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Survey Results



Course Survey Results


Nodar   Sitchinava   ICS621, Fall 2022

Campus: University of Hawaii at Manoa Course: ICS 621 - Analysis of Algorithms
Department:   Information& Computer Sciences Crn (Section):   76478 (001)    


1.   Global appraisal: Overall how would you rate this INSTRUCTOR?

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Very Poor (1)  Poor (2)  Average (3)  Good (4)  Very Good (5) 
4.67 6 0.52   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 2(33%) 4(67%)
2.   Considering everything, how would you rate the GA/TA’s sections of this COURSE?

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Very Poor (1)  Poor (2)  Average (3)  Good (4)  Excellent (5) 
3.17 6 1.33   1(17%) 0(0%) 3(50%) 1(17%) 1(17%)
3.   Considering everything, how would you rate the LAB for this course?

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Very Poor (1)  Poor (2)  Average (3)  Good (4)  Excellent (5) 
3.33 6 1.37   1(17%) 0(0%) 2(33%) 2(33%) 1(17%)

4.   What did you find most valuable and helpful about the instructor?
Thorough, intelligent, friendly, and approachable. Nodari can seem strict, but he is a smart person and a good teacher. Go to office hours if you are not clear about anything, he helps you to understand the concepts well.
Very deep understanding of the material, so he was able to answer complex questions that helped everyone understand the topics better.
In depth knowledge about the topics and would explain answers to student questions well


5.   What did you find least valuable and helpful about the instructor?
Even though not providing the solutions straight away is a great approach to motivate students to try things on their own, you may feel lost if you are stuck in certain points. Please give more guidance and directions to assignments. I found that some assignments are vague, and do not specify how detailed we should be, and where to start the assignment in certain cases. Please provide more test cases for coding assignments. I did not like the idea of it being all or nothing for coding assignments although it is a good way to motivate students to not use the coding platform as a debugging tool. At least give partial marks by providing more test cases (make them hidden). I agree with the idea that students should come up with a solution and prove their approach is correct and come up with their test cases to verify the correctness of an algorithm. Still, I was demotivated and I felt stressed knowing that it was all or nothing.
NA
Hard to say

6.   The instructor is fair and objective in evaluating students.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.67 6 0.52   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 2(33%) 4(67%)
7.   The instructor is well prepared and organized.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.83 6 0.41   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 1(17%) 5(83%)

8.   Which aspect of the course were most valuable?
Almost everything.
Learning about the more complex data structures and their usages
Office hours


9.   Which aspect of the course were least valuable?
I agree with Nodari that "it is good if students try things on their own and try to solve problems independently". Still, I was so stressed with some assignments as he was not willing to look at our approach and give some feedback. So, I had to generalize my questions and ask for hints and unclear points during office hours. Please be a bit more flexible and provide proper guidance and points students in the right direction. Sometimes, being too strict demotivates and stresses out even hard-working, talented students. Please give more feedback and be a bit open.
Not having any TAs or labs to help assist our learning.
Hard to say


10.   Other comments?
This course will help you a lot to learn more about data structures and algorithms. Still, I would say this is a challenging and rigorous course. If you struggled with courses like ICS 311, this may be further challenging. This course will push you to your limits and it will challenge you academically. You will learn a lot! Again, start early, ask questions, go to office hours, discuss with your classmates, read resource material in advance, and get started on the project early! If you follow these and be organized, you can even get a good grade (B+ or higher, even an A-, A, A+ if you work well).
Thanks for a great semester Nodari!

11.   The instructor was open to comments and questions.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Rarely (1)  Sometimes (2)  Frequently (3)  Generally (4)  Almost Always (5) 
5.0 6 0.0   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 6(100%)
12.   The course was a valuable contribution to my education.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.67 6 0.52   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 2(33%) 4(67%)
13.   I learned a lot in this course.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.5 6 0.55   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 3(50%) 3(50%)
14.   The instructor treated students with respect.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.83 6 0.41   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 1(17%) 5(83%)
15.   The instructor demonstrated knowledge of the course content.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.83 6 0.41   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 1(17%) 5(83%)
16.   This course challenged me intellectually.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
5.0 6 0.0   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 6(100%)
17.   The instructor both sets high standards and helps students achieve them.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.67 6 0.52   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 2(33%) 4(67%)
18.   The instructor was available for consultation.

