)
(About student comments)
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1:
“I'm enjoying the course so far. it is well organized, so that
there is something to do every day for the course, if you are
organized, yet it is paced well enough that you don't have
to panic if you have to set it aside for a day or two.
one concept I am having trouble with is the difference between
total rates and crude rates. when you start taking fecundity
and cohort rates, I get even more loss. I think it is mostly
that I have trouble picking these concepts up by reading about
them. I am more of a visual/auditory learner.
thanks for the opportunity to comment.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/07/2006)
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2:
“Going well so far. I really like the evolving text, is there
a way to reference it more as supplemental reading?”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/07/2006)
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3:
“Things so far have been a bit fragmented and difficult to understand.
I am completing all required readings and assignments, but
I am having a great deal of diifculity completing the case
studies. the required amount of work for this class is excessive.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/08/2006)
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4:
“I am definitely learning alot about public health and epidemiology.
my ta (ashley) has been helpful and very responsive.
case study ##2 confused me. I may need some help with questions
that were missed. I am going to review the answer sheet this”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/09/2006)
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5:
“Thanks for asking - it's going pretty well. I am spending approx.
16-18 hours per week on the modules, but I think it's because
I haven't done school in a while and I needed to go back and
review the math concepts - btw thanks for including the math
review - extremely helpful. the case studies are more labor
intensive then I had originally thought they would be, but
I'm learning a lot - and that is why I'm doing this.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/09/2006)
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6:
“How do we get help with the questions for case study -
when do we get the feedback from our answers-”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/09/2006)
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7:
“Things are going well. the subject is interesting - I have had
a little exposure, but not at the depth that we are at now.
I have not quite gotten my routine down pat, I am taking 3
courses via internet- so at times I feel that I am rushing
to keep up. in reality, I have met the deadlines as required.
the discussion forums are very interesting. I am in group one,
the group is very diverse in life experiences, education levels
and job experiences. it is interesting to see the questions
answered through many sets of "different eyes." I look forward
to the rest of the semester.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/09/2006)
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8:
“Okay - it is a bit frustrating navigating the web site and
trying to organize the reading material. participating in the
forums can be challenging while working full time, because
of the short suspensions.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/09/2006)
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9:
“It has been 2 years since I received my mph. although, I went
through a wonderful program, things are different once you
have worked in public health. the discussion forums have been
great, our ta is always available for questions and to keep
us on tract, and the readings generally have been excellent.
I was a little reluctant to go back to school, but this is
a good review for me. I look forward to the remaining classes.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/11/2006)
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10:
“This is my first time taking an on-line course and it is taking
some time getting use to it, but I certainly am learning a
lot.i am finding it very interesting in the virtual world of
internet postings. I have enjoyed each topic discussion and
enjoy reading feedback/comments from others.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/11/2006)
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11:
“I absolutely love this course. I think the pace is perfect,
the assignments are all relative, and it's obvious that you
all have put a lot of time and thought into it. I have taken
several online courses from another institution, and the difference
couldn't be greater. I appreciate the work you all do...thank
you so much!!!”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/12/2006)
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12:
“Thank you for the preparation and making a lot of information
accessible. I haven't had any problems with the website, and
have enjoyed the lectures. my discussion group has been polite,
but not a lot of thoughtful discussion about epidemiology.
the case studies are helpful to test out our learning. looking
forward to the rest of the class!”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/13/2006)
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13:
“I am very frustrated by this course. I feel that the instructions
are extremely difficult to follow (i'm not alone, many of my
group members are having similar difficulties), the timing
and due dates for the readings and assignments are ackward
and there is no "flow" to the course so far. the content
is easy, as I have had this all before at the doctoral level,
but the instructions are difficult. also, having a ta with
a poor command of written englich language is less than confidence-inspring.
lastly, having two webpages with differing information is incredibly
stupid. if blackboard alone is not adequate to provide the
needed information, then maybe the information isn't really
needed?? if there are to be two website, they need to have
the same information and be mirrors of each other. lastly,
the information available under the "syllabus" link for
this course is hardly a syllabus and needs serious improvement.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/13/2006)
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14:
“I've found that the abundance of material in so many different
formats is a little overwhelming. there is the public website,
the blackboard website, announcements, the discussion forum,
etc. the grades page does not appear to be working or perhaps
grades from our first 2 case studies have not been posted.
also, having more than one due date per week, one for the case
study and one for the discussion forum is more difficult than
having both available at the same time with a due date of the
end of the week for students to submit as they are able.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/13/2006)
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15:
“A little fast for me, but I am trying”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/16/2006)
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16:
“I'm not sure how to fairly grade the facilitation because one
of the choices says "met with TA" and I don't know how I would
know about that. I also didn't know that it was required/requested
that we meet with the TA before the lab. Overall my group is
doing a nice job.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/29)
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17:
“As we discussed, please include more relevant and applicable
examples during class (Vic time) (rather than so much theory
and irrelevant car examples). Keep it simple. theory is fine,
and I understand it helps, but we also need practical examples
to help us comprehend what we're doing in the case studies.
In the future, possibly even this semester, it would be helpful
to learn material before we are asked to answer questions about
it; case studies take WAY too much time when I have to teach
myself the information first. And I can assure you, no one
in our group feels as though they can just 'look' over the
questions prior to class; instead we all feel as though we
need to come in having spent a lot of time working with the
questions.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/27)
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18:
“We have a great group that gets along well, and everyone comes
to lab prepared.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/27)
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20:
“I agree with the comments you received before. It would be
very helpful if you could go over the more "technical" aspects
in lab - especially formulas - rather than the broad concepts.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/29)
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21:
“We work extremely well as a group---although we didn't delineate
responsibilities, everyone took a particular role when it came
to keeping track of what was said and writing things down,
facilitating (although that transfers from person to person),
checking over answers, etc...”
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Ade,
BSBI student,
BIOB,
TA: Brettania
(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/29)
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22:
“Excellent class! The structure is both engaging and applicable
to practical implementation of the material.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/29)
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23:
“The class has been really worthwhile so far. It's a lot of
work, but the case studies make a huge difference in really
hammering home the concepts. I feel like I am learning a lot,
not only about epidemiology but about public health, from reading
the various case study articles. I know that I will look back
on this class and be glad -- glad when it is over because it's
so much work, but also glad to have done the work and learned
so much!!”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/30)
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24:
“Our group has worked very well together. I feel that everyone
has done all the work and participated in class discussion
in a respectful manner.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/26)
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25:
“I was right to not fill out an evaluation form for Willona,
correct? Thanks for all your hard work!”
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Kathryn,
BSPH student,
HPAA,
TA: Tania
(1st peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/09/27)
Show comments in random order.
