Music Program
Sample questions from course evaluations
This is an open forum for faculty to share their questions and ideas for course evaluations in the Music Program. Please send additional examples to Tom Whitman.
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Whether wisely or no, my question to the students is verbal and completely open-ended, something like, "please write comments anonymously on the strengths and weaknesses of this course." (This is posed slightly after the midpoint in the semester, and I leave the room and have a designated student collect the responses.)
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Course Name and Number:_______________________________
Semester:________________________
End-of-Semester Course Evaluation
Please rate the following aspects of the course. Also, PLEASE provide additional comments below each entry; more information will help me make revisions to the course in a meaningful way.
Excellent Poor
1. Readings: quantity 1 2 3 4
quality 1 2 3 4
variety 1 2 3 4
2. Intellectual stimulation 1 2 3 4
3. Class discussions 1 2 3 4
4.Organization of course 1 2 3 4
5. Writing assignments 1 2 3 4
6. Quizzes and exams (were they helpful?)
Please comment on and rate the following aspects of the teacher’s overall performance:
1. Clarity of presentation 1 2 3 4
2. Knowledge and preparation 1 2 3 4
3. Amount and quality of feedback 1 2 3 4
4. Ability to arouse interest 1 2 3 4
3. How hard did you work in this course? Very little average very hard
4 How difficult was the course? Not very difficult average very difficult
5. Overall, how satisfied were you with the quality of this course?
Highly Moderately Mixed Moderately Highly
Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
Thanks! Have a great Summer!
*****
Course Evaluation
1. Workload:
In general, do you find the workload for this class appropriate, too heavy, or too light? Approximately how many hours, on average, do you spend working on “theory” material (as distinct from musicianship / Music 40 or keyboard skills)?
2. Formats for learning:
Through which of the following do you feel you learn the most? In which do you learn the least? Are any stressed too much/too little? Are any expendable?
a) Reading assignments
b) Listening assignments
c) Analysis assignments
d) Composition projects
e) Individual meetings with the instructor
f) in-class discussions
g) in-class student presentations
3.Departmental Context:
How well does this course fit into other courses in the music curriculum? Has the “vertical” sequence from one theory course to the next been successful? Do music theory and musicianship reinforce each other well enough, or are they too disparate? Do you feel that this course reinforces material you encounter in other music study?
4. Diversity:
Is the curriculum for Music 14 sufficiently diverse? Or is it too focussed on European baroque, classical, and romantic music?
5. Miscellaneous:
Other comments/thoughts about Music 14 or the Music Curriculum at Swarthmore?
*****
Music 41 - Swarthmore College Jazz Ensemble - Spring
2006
Course Objectives:
- To perform in concert a wide range of jazz
literature, in small and large group settings
- To build upon and expand knowledge of jazz theory
and understand its relationship and application
relative to form, harmony and improvisation
- To establish a technical and harmonic mastery that
becomes a starting point for meaningful improvisation
- To learn how to thoughtfully listen to music and to
critically reflect upon it, gaining insights into
period, artistry, orchestration, etc.
List your personal expectations for the course:
Above are the course objectives and your expectations.
In what way have these been achieved by you?
What was your most important learning in the couse?
About jazz improvisation?
About jazz theory?
About jazz history?
About ensemble participation?
About yourself?
What one thing facilitated your learning in this
course?
What one thing hindered your learning in this course?
Please share with me your ideas for imporving the
course next time I teach it.
Swarthmore College Jazz Ensemble
Spring 2006 End of Semester Questionnaire
1 - List your 3 or 4 (of 24) favorite pieces this
year:
2 - List your 2 or 3 (of 24) least favorite pieces
this year:
3 - Not including Monday evenings, on average, how
many hours/week do you practice on your jazz
instrument?
4 - Are you involved in Music 48. Yes or no
5 - List one thing you would not change about the Jazz
Ensemble:
6 - List one thing you would change about the Jazz
Ensemble:
7 - Number of rehearsals per week. More, less,
same...
8 - Time/length/location of rehearsals (slightly
related to #7 above)
9 - Number of performances - more, less, same
10 - Interested in a concert, a Gala event, in which
all the large ensembles (Jazz, Chorus, Orch, Wind
Ensemble, Gamelan) play a short set?
11 - Grading. Keep it Credit/No Credit. Would you
like to see it switch to A-F?
12 - Would you like to see an audition process that
yielded a set personnel?3
13 - If there were interest and appropriate
instrumentation, do you think there should be a second
Jazz Ensemble?
14 - Rate you combo experience on a scale of 1-5, 5
being the highest:
15 - Rate your big band experience on a scale of 1-5,5
being the highest:
16 - General suggestions