Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I. Group Presentations
II. Discussions
III. Course Content
IV. Schedule
V. Assignments
VI. Alignment with PLA Outcomes
I. Group Presentations
• Less than half of all respondents found the presentations aided in their understanding of the
course material
• Class activities were listed as being the most effective portion of the group presentation
concept, with over 50% of all those polled listing it as its best attribute
• More of a demand for small group debate and discussion of topics than the entire class
listening to one person or team present
Group Presentations (Cont.): Survey Q12
• Commentary on what portions were
most effective:
3 Course Structure 10
0 Subject Matter 3
1 Presentations 7
6 Discussions 1
3 Friends/Classmates 0
2 Activities 1
Questions 21, 22 (Cont.): Survey Quotes
Question 21
• Getting to hear the opinions of people outside of my class.
• I genuinely enjoyed reading the book, it was very entertaining and fascinating.
• Discussing interesting topics with PLAers that wasn't necessarily related to the book.
Question 22
• Student led presentations, especially small group discussions. I sometimes got the feeling that the main points of
the book were being stretched too far just so students could talk about something they wanted to talk about, even
if it wasn't related to Washington at all.
• The class often felt repetitive, and like we weren't really learning/doing new things each week (especially during
the presentations)
• Making connections between past and present leaders. The course was also set up in a way that it seemed a more
history-oriented course than a critical thinking course.
Open-Ended: Student Perception of Course
Goal
Q17: What was the goal of this class?
Finding: The course’s content ensured students understood the purpose of the
material.
Open-Ended: What Students Enjoyed Most
Q29: What did you like best about this course?
Finding: Students enjoyed exchanging ideas in a more intimate setting regarding the
topic of the course most enjoyable
Questions 27, 28
What could be done to improve this course? What could be done to improve the
course’s effectiveness?
Findings: Students felt that there was too much emphasis on reading and presenting
and not enough on current events
Part B: Proposed Changes
● Develop succinct questions for Spring 2018 survey
● A syllabus with stricter guidelines
● Remove group presentations from the syllabus
● Add professor-led presentations to the course schedule
● Compare v. contrast Washington’s leadership to those of current politicians
● (a) Select readings from the textbook and from supplemental sources OR
● (b) Provide students the textbook prior to the beginning of the semester
● Assess the wants of students prior to the beginning of the semester
Overall Fall Survey Conclusion
Part A: Quantitative Results Part B: Qualitative Results
● Students want their voices heard, and that occurs ● Students dissatisfied with professor involvement
more often in smaller group discussions
○ However, they prefer their peers not be the ones ○ Student-led discussions were popular, but
leading large group discussions found to lead to disorganization and less
● Disconnect between course content & current issues engagement
● Book was useful, but had little impact on student ○ Students discouraged by time-involvement and
views on leadership nor helped them become better
leaders lack of communication in student-professor
● More professor engagement sought; student relationship
engagement outside of class consistent with 1 credit ● Contextualize course content more with current
course
events
● Course aligns well with existing PLA objectives
● Students hoped course would be more instrumental
in their leadership development
Appendix
Pie Charts …………... 27-31
Group Presentations (Cont.): Survey Q11, 14
Course Content (Cont.): Survey Q1, 3
Schedule (Cont.): Survey Q20, 23
Leadership & Course Content (Cont.): Survey Q6, 9
Alignment (Cont.): Survey Q23, 24