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27:
“This has been an excellent class thus far. It is a lot of work,
but none of it is busy work. I'm learning alot about things
that apply directly to my work in public health. Has caused
me to think differently about studies I read and the numbers
that get bandied about. Two comments about the peer evaluations:
Although I read the evaluation criteria at the beginning of
the semester and even made myself a little chart to keep track
of who did what in discussion groups, I still had to reread
the discussions (which is OK), and still am feeling that I
may not have done my classmates justice in evaluating them.
I don't think that I over-rated anyone, but may have under-rated.
It might be good to advise students to set up a matrix at the
beginning of the semester to track discussion forum participation,
etc. On #1 of the peer evaluation, "Participating in group
discussion forums", it would be nice to have a choice between
3 and 4 (not 6 choices, but maybe rearranging the choices?).
Some people participated in all the discussion forums, but
didn't make two, well-spaced contributions. They may have made
only one contribution or two on the same day in the same part
of the discussion. I ended up giving those people a 3, but
felt like they weren't getting credit for not having missed
any discussions. Thanks for an informative and challenging
class.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/10/01)
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28:
“I think that we have a very interactive,diverse and energetic
discussion group. I am impressed with several members personal
international experiences and find them very interesting. I
enjoy EPID 600 and find it quite interesting.The exercises
are very challenging and sometimes I am frustrated. I think
sometimes that frustration comes from the concern over grades
especially when I have spent a good deal of time with problems
and wonder if I am just being dense. I have a heavier load
than previously, taking three internet classes this semester.
I have been in the MPH program long enough to have experienced
that if you work hard, complete the assignments and put forth
sufficient effort in the end it all comes together. While EPID
600 seems very intense, I know that I will have learned a lot
when it is all said and done. I have had two other classes
that I experienced the same feelings, Toxicology and Environmental
Health. I also felt these classes were challenging and at times
labor intensive, but after they ended, I realized that I had
truly learned from the classes, with that learning staying
with me allowing me to build on these experiences. As an older
student, approaching a significant age (no... it is past 30
and 40),I do value the experiences that I have had the privilage
to have experienced in the program. Over my years as a professional,
I have certainly known and worked for people who had college
creditals, but seemed to lack an indepth knowledge and professionalism
that should accompany those creditials. These are qualities
that I believe that I am acquiring in the program. Yes, I want
good grades, but I also understand the importance of aquiring
the knowledge to back up the grades along with being shaped
by the experiences and hard work of earning them. EPID 600
is one of the "shaping" classes, but I know that if I reach
out for direction, I will receive it.”
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Kathy,
MPH student,
PHNX,
TA: Ashley
(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/24)
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29:
“This is a challenging course. However, it is good to know that
there are multiple correct answers for the case study problems.
This gives me hope that some of my responses have a chance at
being right! The instructors were telling the truth when saying
that it takes 10-12 hours to be successful in this course.”
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Corey,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Ashley
(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/10/01)
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30:
“I enjoy the pace of the course because it makes me take a look
at material most every night. As far as the instructor and
TA go, they are very helpful, and I appreciate that they are
quick to respond to questions and comments. I also like that
they realize online students have other things going on in
life besides class and are accomodating to those situations.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/25)
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31:
“The course has been very good, I do have trouble at times keeping
assignments straight. However, I am very impressed with the
overall work that has gone into making this a great course.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/28)
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32:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed EPID 600 thus far, and already have
gained an increased ability to interpret study protocols and
journal articles in my daily work! Although I am taking this
course towards a certificate (and hopefully one day towards
a MPH), I am finding the course material very interesting and
applicable to real life work.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/28)
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34:
“Epid 600 is the first online course I have ever taken and I
am enjoying the experience. The lectures are quite interesting
and the case studies and group discussion questions force us
to think....which I guess is the whole point of this course.
It is difficult to evaluate someone on the basis of a couple
of group discusssion forums. Hopefully I will be better at
it the next time around. I have tried to give an honest evaluation
of my peers to the best of my capability. I”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/25)
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35:
“I'm not sure that the change in textbooks is a good one. The
text changed, but the lectures and questions didn't change,
thus, the text is "off" from the lecture series. I find the
text, lectures, and questions disjointed and not closely related.
If I did not already know much of the material, I would be
lost, as some of the class members obviously are. On the other
hand, I do like the questions (if the text-lectures would follow
them) as well as enjoy the case study articles. Finally, I'm
not sure that I fully understand the point of students grading
students - surely if there is an issue with a student not working
well with others, the faculty would be the best judge?”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/27)
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36:
“I am loving this class! The discussion forums are thought provoking
and interesting. The new addition of the case study discussion/
Q&A forum is a great addition. I can't wait for the rest of
the semester.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/30)
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37:
“This course makes you appreciate nonverbal communication. I
am enjoying the content, and the challenging assignments, but
miss the visual and auditory cues that come with reading body
language,facial expressions, and inflection of voices.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/10/01)
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38:
“This course is a LOT of work, but I'm really enjoying it and
learning so much. I FINALLY understand the difference between
incidence and prevalence - - something that's confused me for
years!”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/26)
Show comments in random order.
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39:
“I am a little concerned about my personal peer evaluation,
since I started internet course late and took a bit to get
everything figured out. I am hoping this is taken into account.
Once I got the hang of it, I didn't want to make irrelevant/unecessary
emails. I feel at times this might be the case for some folks,
although I am aware that is important to communicate with internet
group, sometimes it goes a little overboard and much time is
spent reading everyone's chatty emails that aren't relevant
to coursework. but overall, I do enjoy the internet course!
thanks, Leah”
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Leah,
UNK student,
UNDC,
TA: Hoa
(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/30)
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40:
“Interesting course; concerns I have are not being able to preview
msgs on discussion forum (like I do in my email acct); takes
too long to view all the comments and I get bumped (especially
when I'm on the road) out of the forum;”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/10/01)
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42:
“This is a very challenging course...EXACTLY what I need in
my new role as our Department's Asst Health Director.”
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Chris,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Hoa
(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/26)
Show comments in random order.
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44:
“You guys are doing great. Keep up the good work -- this has
been a great class so far and I'm looking forward to learning
more in it.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/29)
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48:
“This is a great course. I'm really enjoying it, and hope that
you take with a grain of salt my personal eval of my performance,
meant with a bit of satire as I am uncomfortable rating my
peers. Isn't that the TA or instructor's responsibility? Truly,
this is the first type of class that I'v been asked to rate
my peers. I'd appreciate your feedback on my perceptions and
position.”
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Doug,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Margaret
(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/24)
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49:
“I appreciate the thought and careful attention to the assignments.
I would not be able to keep up except for the well organised
weekly expectations. The problems take hours, but once they
are done, I feel that the material is better understood. I
also really appreciate the tenor of Dr. S's communications.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/24)
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50:
“This class is challenging but really informative. So far I've
learned a lot. All the tools work nicely together to reinforce
the material.”
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Tanya,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Ronna
(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/28)
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51:
“I want to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the discussion
group. Everyone has participated by posting comments regularly
throughout the time allotted. Everyone has made useful and
appropriate comments. = I think that the first two more general
discussions were the most interesting and produced the most
lively exchange of ideas. However, the last two discussions
of the sample test questions were useful, too, because they
served as a sort of group study for an exam that was helpful,
too.”
