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Evaluation for Conservation Biology & Practice in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest

BrazilGS–2012

Thank you for joining us in this year's Conservation Biology & Practice in Brazil’s Atlantic ForestGlobal Seminar. You can help us improve this course by answering questions on this evaluation as thoughtfully and completely as possible.

For your anonymity, please submit to Liza Hensleigh, CU Study Abroad Program Office:

0. Name (optional) ______

Part I.Program Content

1.What is your academic status (optional)?

a. freshman b. sophomore c. junior d. senior e. graduate student f. returning student

  1. Are you an EBIO or ENVS major/minor? _____

Or what is your major (optional)? ______

  1. What led you to enroll in the course?
  1. Compared to other classes I have taken, the coursework has been more advanced.

a. strongly agree b. agree c. neutral d. disagree e. strongly disagree

  1. I worked harder in this course than in most courses I have taken.

a. strongly agree b. agree c. neutral d. disagree e. strongly disagree

  1. The pace of this course was good.

a. strongly agree b. agree c. neutral d. disagree e. strongly disagree

  1. My understanding on the reality and challenges of Conservation Biology has been strengthened by participation in this course.

a. strongly agree b. agree c. neutral d. disagree e. strongly disagree

  1. The course prerequisite was EBIO 2040 or equivalent –Was this sufficient for you to feel prepared for the material covered? If not, what other prerequisites should be required for this course?
  1. What part of this course did you enjoy and get the most out of?

Can you suggest any improvements to this part of the class?

  1. What part of this course could use the most improvement?

What changes do you recommendation to help improve the course in this regard?

  1. On which topics and/or concepts do you wish we had spent more time in this course?

Less time?

  1. On a scale of 1-10 (10 excellent), how would you rate your overall experience in the

Conservation Biology & Practice in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest course?______

Part II.CourseComponents

A.Case Studies

  1. Was the course’s overall emphasis on case studies – in lectures (covered more in §II.D), field and workshop demonstrations, and assignments – appropriate?
  1. Field and Workshop Activities:
  2. Did you feel that the practical activities here in Nazaré (reforestation nursery & site visits, and women’s cooperative workshop) and in Picinguaba (sea turtle release, agroforestry site visit, and toposequence) provided an adequate opportunity to improve your understanding of conservation biology issues and challenges?
  1. Comments, suggestions on any of these?
  1. Assignments – Individual Case Studies:
  2. Which Essay did you get the most out of?

Can you suggest any improvements to this one?

  1. Can you suggest any improvements for the one you got the least out of?
  1. Were instructions for the Essays adequate to the task? – i.e. did you understand the objective of the Essays and how to do it?
  1. Individual Conservation Plan Project:
  2. Do you feel that you benefited from doing your Conservation Planproject?

In what ways?

  1. Did you get good and sufficient guidance on your project from the instructors?
  1. Did you have enough time to work on your individual project?

B.Field Trip – Parque Estadual Serra do Mar, Núcleo Picinguaba

  1. Was the field trip to Núcleo Picinguaba worthwhile?
  1. Did it add to your understanding of the course material?
  1. Was the orientation in preparation for the field trip adequate?
  1. Please provide brief comments on strengths and weaknesses of the field trip.

C.Course Materials

How useful were the following course materials and texts for understanding the course concepts?

Rate them on a scale of 1-5 (5excellent) and if you wish, briefly comment.

  1. Atlantic Forest Hotspot______
  2. Conservation Biology For All (readings in online text)______

D.Guest Lectures– Concepts and Conservation Case Studies

Did the IPÊ and other guest lectures add to your understanding of conservation biology in practice?

We invite you to comment on individual presentations as they contributed to your understanding? —

  1. Christoph KnoggeBlack Lion Tamarin
  2. Oscar SarcinelliEcosystem Services in Atibainha Watersheds
  3. Fernando LimaJaguars in the Upper Parana Basin
  4. Alexandre Uezo Law & Conservation to Develop Pontal 'Dream Map'
  5. Roberto HaddadReforestation Project Planning & Implementation
  6. Séfora Tognolo Ethnobotany Survey, Nazare Paulista
  7. Luciano Nucleo Picinguaba Lecture:Serra do Mar State Park Management
  8. Henrique BeckerTAMAR Lecture: Sea Turtle Conservation in Brazil

E.Journal

1.Did keeping a journal enhance your experience of Brazil’s natural history?

F.Logistics

How would you rate the quality and/or availability of the following materials and services?

Rate them on a scale of 1-5 (5excellent). Please feel free to add comments.

  1. Living quarters – at IPÊ ______at Uniluz: ______
  1. Meals and dining hall: ______
  2. Classroom facilities ______
  3. Fieldtrip Transportation ______

G.Personal Gear List

The following is the list of personal gear we suggested that you bring to Brazil (in the course’s Student Handbook):

  1. Please strike out/grey out those items in the listdid you NOT find necessary.
  1. What items would you have added to the list?

Travel documents, etc. –

Passport, tickets

Emergency card

Currency, ATM card (see info above re Money)

Money belt

Course gear –

Notebooks (lecture, field, journal), pens, etc.

