Course Evaluations
- Make the final paper due before the last day of class (e.g. the Friday before the last week of class) so students evaluate the course after that.
- The last day of class is the last day – do no work that day, stress how important good feedback is to improving the class, then review the course.
- Remind students of the goals of the course (spell these out on the first day)
- Learn economics
- Work in teams
- Work individually
- Become adept at writing, speaking critically about economics
- Produce some economic knowledge that you didn't know before
- Give varied assignments so that you can demonstrate you ability in a variety of ways
- During course review mention
- You worked together on HBSC for an hour long discussion or Tuesday readings for 45 minutes.
- You worked together in pairs on final presentation and paper
- You worked independently on problem sets, Tuesday papers, exams
- You worked with DWA students or Econ students
- Ask that students be specific in their criticisms, praise and suggestions
- "I liked the Tuesday discussion because it helped me…"
- "The second exam should cover UIP as well as CIP"
- "I liked that I could make up ground on the final exam which could replace one or both of my mid-terms because…:
- Or "I didn't like how students could blow off the exams and make it up on the final because…"
- Put a calendar of topics and readings on the syllabus
- Cover less material so it is a certainty that all course goals are accomplished
- More handouts
- Review class before exams
- Re-institute one-on-one meetings with students at the beginning of the semester.
Overall Assessment of teaching Spring 2008 – clear signal
- Time management
- Control tangents
- Longer office hours
- More handouts
- Exam review
- Too condescending and patronizing to students
Unclear signal
- More discussion/less discussion
- Too much work/finish the syllabus