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(1st peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/09/26)
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53:
“I feel lost most of the time. the case studies are very intense
and having discussion group assignments due at the same time
raises the level of difficulty. I am now in the process of
starting over at the beginning to see if I missed something.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
09/26/2006)
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54:
“There is a lot of information to read and assimilate (i also
have two other courses), but I have learned a lot. the course
requires a lot of thought and concentration - not bad things
as I have learned that courses such as statistics and similar
courses help deter the developement of alzheimers. I should
be good to go.
all joking aside, if I had to use one word to describe the
course it would be intense. I don't know that I realized the
importance of epidemiolgy in public health, but I certainly
recognize it now. I find the course interesting.
there is a lot of support and encouragement provided for which
I am very appreciative of. I believe that I am beginning to
have a good undertanding of the concepts. I have had nursing
research within the last 3 years and I have a greater understanding
of study designs, statistical data and confidence intervals
than I ever believed that I would have had.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/13/2006)
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55:
“I work hard to keep up, and really appreciate the effort that
is behind presenting the material in a weekly format that forces
one to keep up. I often find answers to my questions in a lecture
a little past where the question arose, but that is fine. I
felt that the group exam took too much time, I'm not sure why.
maybe an overly eager group? it had taken a while to get into
the rhythm of the class and to realise that most of the queations
are simpler than they appear at first glance. I don't have
any suggestions for inprovement yet..”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/15/2006)
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56:
“I really love the course but I'm sure I would be doing 200%
better if I were sitting in your classroom. I need help with
many of the calculations and I really don't have anyone to
help me out. I finished by bs online in medical technology
and didn't spend nearly as much time working on course material.
this is a rude awakening to masters level work. I understand
most of the concepts but I need to see examples when I'm trying
to perform calculations. I plan to hang in there until the
end....and pray that god will continue to help me out because
there are many nights I have to stop and pray for help from
god. I know you all are there to help but, sometimes
I just don't know to ask the question.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/16/2006)
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57:
“The course is very informative. it has provided some great
information on confidence intervals and p-values. I think I
explained it to my wife last night!! each and every module
challenges me.
this is alot of info. to absorb over a semester which can be
discouraging at times.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/17/2006)
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58:
“I am finding it difficult to absorb all the mnaterial I am
reading since I no sooner read the information then immediatley
need to apply the concepts to a practical application which
takes me hours to complete. I do believe I am learning but
do now feel confident that I am processing what I learn as
quickly as I should be doing.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/16/2006)
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59:
“I think that the information is too much and case studies come
too quickly. this course was designed for working people with
families but it doesn't seem like it at all. give at least
a week and a half for case studies to be due instead of the
time currently allowed...case study materials come on sunday,and
then its due on wed. I get positive responses from my ta but
I would like a numerical or letter grade to judge how I'm doing.
also have less exams. have a group exam as exam one and then
case studies inbetween and a final group exam. this course
must be more favourable for working people with greater commitments!”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
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______________________________
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60:
“I think that the information is too much and case studies come
too quickly. this course was designed for working people with
families but it doesn't seem like it at all. give at least
a week and a half for case studies to be due instead of the
time currently allowed...case study materials come on sunday,and
then its due on wed. I get positive responses from my ta but
I would like a numerical or letter grade to judge how I'm doing.
also have less exams. have a group exam as exam one and then
case studies inbetween and a final group exam. this course
must be more favourable for working people with greater commitments!”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
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______________________________
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61:
“On the negative side this course is intense with non-stop requirements
at a pace that does not enable you to stop and reflect on anything
you've learned. I feel like I cannot breathe, relax, or stop
worrying until this course is over. only 8 more weeks to go!
on the positive side I feel as if I have an improved ability
to interpret research. I have always read research papers with
a great deal of skepticism because I believe you can skew statistics
to support any hypothesis, but this class has made me look
even more critically at the information presented.”
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(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
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62:
“I think the work is very excessive. it would be just as beneficial
to have either the case study weekly or discussion group, but
not both. I am assuming most of us have jobs and families to
keep up with also.i cannot keep up with all the questions after
reading the chapters; however, I do all the reading. and I
cannot keep up with all the case study questions. I would like
to see more examples used in the lectures of reading an article
and then picking out what is good research and what is not.
I have no idea how I am doing since we have not gotten back
even our first exam grades yet. I happened to look at the general
discussion board the other day....i found out that I am not
the only one struggling in this class. in all my years in school,
I have always done very well and graduated in the top but I
am hanging on by my fingernails in this class. most of the
time I feel as though I am having to teach myself a lot of
the material and it's very frustrating.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
63:
“Things have been going pretty well so far in the course but
I am beginning to find some of the biostatistical concepts
(like confidence intervals)quite difficult to understand. I
have been enjoying working on the case studies.it has been
great working as a group on the group exam and the discussions,
though I feel that participation frequency in the discussions
is dwindling......”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
64:
“Wow! in my 50's in a 'have it now' culture, I have tried to
make a concious effort to slow down and enjoy the journey.
I thoroughly enjoy the journey of this class and all that I
am gaining, but the speed at which the trip is going is a little
too fast, and I feel I may get 'car sick'. the knowledge is
a tremendous help to me, but I'm getting fed this information
so quickly that I know that I am not digesting it all. I understand
that an intro class should cover the breadth of knowledge on
the subject, but what about the depth? how deep are we supposed
to be at this level? I don't feel like we're allowed enough
time on each topic to go very deep into it. debbie bundy-carpenter”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
65:
“I'm having a difficult time keeping up. this course is supplemental
to being a full time medical student and going on rotations.
it has been difficult to keep up with the pace and demands.
I just realized I missed case study ##8 completely! I would
like to have more time to really take it all in and learn more.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/23/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
66:
“Once you put yourself on a schedule things work more smoothly.