Laptop, power supply

Course text

Clothing –(note Required items)

Boots, or good hiking shoes - Required

Everyday shoes

Trail sandals (Teva-style)

Rain gear – Lightweight but good – Can have heavy rains

Lightweight, minimal care clothes

Warm clothing – many, many layers (sweaters, pile jacket, heavy shirts & pants, warm hat, gloves, scarf, etc) – It’s winter in southern Brazil – no indoor heating!

Field hat, with brim for sun and heat – Required

Shorts, T-shirts – for warm weather days

Field pants, full length (to below ankles) – Required (several pairs)

Field shirts, long sleeved – Required (several)

Swim suit, Beach towel

Other Personal Items –

Luggage that can easily be stowed under a bed (lockable-optional)

Whistle – Required, for emergency use in the field

Daypack for field work

Camera, memory cards, charger

Binoculars

Music player, batteries/charger

Washcloth (optional)

Alarm clock

Portuguese-English dictionary, phrasebook

Sunblock or Sunscreen

Insect repellant

Sun glasses

Flashlight/Headlamp (with spare bulbs and extra batteries)

Swiss army-type knife (in checked baggage) - optional

Extra glasses/contacts, copy of prescription; bring contact solutions

Cell phone, charger – optional, check with provider if compatible with Brazil’s system

Water bottles

Ziplock bags (useful for protecting notebooks/reading materials in wet conditions)

Repair/sewing kit

Sleep mask, earplugs

Giftsfor friends you'll meet? e.g., postcards of home state, favorite places, etc. (optional)

Photos of family, friends to show new friends?

Medications –

Prescription drugs - bring enough of anything you take to last through your whole program and a copy of prescription (NO illegal drugs!)

Epi-pen if you have severe allergic reactions.

Birth control supplies, if relevant to you

Over-the-counter drugs for colds, stomach/intestinal disorders, vitamins

Part III. Instructor evaluations

Instructor: Tim Kittel

Instructor evaluation will be included in the FCQ. You can, in addition, provide feedback on the Instructor using the following criteria. Rate from 1-5, with 1 being Unsatisfactory and 5 being Excellent.

  1. Did the instructor make the goals of the course clear? ______
  2. Were the instructor’s expectations made clear to you and the other students? ______
  3. Did the instructor communicate a command of the subject material? ______
  4. Did the instructor present material in a logical and organized fashion? ______
  5. Did the instructor emphasize conceptual understanding? ______
  6. Was the instructor aware of the students’ level of understanding? ______
  7. Was the instructor’s teaching in class and the field enthusiastic and interesting? ______
  8. Was the instructor fair and equitable in grading and dealing with students? ______
  9. Was the instructor accessible and genuinely interested in the students? ______
  10. Was the instructor receptive to students’ questions? ______
  11. Did you feel comfortable asking the instructor for help? ______
  12. Considering both the limitations and possibilities of the subject matter and course, how would you rate the overall teaching effectiveness of this instructor? ______

Comments:

Co-Instructor: Fernando Lima

Please rate the following from 1-5, with 1 being Unsatisfactory and 5 being Excellent.

  1. Did the instructor communicate a command of the subject material? ______
  2. Did the instructor present material in a logical and organized fashion? ______
  3. Was the instructor’s teaching in class and the field enthusiastic and interesting? ______
  4. Was the instructor aware of the students’ level of understanding? ______
  5. Was the instructor receptive to students’ questions? ______
  6. Did you feel comfortable asking the instructor for help? ______
  7. Was the instructor fair and equitable in dealing with students? ______
  8. Was the instructor accessible and genuinely interested in the students? ______
  9. Considering both the limitations and possibilities of the subject matter and course, how would you rate the overall teaching effectiveness of this instructor? ______

Comments:

Volunteer Teaching Assistant: Derek Sweeney

Please rate the following from 1-5, with 1 being Unsatisfactory and 5 being Excellent.

  1. Did the instructor communicate a command of the subject material? ______
  2. Did the instructor present material in a logical and organized fashion? ______
  3. Was the instructor’s teaching in class and the field enthusiastic and interesting? ______
  4. Was the instructor aware of the students’ level of understanding? ______
  5. Was the instructor receptive to students’ questions? ______
  6. Did you feel comfortable asking the instructor for help? ______
  7. Was the instructor fair and equitable in dealing with students? ______
  8. Was the instructor accessible and genuinely interested in the students? ______
  9. Considering both the limitations and possibilities of the subject matter and course, how would you rate the overall teaching effectiveness of this instructor? ______

Comments:

Part IV. Summary Comments

  1. How well did the course meet your expectations?

Surpassed my expectationsMore or less what I expectedI was disappointed

  1. What additional information should be included in course orientations for prospective students (i.e. what did you wish you had known before coming here)?
  1. What would you tell next year’s incoming Conservation Biology & Practice in Brazil’s Atlantic Foreststudents about the program, in terms of what to expect and your overall experience?
  1. What other questions would you to see added to this evaluation form? And feel free to respond to your questions:
  1. Additional Comments:

Thank you for your thoughtful evaluation.

Congratulations for completing the Conservation Biology & Practice in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest course!

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