Know Your StudentOur Students’ Perspective

Craig Kunce

How is student learning influenced?

Knowing our Students

First, let's be open to hearing what our students have to say

•Once we are ready to listen… just ask them. Most love giving their opinions!

•When I get frustrated with a student, I try to think of them as a nephew, niece, or my neighbor's child. This helps me see them as a real person--like they are.(Tip: I don't picture my own kids, because I'd just let them have it!)

Good Advice—Straight From Our Students

I asked our students how these “orbiting layers” influenced their learning. Here are their actual answers.

(I have students from many different programs in my classes. I also cross-reference these answers with our college-wide survey. They are usually surprisingly similar)

CAUTION: This is a teaching-related survey

My first few semesters I forgot to specify that my surveys related to my courses and teaching—not me personally… I heard:

“maybe you could lose a few pounds”

“Your hair is kinda graying”

I made sure to clarify after that.

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the most when I…

• find a balance between work, family, home, and personal time.

• am organized and have good time management

• the stresses in my home life are at a minimum

• know when things are due• get enough sleep and eat well

• show up for class, follow along, collaborate, and participate

• am passionate about what I am learning

• am allowed to make mistakes

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the least when I…

• I have too much free time to work on assignments

• I have distractions around me—students not paying attention, Facebook

• I have to sit and listen to a boring and stale teacher for two hours

• …silly time-wasting tasks are not helpful either

• when instructors do more putting-down than praising

• get lost because the teacher is not organized or cannot think clearly. (KISS)

• when a teacher just gives me an assignment and expects me to know how to do it. I pay for the class so that the teacher actually teaches me, I don't pay for me to teach myself…

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the most when my peers…

• want to be in class, and want to learn. The dynamic of a class affects me more than anything

• give me honest, constructive, friendly feedback

• help me out with projects and give me feed back—we're in this together

• are positive and respectful • are well behaved during class• are cooperative during group

projects

• participate in groups and critiques with life and vigor

• are willing to share tips and techniques not taught in class. Learn from each other

• ask pertinent questions. I don't always feel comfortable asking questions, but I really do pay attention to the types of questions and responses that others get

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the least when my peers…

• aren't able to open their minds to different ideas

• don't care and are lazy• are disruptive and are slackers

during group projects• are petty and disruptive and are

not respectful of the person leading the class

• talk a lot, asking unrelated questions, and take up my time

• don't have a good attitude

• 'who know what they are doing' refuse to help others

• complain about the class• Don't want to be in school• are annoying and think they know

it all

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the most when my teachers…

• tell me how to improve my work and make it better

• are approachable and helpful while able to be honest

• are available to answer questions or offer help

• offer multiple ways of connecting with them (e-mail, office hours, etc.)

• make assignments andprojects clear

• are organized

• Having a resource to go to to get class information (website or Blackboard) is a big help

• are able to give a real life example (personal experience is best) of what they're talking about. It makes things more memorable

• are trying to teach, not make friends

• Are fun, engaging, and make the students move around! It's no fun sitting for 1-3 hour lectures

• have a time line for due dates for the semester. That way I can plan my personal and work schedule around making time for homework

• don't hold me by the hand because it challenges me to do a little research on my own

• share their knowledge, real world experience, and insight into the industry

• allow us class time to work

• allow lots of freedom in class projects

• very knowledgeable about the class subject matter fair with due dates

• push for what they know you can do can

• explain something in another way because sometimes I just don't understand the wording

• are confident in their teaching abilities and aware of current industry trends

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the least when my teachers…

• are not organized• are biased• constantly change what is

going on• are unapproachable and don't

make me feel stupid for asking questions, even if they're ridiculous

• don't care about what they’re teaching

• don't have an open mind

• that give busy work. Keep homework relevant and productive

• make us buy books that we only use once

• don't teach in more than one way to keep us engaged

• judge students

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the most when my college…

• feels like an important step in our careers rather than just a hurdle to overcome. We come here to learn, unlike in high-school where your goal is just to graduate