I do think that there is a lot of information covered in a
short amount of time.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/23/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
67:
“There is a lot of information to read and assimilate (i also
have two other courses), but I have learned a lot. the course
requires a lot of thought and concentration - not bad things
as I have learned that courses such as statistics and similar
courses help deter the developement of alzheimers. I should
be good to go.
all joking aside, if I had to use one word to describe the
course it would be intense. I don't know that I realized the
importance of epidemiolgy in public health, but I certainly
recognize it now. I find the course interesting.
there is a lot of support and encouragement provided for which
I am very appreciative of. I believe that I am beginning to
have a good undertanding of the concepts. I have had nursing
research within the last 3 years and I have a greater understanding
of study designs, statistical data and confidence intervals
than I ever believed that I would have had.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/13/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
68:
“I work hard to keep up, and really appreciate the effort that
is behind presenting the material in a weekly format that forces
one to keep up. I often find answers to my questions in a lecture
a little past where the question arose, but that is fine. I
felt that the group exam took too much time, I'm not sure why.
maybe an overly eager group? it had taken a while to get into
the rhythm of the class and to realise that most of the queations
are simpler than they appear at first glance. I don't have
any suggestions for inprovement yet..”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/15/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
69:
“I really love the course but I'm sure I would be doing 200%
better if I were sitting in your classroom. I need help with
many of the calculations and I really don't have anyone to
help me out. I finished by bs online in medical technology
and didn't spend nearly as much time working on course material.
this is a rude awakening to masters level work. I understand
most of the concepts but I need to see examples when I'm trying
to perform calculations. I plan to hang in there until the
end....and pray that god will continue to help me out because
there are many nights I have to stop and pray for help from
god. I know you all are there to help but, sometimes
I just don't know to ask the question.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/16/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
70:
“I am finding it difficult to absorb all the mnaterial I am
reading since I no sooner read the information then immediatley
need to apply the concepts to a practical application which
takes me hours to complete. I do believe I am learning but
do now feel confident that I am processing what I learn as
quickly as I should be doing.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/16/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
71:
“The course is very informative. it has provided some great
information on confidence intervals and p-values. I think I
explained it to my wife last night!! each and every module
challenges me.
this is alot of info. to absorb over a semester which can be
discouraging at times.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/17/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
72:
“I think that the information is too much and case studies come
too quickly. this course was designed for working people with
families but it doesn't seem like it at all. give at least
a week and a half for case studies to be due instead of the
time currently allowed...case study materials come on sunday,and
then its due on wed. I get positive responses from my ta but
I would like a numerical or letter grade to judge how I'm doing.
also have less exams. have a group exam as exam one and then
case studies inbetween and a final group exam. this course
must be more favourable for working people with greater commitments!”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
73:
“I think that the information is too much and case studies come
too quickly. this course was designed for working people with
families but it doesn't seem like it at all. give at least
a week and a half for case studies to be due instead of the
time currently allowed...case study materials come on sunday,and
then its due on wed. I get positive responses from my ta but
I would like a numerical or letter grade to judge how I'm doing.
also have less exams. have a group exam as exam one and then
case studies inbetween and a final group exam. this course
must be more favourable for working people with greater commitments!”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
74:
“On the negative side this course is intense with non-stop requirements
at a pace that does not enable you to stop and reflect on anything
you've learned. I feel like I cannot breathe, relax, or stop
worrying until this course is over. only 8 more weeks to go!
on the positive side I feel as if I have an improved ability
to interpret research. I have always read research papers with
a great deal of skepticism because I believe you can skew statistics
to support any hypothesis, but this class has made me look
even more critically at the information presented.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
75:
“I think the work is very excessive. it would be just as beneficial
to have either the case study weekly or discussion group, but
not both. I am assuming most of us have jobs and families to
keep up with also.i cannot keep up with all the questions after
reading the chapters; however, I do all the reading. and I
cannot keep up with all the case study questions. I would like
to see more examples used in the lectures of reading an article
and then picking out what is good research and what is not.
I have no idea how I am doing since we have not gotten back
even our first exam grades yet. I happened to look at the general
discussion board the other day....i found out that I am not
the only one struggling in this class. in all my years in school,
I have always done very well and graduated in the top but I
am hanging on by my fingernails in this class. most of the
time I feel as though I am having to teach myself a lot of
the material and it's very frustrating.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
76:
“Things have been going pretty well so far in the course but
I am beginning to find some of the biostatistical concepts
(like confidence intervals)quite difficult to understand. I
have been enjoying working on the case studies.it has been
great working as a group on the group exam and the discussions,
though I feel that participation frequency in the discussions
is dwindling......”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
77:
“Wow! in my 50's in a 'have it now' culture, I have tried to
make a concious effort to slow down and enjoy the journey.
I thoroughly enjoy the journey of this class and all that I
am gaining, but the speed at which the trip is going is a little
too fast, and I feel I may get 'car sick'. the knowledge is
a tremendous help to me, but I'm getting fed this information
so quickly that I know that I am not digesting it all. I understand
that an intro class should cover the breadth of knowledge on
the subject, but what about the depth? how deep are we supposed
to be at this level? I don't feel like we're allowed enough
time on each topic to go very deep into it. debbie bundy-carpenter”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/18/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
78:
“I'm having a difficult time keeping up. this course is supplemental
to being a full time medical student and going on rotations.
it has been difficult to keep up with the pace and demands.
I just realized I missed case study ##8 completely! I would
like to have more time to really take it all in and learn more.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/23/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
79:
“Once you put yourself on a schedule things work more smoothly.
I do think that there is a lot of information covered in a
short amount of time.”
|
(HowAreThingsGoing?,
Internet course,
10/23/2006)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
80:
“Brettania is THE BEST TA EVER!!! Always willing to help and
if she doesn't know the answer, she will find it out for you.”
|
Kirkland,
BSPH student,
HPAA,
TA: Brettania
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/08)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
81:
“Brettania was a very good TA - explained things very clearly
and succinctly; always available; and respectful of students.
Her lecture notes were very helpful in working through the
exams.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/05)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
82:
“Brettania is really a good TA and should continue what she
has been doing. Vic's passion for epid is amazing and I reccomend
everyone taking the class. I expected to learn about diseases
and how to diagnose them and how to contain them. But I learned
about how to read scientific papers, which I believe is a key
if anyone wants to pursue a career in any field of science.
The knowledge I learned in Epid 600 will help me in future.”
|
Jaymin,
BSBI student,
BIOB,
TA: Brettania
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/08)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
83:
“Throughout the semester, Brettania has been exremely helpful
and supportive of the students - she did a great job!”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/09)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
85:
“At first, I thought that the case studies were just busy work
but as the semester went on I really started to enjoy working
though the architecture of each article. These case studies
made the course seem real. We were actually working with the
data to solve a problem.”
|
Patrick,
MSPH student,
ENVR,
TA: Brettania
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/04)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
86:
“I really enjoyed this class and it certainly improved my ability
to read articles about epidemiology. There was a good amount
of work - enough that I felt like I really learned something,
but not too much to overwhelm. It was also fun to get the chance
to interact with students in other departments, both undergrads
and grads (and a doctor).”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/07)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
88:
“The course design for EPID600 is superb with engaging case
studies and constructive exercises, by far the best course
I've taken at Carolina!”
|
Aisha,
BACH student,
UNDC,
TA: Tania
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/08)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
89:
“Tania, You were an amazing TA! You really helped us out and
your mini lectures were fantastic. I appreciate all the time
and effort you put into this class. You also added to our individual
team sessions with good questions and interaction. Thank you!”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/11)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
90:
“Initially, it was difficult to keep up with the stronger members
of the group, however, a higher expected standard of performance
set by the stronger members, led the rest of group to achieve
more. The group,was very supportive of all its members and
the overall lab experience was a positive one.”
