Welcome to the evaluation page of my portfolio.

Welcome to the evaluation section of my portfolio. At the end of each semester, students complete Course Teaching Evaluations (CTEs) to portray their perspectives about my teaching and about their experiences in my courses. Students' CTEs include a quantitative questionnaire and supplemental qualitative comments.  On this page, I've listed the semesters that I've been at Cortland and the courses I have taught. The links that follow each course title (Quantitative and Qualitative) provide students' CTE results for each course.

I've written a reflection on my CTE results to explain my perspectives on my CTEs and to identify ways that I am working to include the evaluation data into future course design. Please find my reflection at the end of the following list.

Please click on the links below to view the course evaluations. Linked files will open in a new window.

Spring 2010
     EDU 378: The Social and Academic Curriculum I - Quantitative Qualitative
     EDU 379: Inquiry into Curriculum, Technology and Teaching CTEs - Quantitative Qualitative
    
Fall 2009
      No teaching assignments - Drescher Leave

Spring 2009
      EDU 379: Inquiry into Curriculum, Technology and Teaching CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
      EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative

Fall 2008
     EDU 379: Inquiry into Curriculum, Technology and Teaching CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative

Spring 2008 (online instruction only during this semester)
     EDU 647: Social Education in the Digital Age - Optional CTEs for online instruction
     EDU 698: Student Tchg/Culminating Research Project - Optional CTEs for online instruction

Fall 2007
     EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTES - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 378: The Social and Academic Curriculum I CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative Qualitative

Spring 2007
     EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 657: Elementary School Practicum/.Research Seminar CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative

Fall 2006
     EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 657: Elementary School Practicum/ Research Seminar CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative

Spring 2006
     EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 647: Social Education in the Digital Age CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative

Fall 2005
     EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative Qualitative
     EDU 657: Elementary School Practicum/ Research Seminar CTEs - Quantitative Qualitative

Spring 2005
     EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Research CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 647: Social Education in the Digital Age CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative

Fall 2004
     EDU 375: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTEs  - Quantitative   Qualitative
     EDU 510: Inquiry into Teaching, Technology and Resarch CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative
     EDU 514: Teaching Elementary Social Studies CTEs - Quantitative  Qualitative

Overall reflection of course evaluations:

I continue to be very pleased with my course evaluations; it seems as though students are pleased with my courses and teaching style. Throughout the past two years, I have an overall CTE mean of 4.8 out of 5.0. I received a letter from my department Chair in August 2006 stating that my course teaching evaluations exceeded the departmental CTE adjusted mean (click here to review the Chair's letter). In January 2009, I was nominated for the Excellence in Teaching Award by my current department Chair and was awarded the campus-wide Excellence in Teaching Award in Spring 2010.

During my first portfolio review, I set some goals for myself for the future as a result of the findings from the evaluations. My first goal was to be sure that students strongly agreed that I was available to help them with anything that they may need to be successful in my class. Therefore, I moved my office hours to immediately follow my class meeting times. This seemed to work well for students. Comments on my evaluations now consistently state that students feel that I am approachable and available to meet with them when needed.

The other goal that I had determined based on the course evaluations is to have students strongly agree that the coursework is realistic for a 3 credit course. On my EDU 510 and EDU 647 evaluations, some students identified that they were unsure whether the requirements of the course merited 3 credits. The workload may have been too heavy for the course so I have consolidated two small assignments into one larger project. This adjustment was made with careful consideration because, while I want students to have time to carefully complete assignments to the best of their abilities, I want my courses to maintain their rigorous and challenging design, which includes high levels of student expectations and requirements for successful course completion. This worked well for these two classes. Since my first portfolio review, I have taught EDU 657. This course was not designed by myself and all course requirements were predetermined by someone else prior to me teaching it. Students in the course overwhelmingly believed that the coursework was too heavy for 3 credits. I have ongoingly thought about this as I taught the course again in Spring 2007 and although the coursework was very rigorous, I was not certain that it would be beneficial for me to change it. Students in this course overwhelmingly agreed that this course stretched them beyond what they believed they could do and learn. Because of that, I was satisfied with that result. I wanted students to learn more than they thought they could; I wanted students to work hard to do well in my courses and I believe that they do.

I have taught eight different courses throughout the time that I have worked at Cortland and, regardless of the course, nearly all of my CTEs have means near or above the 4.8 range. The way that I am currently challenging myself is to make my courses and assignments even more rigorous than I had planned in the past. For example, I have taught EDU 510 throughout the time that I've been at Cortland and although I deem my prior content and teaching worthwhile. During the Spring 2009 semester, I chose different textbooks, have created and implemented different assignments and have added a mid term exam. It's important for me to develop course curricula that stimulates and challenges students to complete work beyond what they thought themselves capable of accomplishing.

Here are some of my students' comments from my CTEs:

"Wonderful class. Kim is an inspiration to me as a future teacher."

"Kim is a great teacher who is very caring and understanding. She does anything she can to meet her students' needs and is always readily available."

"Kim has been the best teacher I have had at Cortland. She takes time to put all of her students' needs into consideration"

"I feel that your course has been my true measure for my journey towards being a teacher."

"This class has inspired me to become the best teacher I can be. Kim has influenced me in so many ways."

"Kim has been the best professor I ever had. She is fair and consistent with everyone. I have never been so encouraged to work so hard for another professor. Her enthusiasm and dedication is truly an inspiration."

"Kim, you have been the best teacher I have ever had at Cortland. The experiences I have had in your class will help me to become a successful teacher. I appreciate you pushing me to do my best."

"This course [EDU 510] was definitely the most intense course of the semester. I felt like we were held to a higher standard and challenged to expand our opinions and face personal biases. Although I was initially intimidated by the coursework, this class was extremely beneficial and inspiring. Dr. Rombach’s classroom demeanor is understanding and you clearly see she cares about our success. Thanks, Dr. Rombach."

"In all seriousness this [EDU 647] was probably the most useful of all of my graduate courses. Tasks were actually applicable to classroom needs."

"I think you have greatly contributed to my professional development. You pushed me to do my best work and I think you for all the effort you have put in."

"Kim provides a challenging experience that is extremely rewarding and worthwhile. She can push a student to do their best work. Very empathetic and courageous for taking on so much. A role mode for future teachers."

Overall, my student evaluations indicate that students appreciate the high expectations that I have for them and find the difficult assignments worthwhile. Students' comments indicate that they are pleased with my teaching. I am very glad about this because it takes very much time to prepare for my classes, grade papers and meet students outside of class time to help them do the best that they can with their assignments. My most important goal that I have for myself each semester is to work as hard as I can to have my students become the best teachers that they can become in the little time I have to work with them. I stay focused on that goal during each day and with each class that I each. I believe that students realize this and that it makes a difference for them. My hope is that my work will continue to impact them as they become teachers themselves, so one day they can help their own students do their best as well.