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.5 6 0.55   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 3(50%) 3(50%)
19.   Considering everything, how would you rate this COURSE?

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Very Poor (1)  Poor (2)  Average (3)  Good (4)  Excellent (5) 
4.33 6 0.52   0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 4(67%) 2(33%)
20.   What was the format of this class? online synchronous (class scheduled for particular days and times) online asynchronous (class conducted online - no scheduled class meeting)

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Online Synchronous ()  Online Asynchronous ()  In Person ()  Hybrid: In Person and Online Synchronous ()  Hybrid: In Person and Online Asynchronous ()  Hybrid: Online Synchronous and Asynchronous ()  Other () 
0.0 6 0.0   0(0%) 0(0%) 6(100%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%)

21.   If you answered 'Other' for the question above, please specify.

22.   The course is highly recommended if it were taught by this instructor

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.17 6 1.6   1(17%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 1(17%) 4(67%)
23.   The teaching-learning strategies used in the course encouraged active class participation

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
3.83 6 1.6   1(17%) 0(0%) 1(17%) 1(17%) 3(50%)
24.   The instructor seems to enjoy teaching

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.17 6 1.6   1(17%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 1(17%) 4(67%)
25.   The instructor was enthusiastic about the course material

Mean N-Size Std Dev   Strongly Disagree (1)  Disagree (2)  Neutral (3)  Agree (4)  Strongly Agree (5) 
4.33 6 1.63   1(17%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 0(0%) 5(83%)

26.   What changes would you make in the lectures?
Would prefer if was two shorter classes per week. A bit harder to digest all the information being one 2.5 hours class.
The lectures were good overall. They helped me solidify the concepts I learned during my undergraduate Data Structures and Algorithms course. Even, I was able to fill gaps in my knowledge. We only had one online class but it would have been better if that was also in-person because it is easy to get distracted when it is online.
It would be much better if the class was 2 times a week instead of 1 long lecture. The topics are more complex and students would benefit from more than one exposure to a topic per week.
Nothing


27.   What advice would you give to students, who might be taking this course in the future?
Prep for each week before the lectures by reading the suggested handouts.
Plan and start early on assignments. Assignments are tough and challenging, but you can get through them if you start early. Go to office hours and ask questions after trying the homework independently. However, Nodari will not give the solution straight away but he will point you in the right direction. Make a group with classmates and collaborate/discuss. It helps a lot, especially for this course. Try to read the relevant resource material for each section before the class if possible. Even I did not do this consistently because as you know in grad life you are pressed for time. Still, I understood that reading the resource materials before the class helps you to solidify the concepts better, ask for any unclear points, and participate actively in the class. Engage actively in the class by asking questions, and participating in the discussion so that you do not feel bored during the class. Read even the next week's topics in advance because it may help you to complete your assignments because topics are interrelated. You will be re-using a lot of material that you have learned in early classes. If you want to how to think critically and design better algorithms, you should take this class even though this is a rigorous and challenging class. As Nodari re-iterates, "Grades do not matter in grad school compared to what you learn", you will learn a lot from this class. Still, I was also a little bit worried about the grades as the semester went by. Hopefully, you will survive if you complete assignments on time and stay organized. Further, the research project carries a lot of weight in the final grade. So start early!!!! Moreover, research is hard & difficult. As Nodari says "Sometimes you could be hitting your head against a wall most of the time without making much progress and it is the nature of research". That is why you should start early on the project. Still, I learned a lot about research skills that I should develop from the project. Revise your early Data Structures and Algorithms knowledge before the semester begins. Revise Math knowledge (logarithms, probability - this is a must as even all my class struggled with this, discrete math).
Start homeworks early and don't miss lecture. Also be sure to ask questions in class when you are confused instead of trying to wait and figure it out later. The instructor was very helpful in answering questions.
Course is difficult, make sure to get to know your classmates for collaboration