|
Linda,
MSPH student,
MHCH,
TA: Tania
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/02)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
91:
“This was a great time and I learned as much if not more than
I have in other classes. Thanks for the opportunity to participate.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/06)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
92:
“Tania did an excellent job as an instructor. She went above
and beyond explaining the various lessons and always had the
time to spare (in a busy schedule) so that we were able to
learn.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/14)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
93:
“Excellent course. I appreciate Vic's enthusiasm for epidemiology
and for teaching. This course has definitely strengthened my
interest in public health. Tania was amazing as a TA and definitely
was the largest contributing factor as far as the quality of
the course. My small group was also amazing and definitely
made the difference in the course.”
|
Jordan,
BSBI student,
BIOB,
TA: Tania
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/05)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
97:
“Thanks for a well-designed class with what were (for me) all
the right options for learning the material. I also can't imagine
a better TA to have helped our group learn, as well. Good luck
with future classes.”
|
John,
MHA student,
HPAA,
TA: Tania
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/10)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
98:
“I know I came late. Many of the issues raised after seemed
to be linked to other points I did not see before. However,
the little I have got must have been partly because instructors
were highly committed. Vic was welcoming and understanding.
Tania was my sister. She guided me in my new unknown world.
I didn't know what a blackboard was (I hope I know something
now, though I still need adaptation to this world); she linked
me to people who actually gave me the deep need to take this
class again because it is a basic class that I could have missed
if I did not come to UNC.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Classroom course,
2006/12/09)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
100:
“EPID 600 was an intense class. I learned a lot and those learnings
will stay with me. My TA and instructor are both kind and very
helpful as well as very knowledgeable of the subject matter.
I have enjoyed the class.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/04)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
101:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of EPID600. It was my
first online course but the instructors, TA, and the lectures
were a huge help! The case study articles were very interesting
and answering the case study questions every week consolidated
the concepts that had been learnt during the week. The group
discussions were an excellent way to know other people taking
the course and the insight and experience they brought to the
discussions was an invaluable learning tool!! In the end I
would just like to thank the instructors and the TA for a great
semester!”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/03)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
102:
“This was a great group that was very supportive of all the
members. I was impressed with how well everyone was treated...even
when there was a disagreement (which was pretty rare), everyone
remained professional and had good dialogue. It added a lot
to the class experience.”
|
Jeanette,
CERT student,
FEPI,
TA: Eboni
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/06)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
103:
“I found the discussion component to be beneficial, however,
would have been even better if it had been more 'problem solving
focused'...more like a group case study than a theoretic look
at an issue. Found the post exam discussions also very helpful
& would recommend that they be 'built' into the regular discussion
schedule. & Thanks to Vic and Eboni (TA) for responding quickly
with solutions when I struggled with the course mid-semester.
The love of the subject is evident-- this is great! Thanks.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/06)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
104:
“Even though at times I was so overwhelmed it made me cry I
have to admit I learned. I'm a math challenged person but this
class helped me look critically at research papers in order
to determine if the research methods support the hypothesis.”
|
Lena,
MPH student,
PHNX,
TA: Eboni
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/07)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
105:
“Challenging course if you have never been exposed to some general
class related subject matter such as demographics, statistics,
biostatistics, and health care. Nevertheless this course provides
a great background for anything healthcare related and should
be taken by everyone interested in healthcare.”
|
Josh,
AB student,
PHIL,
TA: Eboni
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/11)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
106:
“I found all aspects of the course helpful - the textbook reading,
case studies, and discussion forums. I think the workload was
heavy at times but I feel I benefited from all forms of this
online course.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/06)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
107:
“Although this class was TOUGH, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel
like I learned so much from all aspects of the class, the discussions,
lectures,and case studies. I did feel overwhelmed however with
the amount of homework, reading etc that there was. I can definitely
encourage making statistics a prerequisite to this class. It
would have made my life easier! Great class, great professor
and a WONDERFUL TA - Thanks Eboni!!!”
|
Nicolette,
CERT student,
FEPI,
TA: Eboni
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/06)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
108:
“The end of this semester leaves me happy (that I am finished)
and sad (that I am finished). I've somehow developed a family
of sorts through an online course. And I've learned an awful
lot from the course. Who knew this would happen?”
|
Karamarie,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Eboni
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/05)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
109:
“To be able to rate oneself could probably increase the self-reflective
capacity and help to change things or ameliorate them during
the course... (of life?)”
|
Graciela,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Hoa
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/03)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
110:
“One thing I would have like to have receieved was feedback
on the case study questions. The answers were provided before
the first exam but not thereafter.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/07)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
111:
“For those of us who are practicing epidemiologists, it was
nice to remember the fundamental concepts of epidemiology.
The course was fast-paced and required daily review, but is
great for any student interested in pursuing a career in epidemiology.
Although the class is intense, I would recommend it to anyone
who is a recent MPH graduate or anyone interested in becoming
a public health and/or private practitioner.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/06)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
112:
“Having discussion forums to review previous tests was very
helpful and valuable to me. If we would have been doing this
earlier in the semester with the case studies, my frustration
and confusion (and everyone else's) would have been much less.
We were unclear until the end if it was OK to discuss case studies,
so we missed that opportunity for learning all semester.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/01)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
114:
“The responsiveness and assistance of Margaret and Dr. Schoenbach
were amazing. This was definitely one of the most challenging
courses I have taken in a long time. I feel like I had to reacquaint
myself with stats after a few (ha, many) years away, but more
importantly, got to really think in a problem-solving mode,
which unfortunately, many courses don't demand of their students.
Thank you.”
|
Sonja,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Margaret
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/06)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
116:
“I like the discussion forums but they are sometimes a bit frustrating
when there is not full participation with the members.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/04)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
117:
“I appreciate the effort that was apparent in keeping up with
weekly asssignments, the quality of the case studies and the
learning that came from struggling through those. Without those
efforts, I think learining the material 'remotely' would have
been unpleasant and daunting.”
|
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/01)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
119:
“I loved the class, although I had trouble keeping up, I learned
a great deal.”
|
Debbie,
CERT student,
FEPI,
TA: Ronna
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/01)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
120:
“Ronna has been incredible helpful and wonderful at subtly
pushing the group towards better understanding. Vic is a great
teacher. He describes the concepts with great detail and insight--always
with a sense of humor. He is very willing to work with his
students. This is a tough course, with a lot of information
to learn, and they both made it very enjoyable. I definitely
got a lot out of it.”
|
Tanya,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Ronna
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/07)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
121:
“I thoroughly enjoyed EPID 600 on line. I learned a lot that
applies to my work every day. The TA (Ronna) was appropriately
involved with the class both in the discussion group and in
her prompt response to individual emails. The professor was
similarly available and communicative. The pacing of the course
and the amount of material were just about right. The case
studies were interesting even when the topic was one that I
thought might not be because they offered a great opportunity
to apply the material from the lectures and text to an actual
study. I also enjoyed the on-line discussions and was impressed
how committed the busy people in the class were to this. The
one thing I did not like and did not understand the purpose
of was the peer evaluation of group discussion memebers. I
think this would be adequately and efficiently handled by the
TA.”
|
Douglas,
CERT student,
PHCP,
TA: Ronna
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/07)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
122:
“The course was interesting and very instructive. I enjoyed
it!”
|
Hedy,
CERT student,
FEPI,
TA: Ronna
(2nd peer evaluation,
Internet course,
2006/12/03)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
123:
“Vic's attention and thoughtfulness to the class is evident and very appreciated! He gets back in touch to email inquiries quickly.
