Student Assessment of Instructors

Clemson University Student Evaluation of Teaching

Evaluation Report for Brian Croxall teaching ENGL 399 002 during Spring Semester 2010
Respondents = 9 Enrolled = 18 Response rate = 50%

Global Questions

G1. The instructor clearly communicated what I was expected to learn.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	1	11.11%	7	77.78%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.667	0.707	5	9
Same Level	4.213	1.049	5	936
Same Discipline	4.250	0.987	5	3014

G2. The instructor made the relevance of the course material clear.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	8	88.89%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.889	0.333	5	9
Same Level	4.239	1.058	5	936
Same Discipline	4.228	1.011	5	3010

G3. The course was well organized.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	3	33.33%	5	55.56%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.444	0.726	5	9
Same Level	4.083	1.142	4	933
Same Discipline	4.192	1.056	5	3007

G4. There was a positive interaction between the class and the instructor.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	1	11.11%	6	66.67%	1	11.11%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.625	0.744	5	8
Same Level	4.312	1.088	5	929
Same Discipline	4.418	0.948	5	2990

G5. The instructor's teaching methods helped me understand the course material.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	2	22.22%	6	66.67%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.556	0.726	5	9
Same Level	4.010	1.206	4	931
Same Discipline	4.095	1.114	4	2999

G6. The instructor's verbal communication skills helped me understand the course material.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	3	33.33%	6	66.67%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.667	0.500	5	9
Same Level	4.138	1.172	5	928
Same Discipline	4.221	1.068	5	2991

G7. The instructor clearly explained what was expected on assignments and tests

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	2	22.22%	7	77.78%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.778	0.441	5	9
Same Level	4.168	1.145	5	931
Same Discipline	4.185	1.093	5	2996

G8. The instructor kept me informed about my progress in the course.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	3	33.33%	4	44.44%	2	22.22%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	3.889	0.782	4	9
Same Level	4.143	1.085	4	930
Same Discipline	3.965	1.143	4	2994

G9. The feedback I received on assignments and tests gave me the opportunity to improve my performance.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	4	44.44%	5	55.56%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.556	0.527	5	9
Same Level	4.201	1.091	5	931
Same Discipline	4.122	1.087	4	2997

G10. Overall, the instructor is an effective teacher.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	3	33.33%	6	66.67%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.667	0.500	5	9
Same Level	4.199	1.138	5	933
Same Discipline	4.262	1.049	5	2997

G11. The instructor's grading procedures gave a fair evaluation of my understanding of the material.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	4	44.44%	5	55.56%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.556	0.527	5	9
Same Level	4.187	1.060	5	929
Same Discipline	4.149	1.073	4	2985

G12. How much work did you put into this course relative to your other courses?

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	2	22.22%	3	33.33%	4	44.44%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.222	0.833	4	9
Same Level	3.781	1.053	4	932
Same Discipline	3.813	0.969	4	2993

G13. How difficult was this course for you relative to your other courses?

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	2	22.22%	6	66.67%	1	11.11%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	3.889	0.601	4	9
Same Level	3.178	1.180	3	934
Same Discipline	3.298	1.100	3	3002

G14. To what extent was this course a requirement for you?

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	9	100.00%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	5.000	0.000	5	9
Same Level	4.406	1.009	5	930
Same Discipline	4.315	1.024	5	2996

G15. Was this course in your major?

Type: Yes - No

Yes		No		NR
7	77.78%	2	22.22%	0	0.00%

G16. Was this course team-taught?

Type: Yes - No

Yes		No		NR
1	11.11%	7	77.78%	1	11.11%

G17. Please indicate your satisfaction with the availability of the instructor outside the classroom by choosing one response from the scale. In selecting your rating, consider the instructor's availability via established office hours, appointments, and other opportunities for face-to-face interaction as well as via telephone, email, fax and other means.

Type: Satisfaction

1		2		3		4		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	2	22.22%	7	77.78%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
This Class	3.778	0.441	4	9
Same Level	3.528	0.754	4	936
Same Discipline	3.558	0.697	4	3010

G18. Please comment on the strengths of the instructor and the course.

