Writing Program Course Evaluation

Instructor: Derek Mueller                    Course & Section: WRT105: Analysis, Argument and Academic Writing

1. What is the most significant thing you learned about writing or about yourself as a writer in this course?

1. I learned that writing doesn't always have to adhere to some strict set of guidelines. It is okay for writing to go against the grain and still be considered as writing.
2. The most significant thing I learned about myself as a writer in this course is that I'm still in the process of still trying to find my self as a writer.
3. That I can be a OK writer when I need to be. How to take your ideas from reading and use them in my writing.
4. I learned that it can be made your own. There is really not anything traditional about it.
5. Writing does not have to follow a five paragraph form and be boring, everyone can break from this mold.
6. I learned to think outside of the box and broaden my outlook on writing.
7. Writing is something that is open and not as restrictive as it was in high school.
8. I learned how to expand my writing capabilities. To not just stick to a certain format.
9. I'm a very restricted writer.
10. Writing isn't all that bad.
11. Through this course, I learnt how to analyze and corporate my thoughts in a more creative way instead of following formats learnt during high school.
12. Writing is not just a stand format. Sometime one has to go out of the box to make a boring subject seem interesting.
13. I think I learned a sense of looseness about writing I didn't have before. I feel this stems from the abstract sort of work we did in regards to the more formulaic writing I've done before.
14. I learned that it is important to step out of the 5-paragraph "box" and to explore new ways of writing.
15. That effective, engaging writing doesn't have to conform to the lame-ass templates taught in primary and secondary schools.

2. Which two or three activities or practices worked best in this course (e.g., the writing assignments, class discussion, peer review, course readings, collaborative work, research, use of computer technology) Why?

1. I really got a lot out of peer review. I found that students who had different understandings of the assignment helped me to tie any loopholes in my assignment.
2. Course readings: Even though they were kind of difficult, they gave you the framework on how to tackle the writing assignment. Peer review: gave you a different perspective about your writing.
3. Peer review and collaborative work. Peer review worked because it gave me a chance to have some one read over my work. Collaborative work I liked because I like working in groups.
4. Using the computers were helpful b/c we got away from the normal boring classroom. Class discussions were also very helpful.
5. Class discussion and peer review gave me the most workable feedback. Seeing how others respond to your work is essential.
6. Use of computer technology because you had the look information up in an instant. Class discussion and peer review because we got different opinions that can be heard first hand.
7. The research and use of technology worked very well, our teacher gave us lots to work with and utilize these sources.
8. Class dicussion, conferences, computer technology. Conference helped me the best b/c I got to ask questions I didn't get a chance to ask in class.
9. Class discussion, and peer review. Got more chances to really see what I'm supposed to be doing.
10. Writing assignments. They helped make me a better writer, which is important.
11. Writing assignments and course readings helped out a lot by teaching us the be more critical in words.
12. The peer review is always good since students critique each other strongly helping with the essay. Writing assignments give ideas for the next essay.
13. I think the assignments worked well, and how we went over them as we worked through them helped a lot.
14. Computer technology helped us be able to research and still ask questions when we needed to. The essay assignments allows us to put everything we were learning and had read to the test.
15. Course readings were stimulating and well selected. Assignments were obviously important. How else to learn to write well?

3. Would you recommend any changes to this course? Please explain.

1. I think a little more one on one work (with the instructor) would be beneficial. I find it reassuring to know whether or not I am on the right track.
2. No.
3. No.
4. No I think it's fine.
5. Any changes I would make would be in texts. We had to buy four books for this course, we really only utilized one (Critical Encounters with Texts), this was also the most helpful in the course, the others were really not needed.
6. The time!
7. Make the books less expensive, $40 for a book seems to be overpriced.
8. No.
9. No.
10. No.
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12. Not really, things went well along with the course.
13. Nope.
14. The only thing that I would change would be the time of day. Many students did not seem awake and were untalkative on a daily basis.
15. I found peer response and group work a consistent waste of time, so I'd recommend eliminating it altogether.