A couple of random comments: 1) Thank you for printing a coursepack- many professors aren't doing this anymore but some of us find it much more convenient and actually less expensive (especially once you consider time and wear and tear on your personal printer); 2) I like the diversity of articles read for class and the homework assignments and exams were are all very fair and challenging in a good way- they helped to tie course content together; 3) My TA (Tania) was incredible and I had just a great experience with my group; 4) Sometimes the multiple websites and sources for material information were confusing
Overall, this has been a great course and makes me want to take more EPID methods courses during my time here at UNC.”
|
(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
124:
“I loved my TA, Brettannia, Prof Schoenbach and the course. That said, I have doubts about the utility of group work. While I am informed of the instructor's logic in using this model, I found it a waste of time. My group was disinterested and unsupportive. Everyone went through the motions with the objective of getting out of the room as soon as possible. The coursework was really challenging. Now that it is done, I am happy, but i can't say that I felt great at all times during the process.
I commend the enthusiasm of Prof Schoenbach and his love for teaching and Brettannia for the effort she put in.”
|
(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
Show comments in random order.
|
|
______________________________
|
125:
“My comments about EPID600 are brief but very valid. Throughout the semester, a word limit was used to maintain adequate length for exams and for ease of evaluation by the instructor and TAs. I feel that Vic's emails and instructions, etc. should hold to these same word limits. Like he and the TAs for EPID600, we are all very busy and do not have time for three pages of instructions for an lab assignment, exam, etc. Also, the labs for the course were completed before the lecture was taught, so that lecture was just a backup after attempting to teach ourselves the couse material. It would be helpful for these labs to be moved to the week after the lecture, so that the material can really sink in, be thought about, processed and the lab work be completed in an informed manner instead of being hesitant of what you're turning in, due to the fact that you have just taught yourself all new material with no instruction whatsoever. Thanks.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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126:
“I enjoyed the course more as the semester went on. I was very frustrated at first, with the equations and jargon in the fertility/life expectancy/mortality case study. It would have been much more helpful to have calculations examples in the reading and more in the text when completing the first few case studies.
It might be helpful to have a guide for the lab sessions. It seems that some lab groups were very involved, but mine was not, and this was frustrating. Sometimes I felt like I was the only one who wanted to understand everything and I didn't want to aggravate my group by insisting on staying until I did�usually, I understood after taking time to read through the answers on my own. It would be helpful to only give the answers to one person at the beginning of lab, and then we would be forced to go through each case question. When we all get the answers, it almost obviates the point of lab because we can just process them on our own, at home.
The lectures were sometimes helpful in understanding the material, but I felt that many things were explained in a thousand words, when a hundred would do. More real-world examples would help to illustrate concepts.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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127:
“Well organized course with logical sequence. A great deal of information was covered, but all was relevant. Sometimes classes were hard to follow. The information could have been presented in a clearer manner. However, when information was presented in lab, it was in a clear and understandable format. Readings and case studies were helpful for further understanding of material. The last class seemed like a great deal of information and time during finals week. It may have been better if maybe the second part of the AIDS film was shown, instead of meeting in small groups again.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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128:
“I felt this course was very effective in teaching the background and essentials of epidimeology. The course materials were especially well planned out--case studies, recitation, group exams, regular exams--and provided a consistency that aided in the learning process. The opportunity for students to receive extra credit by submitting answers early was also important, because it offered students an incentive for completing each case study before their recitation section. I also feel the requirement to lead a group discussion was helpful, because it forced students to learn the material (at least for one week) thoroughly enough to be able to teach it to the rest of the students. I felt the tests were well planned out, and the flexibility with the guidelines was important and necessary in some cases.
Basically students were able to get as much out of this course as they put in. If you did the case studies each week and attended recitation then you would most likely do well on the exams; likewise, if you didn't do these things you would probably do poorly on the exams. I think the class is extremely well put together, and the format is great for learning epidimeology.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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129:
“The course was very well though-out and planned, however, there is an aspect I would like to see changed. We are responsible for reading a chapter and doing a case study before we have the class lecture about the material. While I understand the merit in individual learning, I think that my time would have been better spent if I could have had the lecture BEFORE I had an assignment on the material.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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130:
“It was a true pleasure to participate in this course. The degree of organization was higher than for any course in which I have participated throughout high school, college, and now grad-school. It facilitated learning, discussion, and critical thinking, while providing the essential background information for moving forward in Epidemiology for non-majors.
Professor Schoenbach really knows the material, and I would encourage him to not try too hard to overexplain things during class. Though I enjoyed looking at concepts with a different twist, I know some students found the lectures to actually create more confusion and as a result attended them less. Of course, everyone learns in different ways, and the key to learning the material in this course I believe is the case studies, readings, and small group discussions.
The final lecture of the course served as a pleasant reminder why I'm studying Public Health, and I would encourage Prof. Schoenbach to include more material that makes you think about issues as well as concepts throughout the semester.