Type: Essay

Student	Comments
#2 -	I really liked all of the media interaction in class - I felt like it helped me understand the different concepts better and remember them better. Also, I liked the focus on technology in conjunction with literature.
#3 -	I liked how Dr. Croxall frequently asked us to connect texts we read previously in the semester to our current assignment. It helped keep the texts fresh in my mind and helped me construct a broader literary history. I did not forget about Turner's essay all semester, even though it was the very first thing we read. As for the course, I liked reading Chopin (wish we had more time for her), James, LOVED Gilman, Larson, and all of the postmodern texts.
#4 -	Provided a link among the texts and what was happening in history surrounding their publications.
#5 -	I thought the material was interesting. Sometimes there was too much material and no time to finish. The instructor was very clear on what was expected from the assignments and papers.
#6 -	knows material. work set in nice chronological or grouped order
#7 -	Professor Croxall knows his material very well and taught with sarcasm with slight humor. He made the class enjoyable and the fact he incorporated other facts into literature other than literature itself.
#8 -	Dr. Croxall does a great job in providing cultural background information before introducing new material. He knows a lot about the subjects we studied and effectively conveyed that knowledge to the class.
#9 -	The instructor is very knowledgeable about the material and very enthusiastic, which makes the course material more interesting.

G19. Please comment on the weaknesses of the instructor and the course.

Type: Essay

Student	Comments
#2 -	There was a lot of material to cover over a very short amount of time. Also papers and exams weren't returned in a very timely manner.
#3 -	Stop asking "bad questions" (your words). They take up valuable class time, and although you are usually good at accepting "wrong answers" to your bad questions, it would still be much more beneficial to just stop asking them in the first place. Also, limit the history lessons to the first 20 minutes of class. I loved that the course was put into a historical context, but it is primarily an English course, and sometimes the history lectures took up almost half of class time. I know you had 4 classes and a million assignments to grade, but it is still important to get papers and midterms back in a timely fashion. IN order to cut back on the amount of grading you have, consider eliminating the wikinotes. Group work is frustrating (especially if you cannot count on your group to pull their weight) and I found the assignment to be mostly busy work. (I know this probably belongs in the "positive" section of the evaluation, but I loved the timeline assignments-- keep those.) As for the material, I did not like Crane, Hemingway, Miller, and Fitzgerald, which is strange because I usually love modern fiction. Where is Faulkner?
#5 -	Too much material assigned at times. I wish that the wiki notes would be graded individually rather than group because sometimes others work harder than others.
#6 -	wish there were more assignments. short papers would be nice, to improve writing and close reading skills
#7 -	Time. Maybe he just needs MORE time. I enjoyed reading most everything he put, however, when assigned to read, limit how much one should read from that particular author of a poem or short story. Also, I really feel The Crying of Lot 49 should replace Passing. With his style of teaching, I would have loved to hear his comments on the book and what he thought about it.
#8 -	Sometimes he forgets that we have a lot of reading in our other classes and assigns a lot of pages for us to read in a short amount of time.

G20. Please comment on any teaching methods you found particularly helpful, and suggest alternative methods that you feel would improve the course.

Type: Essay

Student	Comments
#3 -	No more wikinotes.
#4 -	The Wiki note assignment allowed students to recognize the most important information provided in class and gave students a way to reassure their notes were filled with the most effective information possible.
#5 -	I enjoyed the power point slides with pictures. I did like the historical background that the professor gave before introducing the material.
#6 -	class discussion is best for this type of course
#7 -	To be honest, discussion within the students and instructor is possibly the best teaching method, especially if one is able to communicate clearly in which he did.
#8 -	Group class notes were a great way to keep up with the material that we covered.
#9 -	Including a few less passages to read would allow for more time to be spent in class discussing them.

G21. I would recommend this instructor to a friend. Yes or no? Why?

Type: Essay

Student	Comments
#2 -	Yes. Very positive class experience and learned a lot. One of the best and most interesting literature classes I've taken at Clemson.
#3 -	undecided-- Dr. Croxall is intelligent, but is difficult for a student who is organized and wants assignments back on time
#4 -	Yes, the class had the opportunity to become monotonous but the instructor provided new information and ways of looking at the text which gave the course originality while still providing the desired facts.
#5 -	Yes. I would recommend it if were needed as a course requirement. Teacher is clear on what is expected and I liked the activities like the timeline and notes.
#6 -	yes. know and enjoys material
#7 -	Yes, because he has a unique way of teaching the material unlike some of the other professors. Also, he gives it to you like it is. No hidden material. Another note, you can see something completely random, but he won't look down upon you answer; instead, he keeps you digging deeper for the meaning until he has heard what he is looking for.
#8 -	Definitely. He is very passionate about his work and conveys his extensive knowledge to the class.
#9 -	Yes, he makes the material interesting to learn about.

