Student comments on class evaluations

At the end of every semester (including this one), students will have an opportunity to fill out a class evaluation, including unstructured comments. Prof McFarland has copied below ALL the unstructured comments submitted by his students at the end of the Spring 2012 semester:

Math 143 section 19 Fall 2012 (3:45 TR) Overall evaluation score 7.41 out of 10
Question: What things did you like best, either about the course or the way the instructor taught the course?
ALL Student responses: He enjoyed the topic and the students making me feel more motivated to learn He is very good at math. He understands his topic. He was very good at explaing things Homework did not need to be completed for a grade I like the online extra credit quizzes. Not only does it prepare me for the quiz/test I'm about to take, I can get credit for it as well! I thought my professor was excellent. Instructors enthusiasm every day, and the online web quizzes to get prepared for the test the following week Lots of extra credit The instructor did a great job of simplifying problems. The instructor was incredibly eager to clarify anything that was the slightest bit confusing. The professor stressed the importance of logically connecting these problems to life situations or in a business career. The review that was present. The web-quizzes were very helpful for studying for the test. he knew a lot it was challenging lots of practice opportunities nothing tests are easy, final is easy the extra credit quizzes there wasn't a large amount of busy work went in depth with material
Question: What should the instructor change about the course or the way the course is taught?
ALL Student responses: Go a little faster, seemed like he dragged class on every day, some people needed the slowness but I was usually pretty bored. Have an answer key to the practice tests. He needs to have more graded assignments so that tests are not the only grades. He also has to stop assuming you know what he is doing. He needs to explain the math and the work more and stop explaining historical roots. He wastes time explaining stuff that is not helpful to learning math. He needs to give more example problems in class. More examples will help you learn. I hope he can give time to go over homework in class I hope he can give more time to do go over homework in class Just be clearer! He rambles about nothing and makes everything way more confusing than it had to be. Make his syllabus more clear. I eventually understood it but at first I think it was a little confusing Maybe emphasize doing homework more.I would have done better if I was required to do the homework. Not get off topic so easily. be a little more clear and slow down at times be more helpful with questions don't go so slow in lecture go through problems faster, answer the students questions and not say that we went over it last class and look through the notes learn to explain things better and offer help when people ask questions rather than attacking their personal intelligence none not be so boring and irrelevant. nothing (3 Counts) there should be more time at the end of classes for questions

Math 143 section 8 Fall 2012 (12:30 TR) Overall evaluation score 5.2 out of 10 (record low)
Question: What things did you like best, either about the course or the way the instructor taught the course?
ALL Student responses: Besides the take home final, was the toughest teacher I have ever had (never got lower than a B throughout High School/College). Clarity on explanations His explanation on the subject matter. I notes were good. Nothing Nothing. The instructor was awful. The way he spoke to his students, the way he taught and talked was all just wrong for a math teacher. Math teachers need to be helpful not someone just there to scare you from your goals in life. He doesnt know the difference between personal and not personal conversations with his students. If a student asked a question, he would respond in a way that made his students feel dumb. the way he taught was all over the place. Never really taught anything just told us how to do it. I stopped going to class because of him. I'm not that bad with math either but i refuse to sit there in listen to someone so ignorant. Professor McFarland is one of the best math teachers I've ever had. He presented the material in an organized and simple way that was easy to understand. He then did and example along with the class and then asked the class to do one on their own. This really helped me understand how to do the problems on my own and prepare me for the tests. I hope to have math Professors as good as McFarland for the rest of my college schooling. That the professor would show us what to do then let us try it ourselves The online help on his website. Web Quizzes extra credit opportunities on practice exams! i liked the practice tests and quizzes on his site nothing (2 Counts) nothing online quizzes before test well organized
Question: What should the instructor change about the course or the way the course is taught?
ALL Student responses: Everything. From the way he talks to his teaching abilities. I would suggest new math 143 teachers. Go just a little slower He needs to speak up. He needs to get to the point, many of his examples just had irrelevant info. Just get to what we need to know. Keep it short and simple. He should actually teach the material instead of just writing it on the board More time on each section Nothing Nothing! Should correlate his teachings/exams with the actual text book (problems on exams/quizzes look nothing like the HW from textbook). explain the material, dont just throw it at us like we know what it is he needs to talk louder, write harder on the board so that we can see, needs to actually answer questions make it not so confusing make the class more efficient meaning towards the lesson nothing nothing, great class seemed really nit-picky when it came to grading exams, I feel like I recieved 0 points on some questions where I should have atleast recieved .5 or 1

Math 250 section 1 Spring 2012
Question: What things did you like best, either about the course or the way the instructor taught the course?
ALL Student responses: Detailed syllabus He always made sure to address all the questions we had before tests. He gave the historical background of the origin of the math. I can't think of anything I liked, NOTHING was explained in detail he said several times we should know how to do everything he's teaching us which is unbelievable to hear from a prof. teaching a class. I really enjoyed the pace at which the material was taught. Nothing. The way the instructor taught Very interesting man seeing that calc isn't as hard as i thought it would be
Question: What should the instructor change about the course or the way the course is taught?
ALL Student responses: Do not spend so much time on a problem. Do not go over material that will not be tested on an upcoming test. Do not go around the room and look at everyone's individual answers. Do not single people out and expect a correct answer every time. Show your work when doing problems on the board. Explain how he did things on the board instead of just doing a problem and then making the class do a harder one to purposely make us think we can't do anything... Get credit for homework He taught some topics differently then most professors, I understood but I think he should teach both ways or let I see the other way. Every student learns differently and in math most of the time there is 2 different forms of it you can do. I don't know, it seemed effectively organized Nothing Nothing it was great class! The instructor should turn away from the board when teaching and stop talking down to students when they ask questions. the final exam seems to cover a little too much information

Math 177 section 1 Spring 2012
Question: What things did you like best, either about the course or the way the instructor taught the course?
ALL Student responses: As a person that was just learning how to play, it was great that our game record didn't factor into our grade. I understand basic theory of chess. It was educational It was very relaxed and very hands on, quick to learn and catch on. Learning different styles of how to play/open a chess game Playing chess at the end. The exploration of different openings and end games. love chess, love prof mcFarland the final test asked a little too much that wasn't explain in class. but other than that it was a great course!
Question: What should the instructor change about the course or the way the course is taught?
ALL Student responses: let us pick our own partners sometimes. I was told I didn't know how to play but this semester he chose not to go over the basics, which I think is always necessary. Make it more exciting somehow Nothing Nothing. The lecture was slightly slow, but that is might be due to lack of student involvement. The requirement of a book, honestly didn't help me to learn anything in this course. nothing