Results of course feedback survey | O1

Background

Mother tongue:

If you are fully bilingual (or tri-), please select the first applicable option. E.g., pick “Finnish” if you know both Finnish and another language at the level of a native Speaker.

a) Finnish
b) Swedish
c) some other language

General Comments

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

“When I needed information about O1’s practical arrangements, I found it.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The course kept to the stated schedule, or at least kept us informed of any changes.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“It’s good that the course grade comes directly from the assignments.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“Dividing the assignments in categories (A, B, C) is a good idea.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“It was important to me that I could study when and where I want (i.e., no mandatory attendance).”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“It was important to me that I could choose whether or not to work with a student pair.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“I think the course should have had an examination.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“I think the course should have been based on lectures.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

"Fetching modules into IntelliJ and submitting solutions to A+ worked well."

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The course staff seemed motivated.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

Further comments on the practical arrangements or the other topics mentioned above:

Course Materials and Assignments

Which of the following claims about the weekly bulletins best matches you?

(The weekly bulletins are the “zero chapters” 2.0, 3.0, etc. that build on student comments and questions.)

a) I didn’t even notice that the weekly bulletins were available.
b) I noticed the weekly bulletins, but I didn’t read them at all or barely skimmed them.
c) I read some parts of the weekly bulletins.
d) I read most (or all) of the content in most (or all) of the weekly bulletins.

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

“The course materials were understandable.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The course materials were interesting."

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“It makes sense to embed the assignments in the ebook text.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“It’s reasonable for O1 to use automatic assessment.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The weekly bulletins were a good addition to the course.” (Please pick “No comment” if you didn’t read them.)

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The fact that the material was in English was a source of difficulty for me.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“[question about Finnish omitted from English questionnaire]”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“Scala seems like a useful programming language.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“Scala seems like a programming language that is suitable for O1.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The course was too theoretical.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The introduction to programming offered by the course should have emphasized theory more.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“It’s good that we programmed with images and sound, even though that meant using O1-specific tools (e.g., the play function, the Pic class, etc.)”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

“I studied the animations carefully.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“The animations helped me understand program examples and/or programming concepts.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

Further comments on the course materials, assignments, weekly bulletins, or the other topics mentioned above:

Teaching Assistants and Lab Sessions

“The assistants were good at teaching me (overall).”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

Messages from assistants

O1’s teaching assistants monitored the progress of selected students (especially: beginner programmers from Aalto’s School of Science) and sent them weekly messages via email. If you received these messages, we’d appreciate your comments on whether they were useful or otherwise meaningful to you. If you didn’t receive such emails, just skip this box.

Further comments on the guidance you received, greetings to the assistants, etc.

Learning and Workload

How much do you feel you learned in O1?

a) nothing
b) a little
c) some
d) a lot

How difficult would ýou describe O1’s contents as?

a) much too easy
b) a little too easy
c) more or less appropriate
d) a little too hard
e) much too hard

Please consider the following info, then comment on O1’s workload

Any five-credit course should provide about 137 hours of learning for a typical student who has no additional prior experience in the course topic and who reaches a grade of three. Reaching the highest grades may well take more time.

In O1, 137 hours means working for more than ten hours per week.

In the light of the above information, assess O1’s workload by selecting one of the options below. (Please note that this question isn’t about whether O1 is lighter or heavier than other courses you are taking or have taken.)

a) The workload is far too light.
b) The workload is a little too light.
c) The workload is more or less appropriate.
d) The workload is a little too heavy.
e) The workload is far too heavy.

Your activity: did you put in the effort?

“I’m satisfied with my own efforts in O1.”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

(These items, too, are here to help with course design. Obviously, none of your

answers to this questionnaire will affect your — or anyone’s — course grade.)

“I think would have learned more if I hadn’t relied so much on other students’ work (during pairwork or by otherwise depending on other students’ skills).”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

“I’m aware of at least one other student who I think would have learned more if they hadn’t relied so much on other students’ work (during pairwork or by otherwise depending on other students’ skills).”

0) cannot say / no comments
1) strongly disagree
2) disagree
3) agree
4) strongly agree

Further comments on learning, difficulty, and workload:

To future O1 students

If you’d like to enter a hint or message to the students of future O1 offerings, you’re welcome to do so here:

Summary

Please rate O1’s arrangements (course components, announcements, other practicalities):

a) 1 — very poor
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5 — very good
f) don’t know / no comment

Please rate O1’s course materials (ebook):

a) 1 — very poor
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5 — very good
f) don’t know / no comment

Please rate the guidance you received (lab sessions, online forums, etc.):

a) 1 — very poor
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5 — very good
f) don’t know / no comment

Please rate O1 as a whole:

a) 1 — very poor
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
e) 5 — very good
f) don’t know / no comment

Course feedback results - fall 2020

Background

Mother tongue:

General Comments

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

“When I needed information about O1’s practical arrangements, I found it.”

“The course kept to the stated schedule, or at least kept us informed of any changes.”

“It’s good that the course grade comes directly from the assignments.”

“Dividing the assignments in categories (A, B, C) is a good idea.”

“It was important to me that I could study when and where I want (i.e., no mandatory attendance).”

“It was important to me that I could choose whether or not to work with a student pair.”

“I think the course should have had an examination.”

“I think the course should have been based on lectures.”

"Fetching modules into IntelliJ and submitting solutions to A+ worked well."

“The course staff seemed motivated.”

Further comments on the practical arrangements or the other topics mentioned above:

Course Materials and Assignments

Which of the following claims about the weekly bulletins best matches you?

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

“The course materials were understandable.”

“The course materials were interesting."

“It makes sense to embed the assignments in the ebook text.”

“It’s reasonable for O1 to use automatic assessment.”

“The weekly bulletins were a good addition to the course.” (Please pick “No comment” if you didn’t read them.)

“The fact that the material was in English was a source of difficulty for me.”

“[question about Finnish omitted from English questionnaire]”

“Scala seems like a useful programming language.”

“Scala seems like a programming language that is suitable for O1.”

“The course was too theoretical.”

“The introduction to programming offered by the course should have emphasized theory more.”

“It’s good that we programmed with images and sound, even though that meant using O1-specific tools (e.g., the play function, the Pic class, etc.)”

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

“I studied the animations carefully.”

“The animations helped me understand program examples and/or programming concepts.”

Further comments on the course materials, assignments, weekly bulletins, or the other topics mentioned above:

Teaching Assistants and Lab Sessions

“The assistants were good at teaching me (overall).”

Messages from assistants

Further comments on the guidance you received, greetings to the assistants, etc.

Learning and Workload

How much do you feel you learned in O1?

How difficult would ýou describe O1’s contents as?

Please consider the following info, then comment on O1’s workload

Your activity: did you put in the effort?

“I’m satisfied with my own efforts in O1.”

Please indicate whether you agree with these claims:

“I think would have learned more if I hadn’t relied so much on other students’ work (during pairwork or by otherwise depending on other students’ skills).”

“I’m aware of at least one other student who I think would have learned more if they hadn’t relied so much on other students’ work (during pairwork or by otherwise depending on other students’ skills).”

Further comments on learning, difficulty, and workload:

To future O1 students

Summary

Please rate O1’s arrangements (course components, announcements, other practicalities):

Please rate O1’s course materials (ebook):

Please rate the guidance you received (lab sessions, online forums, etc.):

Please rate O1 as a whole:

“Finally, I’d like to say this:”