Student comments from EPID600 Fall 2011

(in random order - click here for date order)

(About student comments)

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14: “There's so much to learn in this course but I the workload is manageable so far.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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13: “I enjoy the format (online lecture, classroom discussion & clarification), but I think the format makes the classroom lectures long, and they sometimes seem to lose focus. Implementing poll everywhere was a good idea”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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1: “Plenary sessions need to be more planned. Some have been very useful and stimulating (HIV discussion), but others have just reiterated the information in the recorded lecture and didn't add to my understanding. It seems that recitations are a better place to answer questions about topics that are not well understood.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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5: “I enjoy it, it is just very time consuming. I feel like it should be 4 units.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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21: “Going well!”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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19: “I enjoy the focus on applied epidemiology (especially the section of The Age of AIDS. The course is sometimes a little disorganized but otherwise very interesting.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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3: “Not yet at this time.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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10: “Angela is a huge help for this course. She is very approachable, and breaks concepts down to help make them easily understandable. Her powerpoints are very helpful.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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7: “Epidemiology seems to be a strange marriage between biostatistics and research.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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32: “Still trying to get the hang of things!! There is much going on all at once!”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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35: “My only suggestion is that i don't like how the wednesday live meetings take a few days to get posted. By Friday, i am already reading the course material for the following week/topic as individual case answers are due on that monday. My suggestion would be to make the individual answers and group answers to case studies both due on thursdays so that we can stay on 1 topic for the entire week instead of merging the two together.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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25: “Too much work”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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24: “Overall this course needs more structure.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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36: “It is like learning a new language! You know the intent, but you just don't know how to translate it.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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2: “i don't think the plenary is very helpful. then again, i've only attended once.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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40: “I appreciate Jin being flexible with the timeline so as to facilitate my online learning experience.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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39: “This course structure is pretty confusing - it took a couple of weeks for me to figure out how it works (and I think others felt the same way). I think that there should be a complete syllabus, not just a schedule, and the class should get it further in advance. Some of this seems unnecessarily complicated (e.g. submitting starred vs. non-starred questions, which questions we're supposed to be discussing on the discussion board), but then I'm old - maybe the kids today are more used to hunting and pecking to find out what they're supposed to be doing in a class. Also, Vic is helpful and does a good job conveying complicated concepts.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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23: “I feel that sometimes the case study questions are convoluted. Sometimes I am focusing more on figuring out what the question says than learning the concepts.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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37: “Spend a bit more time in the beginning explaining how the case studies work and what is optional, beneficial, and not optional.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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33: “I would make the suggestion that group facilitators be assigned at the beginning of the course. I know that our TA stated in an email that a"hands-off"approach was taken by instructors in order to allow group autonomy which is certainly appreciated. However, in an internet-based class in which the primary form of communication is email or discussion boards, I think it takes up too much time to wait for someone to "volunteer"to faciltate the discussion each week. If we were in a classroom setting, I believe it would be much easier, as communication would be in real-time, but the structure of the course is such that it would be a lot easier to have this set up at the beginning in order to avoid wasting valuable time trying to figure out who is responsible for a certain topic.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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48: “I like that I can see the course and the slides next to each other, is a very elegant and efficient way to successfully take an online class. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the amount of concepts we have to digest, it seems a week is not enough from one chapter to another especially when you have other classes/work going on.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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41: “The course has certainly made me think more critically than I have before about Epi. It took me a couple weeks to figure out the schedule and organization on blackboard.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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6: “I really like the textbook for this course, and find it helpful to better understanding the case studies and case study readings.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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17: “I enjoy the buffet.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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42: “This course is TOUGH but worth it - lots of reading, hard work, and double-checking -- but an insanely interesting topic and a great TA and professor!”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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31: “I find myself consistently going back chapters to review. Assimilating the information without backtrack referencing has been my challenge. I find myself scrambling to take in all the material and frustrated that I haven't better retained the information, terms, etc. I think I have finally found a method - powerpoint first, book second, case study and any supplemental materials I can work in.

That said, I am enjoying the challenge and feel I have learned a lot. I am still determined this is my passion.”

(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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45: “I think the format is fantastic. I appreciate the a la carte approach and the more general focus on practical learning rather than on memorizing facts. The case studies are a really effective way of learning.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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34: “I love this course. What an incredible combination - a professor who is knowledgeable, engaging (even at a distance!), passionate about epidemiology, and clearly a dedicated and compassionate teacher AND a well written and interesting epidemiology textbook. I am so impressed by the level of engagement and organization and the quality of the course materials and integrated web technologies. I think this course is a tremendous example of successful online teaching. Look forward to the rest of the course!!”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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46: “I'm truly enjoying this course. I appreciate the many resources available to us and the opportunities we have for individual and group support. I think Prof Schoenbach is a great professor and I appreciate the blend of thoughtful discussion and analysis of concepts and issues. The text and lecture slides are very clear, and I feel the case studies are a good way for us to test our understanding. My growing understanding of the basics of Epi is helping me in my other public health courses. The only problem I'm experiencing is that about a fourth of my group does not participate in the live discussion sections or on the discussion board. If part of our grade is judged by other members in our group, I'm concerned about these individuals' impact on my grade. But that's a matter that I plan on discussing with my TA.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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47: “The only thing I did not like is how the online modules started on Friday. It made any weekend planning difficult. Most other courses I have taken, modules run Tuesday through Monday, so weekends can be used for wrapping up modules or working ahead if possible.”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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28: “I want to have a simple course structure”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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16: “there is too much going on and its hard to discern what we need to know and what is expected of us. this is in general in the course and then more specifically with case study questions. It's sometimes hard to know what the question is and then when I see the answer, I never would have gotten that because I didn't think thats what the question was looking for.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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22: “Epi is my favorite class right now. I love the book and Vic is great.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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15: “I wish Vic wouldn't spend time going over CS questions during plenary - we have time to do that during recitation, I'm more interested in application of epidemiology, things going on in the field, the history of it, etc.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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26: “Overall, I have found this course to be very poorly organized and discouraging. The workload is far too much, and the plenary has not contributed in any way to my understanding of the subject. Other than the help offered by Emily in recitation, I feel like I'm taking an online course and forced to do much of the learning on my own. I expected much more from a course offered in the ##1 public school of Public Health in the country, and I have been disappointed.”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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38: “I think the instuctions for the module should be posted under the instructions section of the class materials. Other wise it is too confusing as to what are the expectations for the class module. Please make the instructions to the class easy to follow.. Overall the course is very interesting and engaging. /”
(TAeval1, Internet course, )
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12: “While Professor Schoenbach clearly demonstrates exceptional knowledge and mastery of epidemiology, I wish that the way he lectures would be more straightforward. For a few of the slides on module 5, I was confused by his wording (particularly on counterfactuals and advantages of randomization).”
(TAeval1, Classroom course, )
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(An additional 12 comments were received but the students did not authorize their dissemination.)

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2011cd, compiled 10/03/2011