Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Q1 Select from the following:

Answered: 17

Skipped: 0

Teacher

Select

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

0%

10%

Ms. Berkefeld
Ms. Hone

20%

30%
Mr. Bitler

Mr. Kesler

40%

50%

Ms. Celente
Ms. Palmer

60%

70%

Mr. Erlandson
Ms. Reeves

80%

90% 100%
Dr. Hobson

Mr. Ryan

Ms. Tavares

Course

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Select

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

0%

10%

20%

Interactive Investigation
Chemistry

30%

40%

70%

90% 100%

Biology

Physics Honors
Engineering, Technology& Design

Advanced Physics Seminar

IB Chemistry

80%

Interactive Systems

Physics

Biotechnology

Neuroscience

AP/IB Environmental

60%

Interactive Discovery

Chemistry Honors

Anatomy and Physiology

STEMinar

50%

IB Biology

IB Physics

Slot

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Select

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90% 100%

Teacher
Ms. Berkefeld
Select

0.00%
0

Mr. Bitler

Ms. Celente

0.00%
0

Mr. Erlandson

0.00%
0

100.00%
17

Dr. Hobson
0.00%
0

Ms. Hone
0.00%
0

Mr. Kesler

Ms. Palmer

0.00%
0

Ms. Reeves

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

Mr. Ryan
0.00%
0

Ms. Tavares
0.00%
0

Total

17

Course

Select

Interactive
Investigation

Interactive
Discovery

Interactive
Systems

Biology

Chemistry

Chemistry
Honors

Physics

Physics
Honors

Anatomy
and
Physiology

Biotechnology

Engineering,
Technology&
Design

STEMinar

Neuroscience

Advanced
Physics
Seminar

IB
Biology

AP/IB
Environmental

IB
Chemistry

IB
Physics

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

100.00%
17

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

Slot
A

6 / 15

Total

Total

17

Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Select

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

100.00%
17

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

7 / 15

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

17

Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Q2 Please rate how strongly you agree or
disagree with each of the following
statements below based on your personal
experiences in this course thus far.
Answered: 17

Skipped: 0

I have found
that my teac...

I have
received...

I have
received tim...

I have been
given...

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

I have been
given...

I have found
the learning...

The teacher
has been...

0%

10%

Strongly Agree

20%

30%

Agree

40%

50%

Disagree

60%

70%

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Agree

80%

90% 100%

Not Applicable

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Not Applicable

Total

I have found that my teacher explains course material and expectations clearly.

52.94%
9

17.65%
3

11.76%
2

0.00%
0

17.65%
3

17

I have received helpful feedback from my teacher on my work and performance.

47.06%
8

47.06%
8

5.88%
1

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

17

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

I have received timely feedback.

11.76%
2

52.94%
9

35.29%
6

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

17

I have been given opportunities to demonstrate my learning on a variety of assessments.

64.71%
11

35.29%
6

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

17

I have been given opportunities to engage in independent thinking.

82.35%
14

17.65%
3

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

17

I have found the learning environment appropriate and positive.

76.47%
13

23.53%
4

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

17

The teacher has been sensitive to my needs.

82.35%
14

17.65%
3

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

0.00%
0

17

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Q3 Describe your experience in this course.
Answered: 17

Skipped: 0

Responses

Date

So far, it's been a really interesting and engaging course. The pacing is just about right. We've done a variety of labs that have been helpful in terms
of understanding the material. Mr. Erlandson keeps a light and sometimes humorous mood while still maintaining the educational quality of the
course.

1/5/2015 11:18 AM

I've had a good time in this course so far, and feel that I've learnt a lot. The pace is good and it's a very engaging class where we have fun but also
cover all the material that we need to cover.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

Environmental science has definitely been more difficult than I expected. As an IB science, it departs from the traditional form of science classes that
I'm used to, in which the exact expectations are explicitly conveyed. This is a good thing in that it encourages independent thinking and more
accurately mirrors what science is like in the real world, but it definitely takes some getting used to. The first semester has taken a lot of "feeling out"
the expectations for the course, as well as a lot of interesting topics.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

Mr Erlandson does a good job of explaining the concepts, although occasionally things like labs requiring several periods can create annoying
breaks between learning material and tests.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