Departmental Questions

D1. I learned to apply principles from this course to other contexts.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	2	22.22%	1	11.11%	6	66.67%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.444	0.882	5	9
Same Level	4.100	1.061	4	914
Same Discipline	3.938	1.075	4	2921

D2. I developed more confidence in my ability to communicate effectively through writing.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	6	66.67%	3	33.33%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.333	0.500	4	9
Same Level	4.031	1.125	4	914
Same Discipline	3.956	1.099	4	2916

D3. As a part of my overall course load, this course was a priority to me.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	4	44.44%	4	44.44%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.333	0.707	4	9
Same Level	3.499	1.212	4	916
Same Discipline	3.577	1.155	4	2925

D4. This course challenged me intellectually.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	5	55.56%	4	44.44%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.444	0.527	4	9
Same Level	3.472	1.241	4	916
Same Discipline	3.709	1.146	4	2919

D5. The instructor is enthusiastic about the course material.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	1	11.11%	7	77.78%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.667	0.707	5	9
Same Level	4.430	0.966	5	913
Same Discipline	4.478	0.886	5	2912

D6. The instructor treats students with respect.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	3	33.33%	6	66.67%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.667	0.500	5	9
Same Level	4.527	0.917	5	910
Same Discipline	4.582	0.822	5	2912

D7. The instructor makes me feel free to ask questions.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	1	11.11%	1	11.11%	7	77.78%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.667	0.707	5	9
Same Level	4.505	0.930	5	910
Same Discipline	4.554	0.841	5	2904

D8. The instructor sets high standards for students.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	5	55.56%	4	44.44%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.444	0.527	4	9
Same Level	4.281	0.911	5	909
Same Discipline	4.309	0.853	4	2906

D9. The assigned reading is well integrated into the course.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	2	22.22%	0	0.00%	7	77.78%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.556	0.882	5	9
Same Level	3.810	1.227	4	912
Same Discipline	4.078	1.117	4	2904

D10. The assigned writing is well integrated into the course.

Type: Agreement

1		2		3		4		5		NR
0	0.00%	0	0.00%	0	0.00%	4	44.44%	5	55.56%	0	0.00%

Focus	Mean	Stdev	Median	Observations
Class	4.556	0.527	5	9
Same Level	4.214	1.043	5	917
Same Discipline	4.241	0.993	5	2922

D11. What did you find most valuable and helpful about the course?

Type: Essay

Student	Comments
#2 -	I think my analytical skills and writing skills were strengthened in this course.
#3 -	My writing and critical reading skills improved.
#4 -	By providing a background of history prior to the discussion of a text in class, the instructor allowed for students to make important connections among history and textual evidence to support opinions that might have emerged due to historical data.
#5 -	The wiki notes were helpful when studying for the exams.
#6 -	the emphasis on various literary movements, rather than just having works thrown at me
#7 -	The wiki notes. Being able to get in groups and see how other students corporate their notes together.
#8 -	Dr. Croxall is very available for any questions and he explains everything completely. All of his assignments are well thought out and planned. His instructions are not vague and he provides a lot of feedback with his grading.
#9 -	The instructor's advice.

D12. What would you like to see changed in subsequent offerings of this course?

Type: Essay

Student	Comments
#2 -	Maybe a different arrangement of things that are read - maybe plan for out of class readings that are not discussed in class.
#3 -	I would like to read some Faulkner.
#4 -	The timeline assignment was a way for students to recognize historical events that were occurring within history during the times we were studying, but overall the assignment was not directly related to the course and did not seem to provide a real importance within the course.
#5 -	The wiki notes to be graded individually, and not having to memorize the publication dates of all the works.
#6 -	less anthologies. anthologies bastardize
#7 -	Go outside and enjoy some fresh air sometime.
#8 -	I have no changes to suggest.
#9 -	Less readings from the same writers.