3031 ECEN Focus Group Summary Focus Group conducted by Alison Babitzke 1. Do you feel the amount of work required for this class reflects the amount of student credit hours that you receive for this class? All focus group participants agreed that the amount of work required for this class was substantially greater than the amount of credit hours received. I remember spending 6-8 hours every week for the two hours I spent in lab. Comment: You could easily spend 10-15 hours a week Response: To reflect 3 credit hours.
2. Is the grade that you got in this class a fair reflection of how much you learned and the amount of effort that you put forth? Initially, the majority of group participants indicated that the grade they received in this class reflected the amount learned and the amount of effort contributed. However, most participants also agreed that they put forth more effort in dealing with equipment than their class grade reflected. Im going to go with yes, because I put forth a lot of effort and I got rewarded for that. I put in a lot more effort than I learned because I was fighting the equipment a lot.
3a. Looking back, how well do you understand the material that was covered in the course? The majority of participants reported that they understand the material that was covered in the course. I understood it okay. It was better than my previous methods just because I enrolled in a class that was smaller, so the TA/student ratio was a lot smaller. I mean, I got help from the TA a lot. I think that I understood it because its one of those courses that require that you know that knowledge that we were learning.
3b. Looking back, how well do you remember the material that was covered in this course? Most participants indicated that they either remember the material well or are able to reference it in their lab manuals when needed. With these labs you can get like a lab manual and they outline exactly what you do. Its always a good thing to reference it. So, thats helpful. I know Ive gone back and, Oh, how do I do this? And then, I look it up and its right there. So, the memory is not so well, but the reference for that class is good. I dont know, I remember it pretty well, basically because I had to hear it before I took the class. Most of the stuff we covered, you get to cover it all over again.
4. How well did the laboratory or design part of this course help you to understand the material that was covered in this course or other courses? The majority of focus group participants reported that the laboratory part of this course helped them to understand the material covered in the course. However, they also noted that several problems related to this course. I think the lab definitely helps. You take methods III and devices at the same time, but youre not required to. But, I thought that the students who didnt take it at the same time really didnt know what was going on in the class. Like they couldnt figure out how this worked or why that worked or things like that. And so, it really seemed like a waste of time for them to be in class and it was wasting our time on reiterating information that we already had a basic understanding of. I mean, I think it helped. I think the labs definitely help, because you understand what youre covering in class. But, sometimes you dont cover it in class until after you do the lab, so thats an issue. You get the application part of it in the lab.
5. How well did the laboratory or design experience help you put what your learned in electrical engineering in a larger context? In other words, did it help you see the importance of what you have learned and why it is relevant to a real engineering problem? Most participants indicated that the laboratory experience helped them understand the importance of their knowledge in a real engineering problem. However, most also agreed that using the class lecture hour would likely aid in increasing their understanding of the relevance of their knowledge in real world applications.
I think the lab is essential. I think that if we were all starting design I right now and had never had a lab before, we wouldnt be getting anything out of it. I mean, it just, it would be a constant battle with equipment and parts and stuff, you dont understand how it works in real life. And so, its necessary, but theres things that could be better about how its run and how it works. So, I think that yes, I mean, its definitely a good thing. Its just not organized as well as maybe it could be. During the class, I mean, when you build something, youre just learning how it works just then, but you cant see how you apply it. But, maybe if we spent that lecture hour, he could explain how its used.
6. Judging from the description of what ECEN hopes to accomplish in laboratory and design courses, how might the laboratory or design experience at OSU be improved? All participants indicated that certain improvements could be made in laboratory design experiences. The most common areas of improvement included using the lecture period and hiring TAs with better teaching skills. Maybe using that one hour lecture period thats assigned to the class would help. And also, it would give the professor an understanding of what we are understanding and what we arent. So, I really think that one hour should be utilized. I know its another hour in class, but I wouldve gone to it. And, looking back now, really I wish wed had it. It wouldve saved us maybe like three hours of our own time by just using that hour. I think we need more qualified TAs, and qualified in more areas than just the knowledge that they have and the grades theyve made in the previous classes. I mean, I think they need to speak a little better English and I think they need to be a little bit more, like better people skills.
7. What would you say is the strongest or most valuable aspect of this course? Several participants indicated that the most valuable aspect of this course was having fewer labs and spending more time on each lab. Several other participants reported that more practical aspects, such as learning to use the equipment and to troubleshoot a circuit, were the most valuable aspect of the course. I thought 3031 was good because there were less labs and more spent time per lab. I thought that was great, especially having a good TA when you had more time to work on a lab was really good, because you could really utilize that time. Learning to use the equipment Its nice just to have a reference. If you go back, you forget what you need to do for a certain thing. Learning how to troubleshoot a circuit Learning how to measure current
8. What would you say is the weakest or least valuable aspect of this course? Most participants cited weaknesses of this course. Two participants indicated that the professor for this course didnt provide adequate guidance. Further, most participants agreed that although the TA for this class was helpful, this experience is a rarity in classes overall. Dr. Allison didnt necessarily provide very good guidance for methods, but he did make sure that what we were doing in devices was at least in the same area as what we were doing in the lab. TA/professor, material understanding.
9. Is there something that should be covered in this course but isnt? The majority of participants reported that there are not any additional topics that should be covered in this class. I think they did a good job, too, because devices is a little more in depth about like certain subjects, like certain parts of a subject. And, I think that adding anything else to it, like the time pressure wouldve gotten really bad, because its a lot of stuff to learn about a few things.
10. Do you have any other comments or criticism about this course you would like to bring to the attention of the faculty? Participants reported varied criticisms about this course. Several participants agreed that using the one hour lecture and having available office hours would be useful. Probably just that we ought to use that one hour lecture; it could help. And, maybe have some office hours.
11. Do you have any other comments or criticisms about the engineering department as a whole that you would like to bring to the attention of the faculty? Participants cited several comments and criticisms about the department as a whole. Criticisms included the lack of women in the department, low class averages, lack of direction from professors for working in groups, and competitiveness among students. I have a criticism: there are no women. None on staff, not even one ...I hate to be that way, but I just feel like there should be somebody there who rea...