Blog #23 - Course Evaluation

Course Evaluation/Reflection

1. Meeting course objectives
Course objectives
Learn to recognize and use strategies & conventions commonly found in cnf including: reflection, segmentation, narrative voice, use of scenes, dialog, character development, and detailed description, movement between the subject at hand and a personal, reflective perspective focused on a concept
Develop an invention process based in writing
Develop/extend revising process
Explore different forms for CNF
Questions:
What did you learn in this course?
Although this was not the priority of the course objectives, I did learn how to better express myself, including personal issues, in my writing, as well as sharing those ideas with a group of unfamiliar people.
About the form of CNF?
I learned that CNF writing always tells a story by providing either objective or subjective information. I also learned how CNF help both the writer as well as the reader think and explore. This is what (for me) makes CNF enjoyable!
I learned a greater deal than I had expected on the different forms of CNF writing.
What did you learn about how to write CNF?
I learned that in order to write CNF, the writer must begin with an introduction, set up the reader’s expectations, and refrain.
About where to publish/find publishing venues for your creative writing?
Thanks to Dr. Chandler providing the class with examples of websites to publish our work, I learned that some venues have higher expectations than others, and that some focus on specific types of writing.
Did you change anything /try anything different in your writing process? Please describe.
When instructed to do so, I encouraged myself to use some of the different writing styles we learned about however, it was quite challenging!
Which class assignments/class experiences helped you learn whatever you learned?
By having Dr. Chandler display the stories we read on the overhead when discussing them helped me greater understand the discussions we were having regarding the different stories; especially when there are so many different writing styles, seeing the stories on the board while she discussed them was an advantage for myself.
What do you wish the course spent more time on?
Towards the end of the semester we did less journal writing, which I missed. Because I never had time for journal writing until I took this class, I learned the value of writing and expressing my thoughts and ideas in a journal and began to miss that towards the end of the semester.
What do you wish we'd spent less time on?
I would have rather not have spent time on hearing peoples’ presentations on their websites, and would have rather spent that class time preparing my portfolio. Besides that, I enjoyed the structure of all of our classes.

2. Structure of course/assignments
Assignements
Blogs
readings
writing journal
writing assignments
exploration of publication venues
Questions:
Right pace/schedule?
The class always ran according to schedule, which was easy to follow as it was always posted on the CNF website.
Coherence of material?
No complaints!
Workload => Too much, too little, just right? What would you change?
Just right. I feel we equally wrote and read.
Although the class was somewhat challenging for someone like me who does not specialize in CNF writing, I still never felt that the class was too overwhelming.
Cover material appropriate to course goals?
When reviewing the course objectives I can honestly say that I believe we covered everything that was expected of our class.
Enough feedback for grades?
The fact that Dr. Chandler would have us post a few blogs before she looked over them made me not feel too overwhelmed. The only thing I sometimes I wish I received a tentative grade when I received my draft essays just so I could see where I stood.

3. Provisions for feedback/grades
Forms of evaluation + feedback
comments/grades for blogs
Comments were helpful and I felt relieved seeing a grade and knowing where I stood in the class.
comments from classmates
Honestly, I’m sensitive and although most of my classmates were very supportive, it was challenging at first to accept comments from my peers.
reading aloud from journals + class discussion
I loved the fact our class talked a lot. I get bored when simply being lectured to.
conferences with professor on papers
Dr. Chandler’s advice was always helpful so rather I received feedback via email or a conference, it was always to my advantage.
group work with classmates on papers
Group work was enjoyable because I liked hearing other peoples’ writings.
written feedback/grades on papers
Dr. Chandler always provided enough information in her written feedback that I understood what changes had to be made.
reflective writing about your work (in you journal, on your blog)
Blogs were difficult for me to get used to at first, but I didn’t mind posting blogs once I understood how to.
Questions:
Which form of feedback was most helpful?
Written
Which did you enjoy most?
Written
Any which you felt was unproductive?
Sometimes group work but only because sometimes we didn’t get to hear from everyone.
What would you do more of?
N/A
What would you do less of?
Feedback from classmates.
Did you feel the grading system was fair?
Yes.
Did the grades/grading system contribute to learning?
Yes.

4. General response
Is there anything you could tell me that would help me teach a better/more engaging course?
I thought the was the class was instructed was extremely engaging. As I noted earlier, I really enjoyed the constant class discussions rather they were regarding readings, essays we wrote, or journal entries. No one ever enjoys being lectured to so keep up the class discussions!

Anything you want to say about your experience of the course?
I liked how Dr. Chandler motivated the students to write using styles most of us have never heard of before. Considering the majority of the class took this course a an elective, I can say I believe that everyone learned something that will be beneficial to their writing in the future.