My experience in this course has been mostly positive. Any complaints i have would be directed toward the ap/ib curriculum, not Mr. Erlandson's
teaching. I think that his assessments are difficult but fair and he covers class material well. I put not applicable above because he isn't usually
allowed to explain any of the labs, so they are very confusing.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

This course has stimulated my interest in all things environmental. Before learning any concepts from this course I did not give much thought about
how I was affecting the environment but now I have come to realize the importance of giving much thought to the actions I make today. I now know I
need to be environmentally conscious of my deeds.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

Mr. Erlandson says that the IB doesn't want him to direct us on our labs, so it is not fair to say he does or does not explain course material in that
sense. He can thoroughly explain almost anything about environmental science and gives us proper feedback. Although sometimes it is a while
after we did the assignment. He gives us tests, labs, and exercises in class that aid in our learning.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

This course has been helpful in terms of independently thinking about how to set up a lab and write one. However, since it is an IB class the
feedback isn't specific as to what is exactly missing from the lab to improve it.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

Being in this class has truly been a pleasure. From labs, to discussions, to lectures, the environment of the class is truly engaging and entertaining.
Mr. Erlandson is a funny man.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

10

I enjoy this course more when we are learning harder material. I think that over certain chapter I loose interest when we are learning concepts that
are extremely straightforward and do not need as much time to be focused on when we could be learning harder concepts in environmental science.
(ex: Invasive vs. non-invasive species spent too much time on and was too easy, made people stop taking the class seriously)

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

11

I really like this course so far we learn lots of material very fast. The labs are hard considering that he isnt supposed to really explain things to us
(why I put disagree) but it makes them hard to do. The labs are definitely the hardest part of this course.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

12

My experience in this course has been good. I feel that it is a very hands on course.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

13

Very good. Challenging.worthwhile

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

14

Even though the class is very challenging, I still really enjoy the class and the way the material is being taught.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

15

It's good.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

16

I love enviro. It is one of my favorite classes and there is always great energy in the room. I find the material very interesting and I enjoy coming
every day.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

17

good course

1/5/2015 11:09 AM

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Q4 How effectively do the assignments, inclass activities and labs help you
understand the material and develop your
skills? Please be specific.
Answered: 17

Skipped: 0

Responses

Date

The in-class discussions are very helpful for understanding material, specifically when we discuss examples in current events. The labs are related
very closely to what we are learning, and are thus helpful. The reading homework is, of course, very helpful.

1/5/2015 11:18 AM

They are all very effective, though I think discussing the reading more would be helpful to understanding it.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

Assignments, in-class activities, and labs are very successfully balanced and helpful in understanding the material and developing skills. Homework
is not always just textbook reading and sometimes includes newspaper articles or interactive websites, which is a nice breakup of assignments and
very engaging. In-class activities are sometimes repetitive or mundane but generally effective in getting information across, and lessons and
discussions are kept lively. We could devote some more time to practice worksheets or review for tests that mirrors the types of questions we'll be
receiving and the expectations for our answers. Labs are more difficult than I expected, but when done in conjunction with lessons on related
concepts, they definitely contribute to my understanding of the material and development of skills.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

The in-class activities are very helpful, and most of the assignments are reading, which is nice because we generally have either a big lab we're
working on or a small lab due very soon. The labs are helpful.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

The assignments are helpful, and during class when it is not a lab day we usually just cover the material in the book plus some extra information.
The labs are pretty difficult and I don't always see the connection to the course material, but they are okay.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

The readings assigned are very helpful as are the labs but I feel as if too much time is spent on performing labs. I think there should be less labs
and more reading material covered during class time.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

Very helpful. He finds clever ways to make the material interesting for everyone.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

The in-class activities and labs help me understand the topic and have helped me a lot for the upcoming tests.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

The labs help me engage in independent thinking, due to the fact that he does not give us a clear procedure, set up, or goal. We must investigate a
relationship that we see most fit, and use our minds to best isolate the two variables.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

10

Labs and tests are always fair and a good judge of our knowledge. However, labs could be made a little bit more exciting.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