With Tania as a TA, I feel that I could not have asked for a more beneficial opportunity. She indeed already is a great teacher, and I hope others will have the opportunity to learn from her as she progresses in her studies and career.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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131:
“Although I really enjoyed this course and learned an incredible amount, I did feel that the material presented in lecture was often convoluted and difficult to follow. Perhaps it was my learning style, but for the most part, the people with whom I spoke to about the quality of the lecture agreed. First of all, much of the material is old and have not been revamped in years (as documented by the dates on the comments sections on the ppt). Second, this is not my first intro epid course. During my first course, I was incredibly inspired by the lecture and eager to learn more. While the case study set up of the course engaged me and most of my classmates, the lecture did not, as was evident by the obvious reduction of attendance as the semester progressed. Every week I, personally, could not decide if I would attend lecture since I always felt more confused after lecture than I did before (when I had only read the book) or after the mini-lecture taught by my TA (Tania D., who was excellent!) It is clear that Vic is a passionate and dedicated teacher and that students learn a lot and are inspired by the course; however, I feel the lectures add little or even detract from the course”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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132:
“Vic is a wonderful professor and is obviously interested in the essence of learning this material as opposed to giving out grades based on the bell curve. I appreciate his genuine enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject as well. He is someone I would consider approaching for assistance outside of the class and after I have completed the semester. However, the lecture is out-dated and often confusing. The lectures had too much information and Vic often had to speed through the slides to finish on time. Examples were also confusing, and the slides filled with little people are not great visuals and are used a lot throughout the semester for examples. Lab sections are a great idea and I learned the most during these sessions. I feel overall that I learned a lot from Vic, but not necessarily from attending the lecture.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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133:
“I got a lot out of this course. I think the topic that has helped me the most is being able to examine studies more critically, whether they be in the news or in a scholarly journal. I would recommend this class to others because I think many people would greatly benefit from this type of knowledge. The readings were very interesting as well and also relevant. One suggestion I would have is to have the lab questions due after the lecture or some variation of this because I feel like I would learn more if I had the lecture and then I could do the lab. I understand that if I had chosen the Wednesday lab that would be possible but to be fair the course should offer both recitations one or two days after the lab. My experience with the TAs was great, mine was very knowledgeable, good at teaching/talking in front of a class and very organized.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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134:
“The manner of instructions was out of date, instead of teaching students to look for the strengths of papers and their far reaching political and policy implications the professor wasted time with his unclear and indirect communication style, jokes, foreign language announcements. Papers presented were generally not up to any standard of examination. This teaching style risks alienating non-Epi students, teaching all the problems with the social science than its relevance to the future careers of those students. Are you teaching a tool to be utilized in a variety of ways or promoting excuses to ridicule and exclude epidemiology studies from common and perhaps innovative use. I'd rather study a curricullum from a positive point of view than risk leaving such a class with less respect for the tools availalble and how to implement them in my future career.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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135:
“As a student of Public Health, I was very much looking forward to this epidemiology class. Unfortunately the class was an experience in frustration rather than learning, for me. I had no formal exposure to epidemiology and seeing as the class is introductory, I felt that it would perpare me with a foundation of epidemiologic knowledge. This was not the case.
Dr. Schoenbach's lectures were verbose but said nothing to assist or inspire us on his topics. I felt they were a complete waste of time as I did not get anything out of them. When it came time to do the take home exams, his lecture materials contributed nothing. Our lab sessions were immediately after lecture and our TA would have to launch into a complete re-interpretation and mini-lecture of what Dr. Schoenbach just spent 90 minutes babbling about.
Another frustration was that we had to have our case studies done before even attending a lecture on that particular case study's topic. Happily, once we realized that the lectures were useless, this frustration subsided.
The tests did not examine one's comprehension of epidemiologic concepts, rather were exercises in deciphering the confusing and cryptic English used to formulate the tests. The final take-home test was more an exercise in editing than a study critique. It was very frustrating to me that I had to spend an inordinate amount of time, not on epidemiology but on rediculous unrelated aspects that did nothing to further my knowledge.
Finally, this was a very large class representing many different majors, education levels and knowledge of epidemiology. Since this was essentially a "teach yourself" class, those of us without prior epidemiological or statistical knowledge were at a significant loss. This is not at all taken into consideration and it is deeply felt in the small lab groups. If your lab mates are willing to share their knowledge with you, you are lucky. If your lab mates are a bunch of epidemiology or biostatistics majors who see you as a burden or an idiot because your knowledge level is not at a par with theirs, then you are not lucky and you are tortured every lab session getting nothing out of it.
We did have a guest lecturer (David Weber) deliver the most interesting and relevant lecture all semester. As students left that lecture I heard many of them say things to the effect of "that's what I thought epidemiology lectures would be like" or "I actually understood that lecture and wanted to hear more".
If that doesn't indicate that something is terribly off with this class, than I don't know what will.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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136:
“I learned so much in this class. It has greatly helped me in my career. I would recommend it to anyone interested in public health.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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137:
“Overall,
I am glad I took this epid course because it provided me some basic skills to evaluate epidemiological research papers dealing with public health issues. I am glad the final "exam" was a research paper critique because it allowed us to apply what we learned to looking at an actual article. Some of the lectures were very confusing though (like the lecture on confounding), in terms of the examples given to explain terms and concepts. For example, more time need to be devoted to explain basic concepts like incidence rate and cumulative incidence in perhaps more than one way so as to make sure we really understand these concepts and can build a stronger foundation. So perhaps using another way to explain these concepts instead of just using the people stick figures in the slides. Also, more could be done to explain concepts like the attributable risk diagram which was confusing. But I appreciate the efforts of the professor in his attempt to try to make things interesting and convey his enthusiasm for the course/topic”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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138:
“PROFESSOR AND MATERIALS: Professor responsiveness and presentation of materials is clearly well-thought out and very capably presented. The course materials, including class slides and professor, are apparently the product of long and considered work and must, over time, have been very responsive to feedback of students to have developed to such a fine-tuned teaching instrument.
CLASS FORMAT: The class format is well-designed and extremely supportive of a range of student learning styles, desired participation levels, and beginning understanding of the subject.
EXAMS: Course exams, although very frustrating, seem to have been very thoroughly prepared and fairly graded. The frustration level was high due to a perceived lack of specificity with regard to the desired answer. The was especially true of the "final exam" or article review. Although the intent seems to have been to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge gained within each topic area, this intent was not clearly understood by the students. As such, rather than turning to notes on a particular topic area, many students attempted to answer the questions that were provided in each larger exam question. Hindsight is 20-20 and although I have not yet seen my grade, I am concerned that this approach did not reflect knowledge gained in the areas that the professor was looking for in this exam. Perhaps either clarifying the open-ended intent of the questions and emphasizing the topic area of each question would be more helpful. Alternatively, provide more specific questions that allow students to identify the answer to the question without having to guess and hope that the desired answer was provided.
TEACHING ASSISTANT: TA knowledge, presentation, and effort were superb. My experience - and that of others who have taken the class - was primarily based upon the capabilities of the TA. My TA, Tania, made this class a truly wonderful learning experience that not only improved my knowledge and understanding of epidemiology, but was also thoroughly enjoyable. Rarely are we fortunate enough to encounter such a combination of knowledgeable professional and caring instructor who puts the effort into both preparation and instruction that will ensure understanding.
SUGGESTIONS: The one course improvement I recommend is an objective and informative evaluation of each article used for instruction, using the concepts that it has been used to instruct and those that have previously been taught. Although the questions lead students through a detailed examination of each, students may not always be able to invest the time necessary to digest the details of each article and likely do not fully comprehend all of the nuances that our professor and TAs see. Such an article review should be implemented as a requirement for the TAs to complete from the beginning of the course. This would also better prepare students for the final "examination." Tania implemented such a review after the mid-point of the semester based upon student feedback, however, it would have been very useful from the beginning.
Thank you for a very thorough first instruction in epidemiology.
-John Call
Questions regarding more specifics can be sent to _____”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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139:
“This was a very informative course and it will help me to understand epidemiological studies when i encounter them in the future. In terms of the class structure, it may be better to reduce the amount of time required for the course since it is for non-majors. Also, a possible standard time of Tuesday/Thursday midday with lecture and lab being scheduled in one of each of these blocks. Vic is a very good professor and he definitely understands what he is talking about. However, it may be better if his lectures were more concrete towards the topic of the case study which is presented that week.
