Student comments from EPID600 Summer 2009

(in random order - click here for date order)

(About student comments)

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50: “Lydia gets many kudos in just trying to decipher half the questions asked to her! Very supportive and willing to assist, but wants you to understand the concept and will only steer you in the right direction! Thank you”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/07/26)
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5: “Even though our group does a great job, I would like to see more communication going back and forth regarding the questions. (e.g. is someone gets an answer other than what was posted, I would like for them to post their case.)”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/12)
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15: “I am really enjoying the class and the material. I do wish we all had more time to contribute to the discussion forums- I think we all have more to share and contribute than we actually find the time to do. I do find it hard to keep up and keep track of what's coming up next with the online format. Vic's lectures are just great, though; I love the examples and anecdotal stories.”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/15)
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48: “I had a great semester with this group!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/06)
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17: “Overall, the group is very strong and almost all are very strong contributors. I am learning fast what it takes to be a good contributor in an online class environment from them and will keep trying to emulate them. Darrick”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/14)
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23: “I forgot to include this with my course evaluation, but I wanted to make sure that I mentioned it (maybe there should be a box added at the end of the course eval to include "any other general comments). Nonetheless, I think it would be helpful to introduce students to an article critique prior to right before the exam. I have heard about other Epi courses doing practice critiques throughout the semester (maybe a short one as an individual case study), and I think that might have been helpful. I would have liked to have seen an actual critique prior to trying to writing one myself. Also, many thanks for your dedication to the course! It was clear that both Professor and TA were committed to helping each student be successful in their learning. !mil gracias!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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40: “Thanks for working with folks who had complications. You all were excellent. Our TA was very good.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/09)
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43: “This is my first course with online group discussions and I believe it can be a great way to learn from others. It did help me to bounce my answers off of others in order to find errors in my understanding of the concepts. Of course this depends on the contributions of those in the group and in general we did have a good group, although it was not clear when and if follow-up contributions to the discussions would be made. Maybe my group should have explored the real-time discussion tool.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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36: “One suggestion. Perhaps groups should go-over the grading criteria, or have it called to their attention, prior to the start of the discussions. Maybe I just missed it prior to the start of the course, but found it helpful for the second half of the course. I really appreciated Group 9's diversity in background in their contributions. Everyone made an effort throughout the course and I feel that my experience was greatly enriched by the comments and posts of fellow group members. Jie was also an excellent and very prompt facilitator. Thank you! I feel like I was lucky to have been assigned to a group with such great and considerate members.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/08)
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37: “This class has been a challenge, in a good way, and definitely kept my brain from getting lazy this summer. This is a wonderful course and I feel as though I learned a lot. I enjoyed the structure of it and the instructors and TA were great.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/06)
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52: “Great group. Great TA.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/03)
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22: “This was a tough course. Very hard to juggle taking other courses and working full time. Time management is a necessity. Sometimes it was hard for me to know what answer the instructor was looking for or which direction to start in answering questions. Thanks to my TA, Aliza, and Vic for not giving up on me.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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35: “Thanks, Jie, for all of your help throughout the semester. It has been a pleasure working with you.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/06)
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16: “This is a very good program!It has stirred my interest once more in Epidemiology.I plan to go over the materials again and again even after the end of the course.I also like the group discussion style.Thanks for teaching me!”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/12)
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47: “Highly intensive learning experience, lots of material to take on board in a very short time. However, an incredible course that truly prepares one for a solid foundation in Epidemiology. A big thank you to the Instructors and Teaching Assistants for making this a possibility. Its understandable that students have to really work hard however it is even more amazing how much effort and dedication the Instructor(s) and the Teaching assistants have to put into the whole course- THANK YOU.....”
Uzma, CERT student, PHCP, TA: Lydia (2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/05)
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34: “I only have one other online class to compare it to but I love the timely manner the instructors and TA answer your questions. In my other class it would take up to several days (if not a week) to get an answer. There are times when one is not able to continue with the assignment until they get an answer so it is very important. Thank you for all you do!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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29: “Overall I enjoyed the course but sometimes felt overwhelmed as an undergraduate compared to my group mates who seemed to have much more developed higher level / critical thinking skills.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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45: “Thanks for this informative program!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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7: “My group is very uneven. Several very strong people, but several "free riders." It's frustrating.”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/14)
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9: “The material covered in the weekly "lectures" could be more detailed and specific in relation to the type of questions actually posed in the case studies. Jie is very helpful and also timely in her feedback. She is also good about providing guidance without giving away the answers. She helps you to figure it out on your own.”
Laura, MPH student, PHPX, TA: Jie (1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/10)
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8: “The class is great. Well structured distance learning program. This is a challenging program that leaves you feeling like you have gleaned extremely valuable information that will help throughout your career.”
Elisha, CERT student, FEPI, TA: Hilda (1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/12)
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12: “I have been very fortunate to be in this group. This group is sharp and has helped me understand some of the problems I am struggling with.”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/11)
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32: “Hilda was a very responsive TA. Answered questions promptly and helped to guide our discussion for the case studies.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/04)