11

All the homeworks and classes etc. are geared very well towards the topics and help me understand the material. Sometimes the powerpoints can
be long and a lot of information to take in, however.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

12

The assignments and in class activities are helpful in allowing me to understand the content that we are learning. The content is directly related to
the reading and the powerpoint presentations.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

13

The assignments mainly constitute of reading the text book which is obviously pertinent to understanding the material and because there is so
much information to retain I find that all this reading helps me develop my memorizing skills

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

14

The homework assignments could be more broken up because usually we just have one huge textbook reading assignment. By the end of the
reading I do not take in the material as well and this hurts me on the tests. But, the in class discussions and labs help.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

15

The reading can be overwhelming at times but we go over it a lot and are tested on it pretty effectively. The labs sometimes I feel like when we're
setting it up could use a little bit more direction, even though it's technically an IB course.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

16

I really like all of the in-class activities. The labs are often fun end exciting and not too difficult to do. I like using the labs to demonstrate concepts that
we are reading in the textbook and discussing in class.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

17

very effectively

1/5/2015 11:09 AM

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Q5 What has been most effective for you
about this instructor's teaching? What has
been least effective for you about this
instructor's teaching?
Answered: 17

Skipped: 0

Responses

Date

Mr. Erlandson really excels at being engaged with the class. He never really lectures at us, but rather talks and discusses with us, so that you can
feel like an important part of the class. I understand that IB expects you to be able to conceptualize and create a lab by yourself, but I wish we could
have some basic guidelines on how to go about doing this.

1/5/2015 11:18 AM

The most effective has been the way that we are taught the material because it's very engaging. Nothing has really been ineffective.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

The most effective part of Mr. Erlandson's teaching has been the balance of direct course material and other interesting explorations, which he
generally presents in a way that maintains our interests. The least effective element of this instructor's teaching has sometimes been unclear
conveying of standards, both on tests and labs. I have sometimes found that I answer open-ended questions in what seems to be the fullest way
possible, yet still receive points off for excluding small details. Labs are supposed to be open-ended and unclear by the IB criteria, but some more
direction would be helpful.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

I think most effective has been the powerpoints and presentations. Least effective would be the labs in which we have little direction and struggle
with.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

Mr. Erlandson uses a variety of methods to teach like powerpoints, jeopardy quizzes, and problem sets. His teaching is always effective.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

The presentations such as powerpoints and fun quizzes have been most effective about my instructor's teaching. This proves to be a fun and
efficient method to further understand the concepts being learned at the moment.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

He is a good guy. He is understanding and makes the class enjoyable.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

The most effective aspect of his teaching is variety of assignments and activities to help us absorb and remember the information being taught. The
least effective has been the lack of structure for designing labs.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

The most effective method of his teaching is his use of technology (powerpoints, labs, etc.) and his wit. Not much has been really ineffective.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

10

I am most engaged in the classroom when we are learning about sociology and hard science. I think Mr. Erlandson is a great teacher it is just the
course material needs to be made either more difficult or more exciting, and we can spend less time going over the obvious.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

11

The most effective thing is when we have question answering time like before labs and what not. The least effective thing is how we are left on our
own for labs most of the time.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

12

The lectures and power point presentations are helpful but they should not be every class because then they can become redundant. The class
participation activities are helpful and should be incorporated more often.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

13

He incorporates a lot of ouside sources in the lessons to help us understand the material which is really helpful.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

14

The in class powerpoint presentations and cmaps have really helped me understand the material. I would like to spread out the textbook reading
because I think I would understand the material more.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

15

Most effective is his ability to communicate the expectations Least effective is getting labs back on time.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

16

Mr. Erlandson is very straight forward but he also has a great sense of humor. At times, he is confusing with his expectations and I wish he was
more clear about directions during labs, but otherwise, when we are covering material in class, I love his teaching style.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

17

least--he is sometimes pretty vague about his expectations and some of the material. Especially on labs he doesn't really give us much information
about how to actually do the lab. Also while studying for tests some times i find it difficult to understand what kind of information he is actually looking
for and going to asses us on

1/5/2015 11:09 AM

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Q6 Which labs were most helpful? least
helpful?
Answered: 17

Skipped: 0

Responses

Date

The Retention Basin Lab was very helpful because it provided an opportunity to go out and see a concept present in the natural world. The Energy
Budget Lab, for me, was a little confusing.

