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Representative Data from Student Evaluations

This section presents unedited statements from recent student evaluations of instruction. While not comprehensive, they represent the range of responses typical for each course. 

EFOP 2051 Master's Level Research Methods for Higher Education

This course was conducted in the Higher Education program at the University of Pittsburgh. I was the instructor of record for the course, which was taught during the fall term of 2023.

To what extent did this course exemplify/align with the mission-vision of the University of Pittsburgh?​
​I do think this course aligns with the mission–vision for the most part. I was very surprised and pleased by the immediate focus on DEI and disrupting white supremacy in an introductory research class.

I think that this class definitely ignited learning. This professor is very kind, and I am glad to be graced with his presence. We (students) definitely learn with and from the community. I think that his assignments have helped me make connections with my peers in ways I could not imagine.

I think class content fit the criteria listed. Course readings provided space to think critically about research and ethics of research.

I would say that the justice component was satisfied very well by this course.

I think he definitely had the intent to help us succeed but struggled at first. I think that the course became more accessible as he took feedback.

What was strongest about this course environment?
The focus on doing better by marginalized communities, disrupting white supremacy, and equity in research was weaved throughout nearly every part of the course, especially in qualitative research. It wasn't just one week or one lesson, it has been something we've been consistently engaging with throughout the semester.

Dr. McChesney was very passionate about the importance of ethical research and it showed. His classroom felt like a safe space to learn and share with one another.

the strongest was that we were able to be honest when we did not know the answer and we were not punished for it

It is clear that Dr. McChesney is very enthusiastic about this topic. You can tell that he cares about research and about trying to get others to engage in research, which must be difficult if 90% of the class is not intending to take their research knowledge any further than this class. I would say that the actual lectures were helpful, even in spaces where I found myself having difficulty.

Classmates working together.

Collaboration

What would improve the course environment?
Nothing.

N/A

Discontinuing cold calling.

The instructor was hard to follow on occasion.

Honestly, I like Dr. McChesney as a professor and it is clear that he cares, but I would have preferred taking this class with content that was fully his as opposed the previous work being presented.

What was strongest about this instructor?
He cared about the course and was very knowledgeable on the subject being presented. Additionally, he was very accessible outside of class time via email, review sessions, and office hours.

Excellent speaker. Really wanted the class to feel comfortable with research.

Very clear on topics in class discussions and made himself very available for outside the classroom help

The instructor is very clearly passionate about research and this work. I liked his teaching style and his insights into the research process that went beyond what we were learning.

He showed real passion for the material.

His passion for the course.

He has passion for the course material he is teaching

What ideas would you share with this instructor about how to manage the course more effectively next time they teach it?
They managed the course well.

Consider different ways for class participation

I think that taking the course at a slower pace or more evenly pace will make it more effective learning.

N/A

There are a lot of assignments in this course and many have not had previous experience with research methods. Less assignments and more focus on subject/group work or an asynchronous class or two for students to be able to work on the larger modules.

I think Dr. McChesney is capable of creating course content that is more engaging and approachable for students than what was presented this semester.

Brief Quantitative Evaluation Results
5 point scale: Hardly at all; to a small degree; to a moderate degree; to a considerable degree; to a very high degree

The instructor was enthusiastic about teaching the course.
100% To a very high degree, or considerable degree. 
The instructor maintained an environment where students had equitable opportunities to participate.
73% To a very high degree, or considerable degree. 
The course supported a learning community where students were an important part of each other’s learning experiences.
91% To a very high degree, or considerable degree.
The course included materials, readings, and resources that reflect the experiences of historically minoritized communities, cultures, and ways of knowing.
82% To a very high degree, or considerable degree.

5 point Likert-type agreement scale
This course enabled me to critically evaluate research in this field.
89% Agree or Strongly agree. 

ESHESA 7512 The Interaction of Students and Environments

This course was conducted in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program at The Ohio State University. I acted as a Graduate Teaching Associate for this course under the direction of Dr. Matthew Mayhew. The course was a compressed version, taught fully online in a synchronous and asynchronous format during the summer term of 2021.

  1. Eric was essential in helping me think through the content in a more meaningful way which helped me be successful in applying the concepts discussed both in class and in the readings to each assignment. He was always responsive and available outside of class and offered me perspectives I hadn't considered or useful tips I could apply to completing the course. He was instrumental to my success and learning in this class.

  2. Eric was very responsive when I had questions. When I was struggling with an assignment, he walked me through the first part of it and asked questions that guided my thinking process in the right direction. He was very patient and provided some alternative ways of thinking about the theories which I felt added some depth to the class. He also made it easy to reach out to him with questions; he was very welcoming and gracious.

  3. Eric was very helpful throughout the course. He gave instructive feedback and made himself available to answer questions at all times. I really appreciate his efforts to ensure that students understood assignments which was important because many of the students have been out of school for some years. A specific example to illustrate how Eric contributed to my learning experience was when my group partner and I reached out to him about the environmental brief assignment. Eric made sure we understood the assignment by asking us to consider if there were sufficient literature base in which to root our brief. After further discussion, we decided to choose another topic in which we felt more confident in. I really enjoyed working with Eric and wish him the best with his future endeavors!

  4. Eric was phenomenal in his role as GTA for this class, I honestly don't think that I have ever had a teaching assistant in a course that was nearly as genuinely helpful and responsive as Eric has been and I think he really deserves to be commended for his performance!

  5. Eric was supportive, helpful, knowledgeable and a great asset to this course. I truly cannot see myself being as successful in this class without his speedy and thorough email responses. Every question was met with considerate feedback and exceptional follow up at a later point. Thank you Eric for a great experience! 

  6. Eric is great at responding to emails in a timely fashion, which I appreciate! Eric made the asynchronous classes work well for me by giving a summary for each class and adding links to everything I could possibly need. His knowledge of Zoom and Canvas is apparent and had made the flow of class easier on all of us by having break out rooms ready and the course site all set up.

  7. Eric was helpful and responsive in every question I posed to him, and there were a lot! His instruction was clear and concise and made the assignments easy to understand and complete. 

  8. Quick and clear responses to questions. This was very much appreciated, especially in the virtual environment.

  9. Eric was very helpful in answering questions quickly and thoroughly. I appreciated all his preparation for our classes - you could tell he did a lot to make sure they ran smoothly (setting up breakout groups, posting the PPT ahead of time, etc.). I also appreciated how thorough he was in the videos for our asynchronous classes.

  10. Eric was responsive to questions and had helpful feedback during certain assignments. I appreciated the way he structured the PPTS and gave opportunities to hit pause and go complete a task. That was a very thoughtful way of chunking material. His PPTs were well-paced and clear. 

  11. I felt that Eric provided great insights into the theoretical concepts that we were discovering throughout the course. Appreciated his feedback when it related to the exercises. He readily responded and the insights were helpful to completed the tasks. 

  12. He is great. Very responsive and helpful with answering questions. 

  13. Eric was great in all aspects. He was responsive and very detailed. He made the course very easy to navigate. 

  14. Eric was always thoughtful and timely in his email responses. Additionally, he did a great job of laying out our asynchronous classes and videos. I loved the organization and you could tell he had a vested interest in our learning. Throughout class, if I ever had a question or issue with technology, he was always understanding in his responses in the Zoom chat. Thanks Eric for a great (half) semester! 

  15. I thought Eric's work allowed me to focus on the readings and assignments.  Yes, there were some last minute changes, but I thought they were made with the student in mind.  Eric's video were helpful and easy to understand which I felt like it enhanced my learning experience.

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