4. What was challenging about this course? Why?

1. Sometimes it was hard for me to think outside the box. I had a hard time actually understanding abstract assignments.
2. Establishing a distinct claim and providing the framework around it. It is probably because I'm not use to having this much freedom before.
3. It is hard to understand what the teacher is looking for whan you are given a lot of freedom with your work.
4. Trying new ways of writing.
5. Breaking from standard form! As was said in class, we have been learning that since we could hold a pencil, it was hard (only at first!) to do something else.
6. Learning to break out of the normal, high school, style of writing.
7. Changing from the 5-paragraph form of writing to a more open way of writing papers and essays.
8. Distributing my time for the course was my challenge.
9. Thinking outside the box, because it was new for me and thus challenging.
10. Time management. The assignments were tough and long.
11. We have to organize our thoughts well, and put them together in one relation.
12. Waking up at 8 to make it in time at 8:30 because it is a mixture of staying up late and getting little sleep.
13. I think the new ideas in regards to writing, such as our assignment essay were challenging, just because I have never written like that.
14. It was challenging to let go of everything we'd learned about essays in high school (5 paragraph) and start from scratch.
15. Those long 8:30 classroom silences were a challenge to endure at times. So much of this course requires challenging yourself (or maybe allowing yourself to be challenged).

5. Would you describe your instructor as:

Please provide one or two examples to illustrate your comments above.

1. Derek was always available for feedback.
2. Good office hours.
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4. He knew what he was talking about for every class and was well prepared.
5. Derek always listens to our opinions and ideas, he has a great knowledge and love of the course.
6. He always came to class with an outline of what he wanted to do.
7. Our instructor has always been prepared for class, keeping everyone on task and answer questions.
8. Was always energetic for class & always listened to your views.
9. Help through email or AIM (instance message).
10. Derek was always ready and willing for student feedback; and to give them feedback as well.
11. He always opens himself up to new ideas, and it not afraid to try out new things.
12. He was never laate. Knew what to do in class. Answers questions he knew people had on their minds. Knew what he was doing.
13. You can tell he has been teaching for a while. He seems to understand how to communicate with students.
14. I have visited him in his office before and it was very helpful. He always is prepared, on time and makes a list of things that we will cover over the course of the hr.
15. Derek was available online, outside scheduled office hours, after class. He's knowledgeable enough to experiment confidently. What more could one ask?

6. Please comment on the instructor's feedback for your writing. Was it helpful? Did you receive that feedback in a timely fashion?

1. I thought Derek was cool. He left thinking up to us which made the assignments more stimulating.
2. I feel it was helpful; yes.
3. Yes it was helpful and got it back in a timely fashion.
4. It was helpful. Yes. I received it in a timely fashion. The comments helped me understand the assignment better.
5. The feedback on each essay was personal and detailed and helped me improve the following essays. This was done within two classes.
6. It was helpful and we got it back in a timely fashion.
7. The feedback was helpful and was given back in a timely manner.
8. Yes, it was helpful. Yes.
9. Kinda helpful, mostly just saying you did this wrong and why...not you got this wrong and here's what to do to never do it again.
10. Yes the feedback we received was helpful. He is very knowledgeable and comments helped.
11. He always spends time to listen to concerns or struggles we have, even when it does not relate to the course. Feedbacks on writing were really helpful.
12. Very helpful, it help me improve. Yes, enough time to make the correction on my paper.
13. Yes.
14. The feedback was usually written right on the essay and was helpful and relevant. The comments helped me to understand what I needed to do differently in my next essay.
15. Prompt and thoughtful. Critical when appropriate.

7. Use the space below for any additional comments about the instructor or the course.

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9. He was a person that saw his job as just a job. So he was still able to look at things from different angles.
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12. The course is good.
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15. I'm so glad I didn't wind up with a prescriptivist, cookie-cutter instructor. It'd be hard to recommend WRT105, but I definitely recommend Derek.