1/5/2015 11:18 AM

I think the most helpful lab was the LD50 lab as it really helped me with understanding the concepts we were talking about in class. I think however,
the energy budget lab didn't really help me that much.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

The most helpful labs were probably the yeast lab and the LD-50 lab. The least helpful were probably the energy budget lab and the retention basin
lab, although it was a lot of fun. The energy budget lab seemed like we had a very limited scope to work with that did not contribute much to our
understanding. The retention basin lab was least helpful because we did it over a spread of 3 months, so it lost a lot of its value when we did the
actual lab calculations so long after the hands-on part itself. The yeast lab and LD-50 lab were direct representations of concepts we had discussed,
and definitely made it easier to discuss these concepts in theory.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

The most helpful labs were probably the LD50 lab and the energy budget lab. The cmaps were also good.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

The most helpful labs were the yeast lab and the LD50 lab because they were challenging, but directly related to the course material that we were
learning so it helped us prepare. THe least helpful was the retention basin lab because it was mostly counting.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

The energy budget lab was the most helpful. I was able to understand absorption, reflectivity, and incoming insulation accurately functions. The
least helpful lab was the Stella lab as it was quite hard to understand in the beginning.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

The Yeast lab was helpful. The LD-50 lab was sort of useless.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

The most helpful was the bean lab. The let helpful is the energy budget lab.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

The lab we are currently doing where we are given materials, and construct a relationship, set up, variables, etc. is the most engaging and fun

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

10

Albedo lab was the most helpful and none was particularly bad but I feel that many of them were just exploring the obvious. (i.e. soil retention basin)

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

11

I really liked the seed lab and the energy budget lab because they were tough but also helpful.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

12

The setup of the labs allows me to learn more about the topic but at the same time, after completing the lab, there is not much more that can be
learned.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

13

I thought all the labs held their own importance and helped me in understanding some of the concepts discussed in class.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

14

I think that the energy budget lab as helpful and it helped me gain a better understanding of the material. However, I feel that the seed lab was not
effective.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

15

Energy Budget

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

16

Playing with the moist soil was kind of strange.... I didnt really see the point of it. But I did enjoy the energy budget lab a lot. And the turbidity lab.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

17

i like all labs

1/5/2015 11:09 AM

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Newark Academy Science Department Course Reflection 2014-2015

Q7 Was the average workload for this
course reasonable?
Answered: 17

Skipped: 0

Responses

Date

Yes

1/5/2015 11:18 AM

Normally yes, but I think it would be helpful if the labs and tests weren't due around the same time.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

The average workload for this course was definitely reasonable in terms of quantity, although more rigorous and demanding than I anticipated.

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

Yes, although it can be difficult when tests and labs are scheduled close to each other

1/5/2015 11:15 AM

It is usually reasonable. We tend to have a lot of reading one night, and then none the following night, but if you plan your time it is fine. However,
the tests require extensive studying and study guides because every little bit of information in the textbook or discussion is fair game no matter how
subtle it may seem.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

The average workload was very reasonable thus had no trouble completing all assignments in a timely manner.

1/5/2015 11:13 AM

Yes. Sometimes assessments are bunched up though.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

The average workload was reasonable.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

I just wish he would space out the assessments a little bit more. One week we had two mini labs, and a test all in one week which was super
stressful.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

10

Yes, perfect workload, there just needs to be harder/more exciting content.

1/5/2015 11:12 AM

11

The workload is reasonable most of the time but sometimes gets to be a lot when we have labs and tests due near each other.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

12

The labs and homework assignments are doable. The amount of content that we are required to study for a test is a little unreasonable because not
all of the material is on the test.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

13

Yes the average workload was very reasonable.

1/5/2015 11:11 AM

14

This class requires a lot of studying and I think spreading out the textbook reading assignments would really help.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

15

Yes

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

16

Yes, very.

1/5/2015 11:10 AM

17

yes fairly reasonable

1/5/2015 11:09 AM

15 / 15