Overall, I would say this was a great course. Thank you.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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140:
“I find the field of Epidemiology extremely intriguing and important in the contribution of public health. Unfortunately I was disappointed in EPID-600, which I would primarily contribute to the professor's style of teaching. While I attended every lecture (over half the class did not), I felt that my time was wasted with slides presented that were over 5 years old. I felt obligated to attend, although I could have just listed to the verbatim recording that is posted in Blackboard. Unfortunately each week I hoped that I would feel more interested in the lecture setting, but this did not occur. The professor used the same way to display different concepts which was not particularly helpful (multiple slides with diseased and sick people). Often questions would arise which doing the homeworks (of which I also did every one), which I thought would be resolved during the lectures - and they were not. Although I did use my TA's time, and she was very helpful, it felt inappropriate to ask her questions week after week before lecture - not knowing if my questions would be answered during lecture. It appears that there has not be a concerted effort to connect the text, lectures, and homeworks. Therefore, I felt lost, frustrated, and disinterested week after week, after putting in 10-12 hours preparing for class each week. This was unfortunate, as I was really looking forward to this class to include Epidemiology as a foundation for my public health knowledge.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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141:
“Of the classes I took this semester, I found EPID600 to be one of the more challenging courses, but with great relevance to my studies in public health. I gained skills I can definitely apply to other courses and throughout my public health career. The use of case studies and the two films we viewed helped tie the class in to the real world, giving concrete examples of how epidemiology is linked to many aspects of public health. I liked the format of using case studies to learn about different epidemiological concepts, but found it frustrating that we had to apply knowledge of analytical methods before covering them in lecture. If the lectures could cover the material before it appeared in case studies, I think students could still gain the same knowledge but not have to spend countless hours stuck on problems they don't understand. I thought my TA covered the materials in a manner that was much more suitable to my learning than in the general lecture - I found class lecture could be tangential and rushed, with extraneous material often thrown in. It was also frustrating to provide some of this feedback to the instructor as a recitation section mid-way through the semester and not see any of the comments taken into consideration by changing the lecture or class format. Overall, this was a good course.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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142:
“Overall, I liked the structure of the course (lecture followed by lab). It was beneficial to have the TA reiterate (and provide further detail) for material discussed in the course. Although I liked the idea of the labs, at times it was difficult to discuss case studies as a group because of the size and individual interest in the course of fellow group members. It may be beneficial to have the group members futher divide into subgroups composed of 3-4 members (except for completing the group exam). It would also be beneficial to have case study topics be presented in the just lecture prior to the corresponding lab.
With regard to the exams, I felt exams 1 and 3 tested knowledge gained from the lectures and course book although I did not think this was the case for exam 2. However, I understand that it is difficult to create an exam for this type of course.
I enjoyed both the professor and my TA (Brettania). I believe they both were available to answer questions and had a genuine interest in helping the class learn the material.”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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143:
“I didn't appreciate how good this course was until Professor Schoenbach's final lecture, which summarized all we had learned and acknowledged how epidemiology is still full of mysteries. Wow, it really takes teaching ability to speak coherently about what is not known and not really defined in a scientific field. I left that lecture wishing I could take another course with Professor Schoenbach - too bad Epid 600 is the only one he teaches! He should teach something on those shadowy matters he discussed - what problems epidemiologists are facing and where the field is going and what the findings mean and don't mean. Ok, it was so much more than that but that's the whole point, how amazing it is that he could articulate these things. Well, if someone at UNC isn't going to figure out these things and put the field on its path to the future, then I don't know who would! But I digress. Story short, Schoenbach has these amazing ideas going on in his head, obviously more than I even know to describe, and yet teaches the newest of the new to his area. It doesn't get better than that.
Tania was my TA and she was pretty darn great herself. Her mini lectures were the best. I often found myself returning to those over the textbook or lecture notes when I needed to look something up. Tania was prepared, considerate, created a positive, welcoming environment in lab section, and seemed to really care that we all understood what was going on. I also like that she managed to get everyone involved without putting anyone on the spot. She also cared enough to consider her answers to student questions - she would not just give some breezy answer that she wasn't sure of. She seemed to know about all manner of things outside her specialty but would admit it when she wasn't sure and follow up on the question later. I really admire that. I feel terrible that she was the recipient of misdirected vitriol (although nobody really deserves it!) over the exam extension issue. Clearly Tania would not put any student in a position to be treated unfairly, and I suspect anyone who sent a mean e-mail was just reacting emotionally after reading an paper about PTSD!
So�the one thing I would change about this course is the exam grading. I recognize the validity of the design; given the volume of students, one person can't do it all, and giving a grader one question rather than one test corrects for differences in grader standards (dare I say bias? ha ha). I think it is great that the graders were blind to the student's identity. Grading the work, and not the student, should happen more often in academia. Anyway, I took this course in pursuit of knowledge, not a grade, and as of this writing, I think I did pretty well in terms of a grade and gained a great deal of knowledge, so I give this criticism in good faith and not out of "I wanted a better grade" blues. But here's the thing. Some of these grading on long answer questions did not seem to make that much sense. I get the feeling that the answers were not read very carefully. There, I said it. I was not going to go quibble for the sake of a couple of points, because it wasn't a matter of not understanding the answer or the question, but I do feel that there were some corrections that could have been done with greater care.
I was so fortunate with my group. What a lovely group of people! I feel like I had a learning experience with them that wasn't just about epidemiology. Hearing from others who have such different academic backgrounds was a real treat, and it was such a good learning environment. We all got along despite many differences and it was great to work with people who were invested in learning and helping others learn. I am sure they will all go on to great things.
Well, I tried to remain anonymous in terms of the details but I suspect if Tania reads this she might recognize my tone. Thanks for a great course to Professor Schoenbach, Tania, and my dear group members!”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
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144:
“Great course, though I do have a few comments to improve the students' course experience
1. A course requisite should be intro to biostats. Now at the end of both of these courses, everything has fallen into place. The course would have been significantly easier, if I had completed biostats in the fall and taken this course in the spring.
2. The case study questions should have matched the weeks assigned material more closely. It was very frustrating to look through the book for material not yet covered to find answers to the case study questions. I was not adverse to spending extra time looking for the answers, but it took away time for really understanding and learning the topic of the week.
Other comments:
1. The course was very well organized. It was wonderful to have both the course pack and the online sites as resources. Thank you.
2. The TA, Tania was very helpful.
3. The guest speaker definited added a great perspective of epidemiology to the course material and the web based exercise was excellent. Thank you for having Dr Weber present to the class.
4. Where was the greeting of Shalom to your students?
5. Great jokes!”
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(courseeval,
Classroom course,
2006/12/20)
Show comments in random order.
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(An additional 18 comments were received but the students did not
authorize their dissemination.)
2006cd,
compiled 12/17/2006 |