Evaluation of Teaching

“Ava is probably one of the best teachers I have had at UGA…. I appreciated her dedication and enthusiasm. I learned a lot about plants that I did not know before (isn't that the point of school, after all?) If I had been a PBIO major, this would have been overwhelmingly my favorite class ever.”

- Anonymous Student Evaluation, Spring 2008

 

The following are anonymous undergraduate student comments.  Comments have been selected from lecture and lab course mid- or end-of-semester evaluations to represent aspects of good teaching:

Clear, Systematic and readily understandable organization:

  •  “Presents information well before class and allow discussion at the end of class to help those who do not understand” Fall 2004
  • “Presented the material and explain when it was needed.  Handouts she made for us helped a lot” Fall 2004
  • “Organization and clarity were excellent. The powerpoints were so well organized it was very easy to see how everything worked into a bigger picture. It was also very helpful to get pointers and where to look to make connections between topics” Spring 2008
  • “I like that Ava presented the material very clearly.  Her powerpoints were very well organized and easy to follow and use for studying.” Spring 2008

Excitement, enthusiasm, and passion for the subject I teach:

  • “Very enthusiastic about the course.  Make interesting comment and spark interest” Fall 2003
  • “Ava was a great instructor.  She always knew what she was talking about and maintained the class’ attention very well” Spring 2004
  • “She was very thorough and enthusiastic about the information. She was always willing to answer questions” Fall 2004

Committed to helping students succeed:

  • “concerned with our understanding of the material.  Demanded more of us but helped us learn more; I didn’t have to study quite as hard for my bio tests” Spring 2004
  • “Always was willing to assist me outside of lab and was very enthusiastic about lab exercises” Fall 2004
  • “Informed us about how to study for quizes and updates us w/ due dates” Fall 2004

Ability to challenge students and promote long term retention:

  • “Thanks for challenging us.  I did have to put a lot of time into this lab, but I truly believe it helped me out in lecture” Spring 2004
  • “this class aces learning with long-term retention which is the point of a course” Spring 2008

Reaching diverse learning styles and Promoting higher-level thinking:

  • “Allowing us to discuss a topic with our neighbor helps me to verbalize ideas and work though it with someone else.” Spring 2008
  • “I also really enjoyed it when Ava brought in examples of fungi and plant for us to look at.  It really helped the information stick when I could physically touch the different things she taught us about, plus, it made the class interesting.” Spring 2008
  • “The powerpoints online helped me to not stress out in class to get all the information.  Also, she constantly was referring to old slides to show the connection.  Also, I like the handouts.  I’m a hands on visual person and filling in tables or working problems helps me.” Spring 2008
  • “She asks question in class that force us to think about connections that can be made concerning material covered in class.  She doesn’t just simply tell us the answers but she forces us to think about the connections and provide her with the answers.” Spring 2008

Assessment that Promotes Learning:

  • “The EC assign. forces me to write about the material which is the best way for me to remember things.” Spring 2008
  • “The bonus material helped me thing about some questions that could be asked on the mini-exam.  It gave me a frame for the more important material covered in calss and the extra points help too.” Spring 2008
  • “I prefer the mini-exam system b/c it helps the student stay caught up and on the right page while learning.  It is also less stressful.” Spring 2008
  • “I like the idea of having low stake grades every week.  The mid-term was not difficult to study for since I had already studied for the mini-tests.  It helped keep me in check instead of just cramming and getting overwhelmed for each major test.” Spring 2008

 

Other comments:

“Ava Howard has shown outstanding dedication to teaching in the time that we have worked together. She is one of the most thorough instructors that I have worked with; I have observed her teaching and working with students in the laboratory classroom, instructing and mentoring other laboratory assistants, and participating in and leading discussions with faculty, staff and co-workers. Ava demonstrates confidence in her scientific and pedagogical knowledge while applying open-mindedness to questions and suggestions from students, peers, and advisors”

- Kristen Miller, Laboratory Manager, Division of Biological Sciences, UGA.

“Throughout the time I have been fortunate enough to receive your instruction I have come to greatly value the knowledge, experiences, and sentiments you’ve shared with me.”

- Summer 2006 undergraduate research mentee; message sent Summer 2008.

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