• is friendly, welcoming, helps us • provides good instructors • wants and helps me to succeed • has helpful resources such as

the library, ASC or study groups• provides software and current

technology

• always has a computer available

• has smart faculty that knows what the students need

• offers classes at different times and ways, online, blended

• has a designated quiet area • cares about its students and

the staff

Good advice—straight from our students

I learn the least when my college…

• is not helpful• where I'm pretty much just a

number (Universities), and professors obviously don't care about you. I need to feel included and a part of something. This is why I prefer a tech or a private school

• has stopped growing and doesn't find new ways to constantly make the education more engaging and effective

• is just here to take my money and move on

• doesn't offer classes that fit my schedule. for example a lot of classes are only offered certain semesters

• that is hard to get to because of lack of parking

Good advice—straight from our students

My early years—“tough love”

• We all know you’re a nice guy, but we need someone to tell us if our work sucks

• Stop talking/lecturing so much! Let us learn some thingson our own

• Give us class time for assignments. Then we can talk to you when we are working on them and have questions

• Show more samples of how other people did the assignment—not just yours

• Tell us what we did right or wrong on our projects, don’t just use that grid thing

Listening to our Students• My evaluations are always anonymous. (week 5, and near the end).

• Simple approach: Write on whiteboard, "2 areas done well, 2 areas to improve, other comments"

• Sample 1http://craigkunce.com/res/res.student-portrait/classroom_assessment.pdf

• Sample 2http://craigkunce.com/res/res.student-portrait/instructor_course_eval.pdf

• Zoomerang.com (free online survey web site)

Zoomerang.com Surveys

What can we do with their feedback?• Immediately after - I read the surveys out loud in front of the class. I tell the

students how I will fix the "areas to improve" and I also reinforce how I will continue to do what is working well.

• If you're not comfortable with this, read them to yourself and take some time to collect your thoughts. I would still take ten minutes in class to address the surveys.

• I always thank them for their honest feedback.

What can we do with their feedback?

• For starters, seriously consider their responses.Not all comments can be addressed. But many can.

• Intentionally make one change each year

• Discuss responses with your fellow teachers and co-workers

• Remember… progress, not perfection. I don't dwell too much on the negatives. We cannot please everyone. But we can get better.

Where can you improve?

• How can I better communicate with my students? One idea…

#1______________________________________________________

– By October 1st, I will realize #1 by doing:

– By January 1st, I will realize #1 by doing:

– By April 1st, I will realize #1 by doing:

• Share them with a colleague. Ask for feedback.• Write down a new idea next summer• Share what worked and what didn't

One Example:

• How can I better communicate with my students? One idea…

#1_Learn what really helps students at Western succeed___________

– By October 1st, I will realize #1 by doing: Ask 3 students face-to-face

– By January 1st, I will realize #1 by doing: Class discussion (15 min.)

– By April 1st, I will realize #1 by doing: Share findings with co-workers

and other students.

Western Students At-A-Glance '11–’12• Total FTEs

– 3,854• Total Students

– 16,581• Average Age Credit Students

– 25• Average Age Non-Credit Students

– 38• Female Students

– 51%• Male Student

– 49%

* 22% of Students Reporting (2010-11)

• Students working Full-time– 21.7%*• Students working Part-time– 51.6%*• Graduates– 1,446• Find Work in Western District– 75%• Find Work in their Field– 73%

Western Student Diversity

• African American• American Indian

/Alaska Native• Asian• Hispanic/Latino• Multi-Racial• Pacific Islander• White• Not Reported/Other

Western2.2%1.2%

3.1%2.4%.8%.1%

83.9%6.3%

La Crosse2.2%.5%

4.1%.9%

0%91.7%

WI5.9%.9%

2.1%4.9%

0%87.7%

US12.4%.8%

4.4%15.1%

.1%74.5%

Download Poster Art

student_portrait_poster.pdf