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18: “I love this group, so happy for the switch, everyone really works together and very supportive”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/14)
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21: “Although having larger groups decreased the workload for each task force in working on the case studies, I felt throughout that there may have been "too many cooks in the kitchen." Realizing that TAs can only do so much, I don't have a solution, but feel that smaller groups would have encouraged more and better collaboration. Overall, my group experience was valuable and the caliber of my group members very high.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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42: “Thank you Dr. Schoenbach, for a very thought-provoking class. I greatly enjoyed your humor-laced lectures. While I often had to wrestle with the module questions and spend considerable time on the exercises, I definitely feel that it was a worthwhile learning experience which will stick with me throughout my career. I appreciate how you guided us through the thought process in solving epidemiology problems. I also liked the fact that you allowed us to work together and collaborate. Working with others on these challenging problems made an intimidating subject much more approachable and was an effective confidence-builder. Thank you, Kristen, for your assistance throughout the semester. You were extremely approachable and quick to respond to our questions. You always explained things in a straightforward and clear manner. We couldn't have asked for a better TA.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/07/30)
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24: “Great class, very well-structured. I never had a question that couldn't be answered by referring to the website. I hate that the class took so long but that is not anyone's fault! Thanks Vic and Emily!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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14: “Some come with pre-existing knowledge, it does not mean they have put in as great an effort as any another.”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/12)
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39: “The group case study and group discussions really contributed to my learning - hearing other people's thoughts, seeing how they arrived at answers and interepreted information helped make the course material make more sense. I would have gotten much less out of it without the group - and I was very appreciative to be in such a smart group.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/03)
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33: “My earlier comments still stand regarding the extraordinary number of hours required for the course, particularly in regard to the "process" time involved. However, I recently changed my perspective on my previous complaint that this 3 credit course has the content and work requirement of a 5 credit course. It is still quite true, but my new perspective is that since I am personally paying the full freight, by the credit hour, for summer session tuition, I am grateful to have recieved all of this excellent education at such a 'discounted' price. My thanks to all of the instructors, TAs, technical support people, and fellow students for all they have done to facilitate my learning in this course.”
Walter, PHD student, HMSC, TA: Hilda (2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/04)
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3: “Have enjoyed working with Aliza. She has been very encouraging and really seems to be concerned about how we are progressing. She is the best TA I have had in the program.”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/10)
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11: “This is a very bright group, with thoughtful comments, building on each others strengths and minimizing weaknesses to come up with good work”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/12)
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51: “I have learned so much in this course, even though at times I felt the work load was difficult and the course module questions seemed insurmountable. Despite the challenges, i found it very intellectually stimulating and I have probably learned more in a short period of time than in any course I have ever taken. I thought that the support that I received from Vic and Lydia, especially when I was discouraged about my lack of understanding of some of the new concepts, was very helpful and really gave me the incentive I needed to keep working hard to complete the course material. The course has whetted my appetite to learn more about epidemiology.”
Lynne, UNK student, UNDC, TA: Lydia (2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/07/24)
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4: “I would not recommend this class be taken online. I feel more disconnected with this course than I have in my other online courses. I feel that I would gain more by taking this in a classroom setting with face-to-face discussion for case studies. I also feel that I would better understand some of the concepts a little better with a lecture setting rather than reading them on my own.”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/14)
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41: “I think it must be difficult to teach this course "distance" without being able to see our facial expressions of understanding or NOT. Thank you for your efforts.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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26: “I liked that Emily got involved in our group discussions after the 1st Exam; trying to steer the path when we seemed to be going adrift and letting us know that she was there to help us.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/07/23)
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13: “I look forward to another opportunity for evaluation on our group interaction. While trying to get my individual process together, I haven't been a very good contributor yet to the group.”
(1st peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/06/12)
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28: “Great class. I enjoyed the jaundice case study most, maybe include more of those type of studies throughout the course.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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44: “The case studies are very good but it never seems there is enough time to complete the required readings etc and have questions ready for asking but by then we have moved on to the next module. Perhaps the course is trying to cover too much in a short space of time and little seems to be understood in depth”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/07)
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49: “I thought Lydia did a great job overall. First she was reasonable, level headed, provided great study guides. She still held people accountable for questions, and helped just enough to spark ideas to try to solve a question. Her written communication was well versed but easy to understanding as a still learning epidemiology student. The other Ta's were good on their per tests practices, I don't remember their names but they were pretty good for help on the 1st exam. Back to Lydia, I think she was a great link between Vic and our group. She really made alot of clarification and helped us consistently through start and finish of the class.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/08)
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20: “I really appreciated the wonderful contributions of the TAs in this class. I felt like they were a huge part of this semester and I really appreciated their presence and participation.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/05)
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25: “Really appreciated the TA Emily. She really helped our group a lot when we had questions and contributed greatly to our learning, especially when we got stuck. Thanks, Emily!”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/06)
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31: “Umm, since we cant get on blackboard, its kind of hard to know exactly what each person contributed, so this is off of memory - who i remember hearing from the most / best quality work.”
(2nd peer evaluation, Internet course, 2009/08/06)
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(An additional 9 comments were received but the students did not authorize their dissemination.)

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2009b, compiled 08/11/2009