The document summarizes the results of a student evaluation survey for a New Media course. The 7 participating students highly rated the overall course, content, and teaching effectiveness. Specific elements like the lecturer's enthusiasm and use of technology received excellent marks from most students. Areas for potential improvement included adding more class time for assignments and incorporating company visits. Students particularly enjoyed the guest lectures and applied assignments.

1.
New Media
‐ the challenge for traditional media,
advertisers and communicators ‐
Erasmus Course Evaluation
Lecturer: Ana ADI
Session 2009/20010
Semester 2 – June 2010
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com

2. At the end of the New Media course, the 7 participating students were asked to take
a survey in order to evaluate the New Media course together with the lecturer’s
method, approach and enthusiasm. The evaluation survey was accessible online
leaving students with the option of taking it at their own pace and in the absence of
the lecturer. To avoid bias, students were asked to submit their answers before their
final grades were delivered. All 7 students took the survey, offering responses from
100% of the course participants.
The survey’s structure of the previous semesters has been maintained.
All overall categories indicated for evaluation were marked by students with “very
good” and “excellent” qualifiers. More than half the class deemed the teaching
effectiveness to be excellent and the course as a whole to be very good. The overall
content of the course was evaluated as very good by more than 70% of the class.
1. Overall course evaluation results
Asked to evaluate specific aspects of the course or the teaching process, the
students responses confirm the high evaluations of the overall course. While there
are some categories were students evaluation rests within the “good” category, the
majority of the evaluations are to be found within the “excellent range”. The quality
of the questions raised during the course, the lecturer’s enthusiasm, the lecturer’s
encouragement to students to engage more with the class are just some of the
categories that obtained the “excellent” mark from more than 70% of the students.
The lecturers use of technology was unanimously evaluated as excellent.
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com

3. 2. Specific course elements evaluation
As with previous sessions, the online live video guest lecturers were regarded as a
novelty as well as a great way to integrate new media in the class. The guest lectures
this semester were from three different areas of expertise as well as 3 different
countries: John Coster from Leicester, UK managing a community journalism project,
Kneale Mann from Ontario, Canada, a social media strategist and Dr Mugur Geana
from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
3.Online video guest lecture evaluation
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com

4. Among other aspects of the course evaluated were the use of the class time (57.14%
excellent) , the relevance and usefulness of the course content (71.43% excellent)
and the reasonableness of the assigned work (42.86% excellent). Taking into account
that the course is an intensive one and that more than 60% of the students grade
relies on daily, in class work and projects that need to be delivered within very strict
deadlines, the excellent mark is a reflection of a balanced organization of the course.
4. Other course dimensions evaluated
With regards to presence, most students attended all classes and their expected
grades range between 70‐100%.
Three qualitative questions were part of the survey as well. They aimed to determine
the areas that students most liked or disliked as well as the elements that they
would have wanted the course to cover. Even with the course being extended to 8
sessions compared to five in previous semesters, some students suggested the
course to take even longer.
Company visits (an element which this semester wasn’t offered) were requested as
well, the students indicating that they heard about them from previous course
participants. More time for the in class assignments was suggested as an
improvement as well pointing out to the potential of this course being expanded
further and the practical assignments elaborated even more.
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com

5.
5. New course elements wanted
6. Suggested improvements
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com

6. Among the things the students liked the most were the guest lectures and the
applied assignments. The lecturer’s enthusiasm and way of dealing with the class
were also very much appreciated.
7. “What did you like more about this course” answers
Observations and Conclusions:
All the answers given to the questions asked are in the higher positive range – from
good to excellent.
The areas marked the students as being excellent (obtaining also the majority vote)
were:
• The lecturer’s use of technology (100%)
• The lecturer’s enthusiasm (85.71%)
• The lecturer's availability to offer students extra help when you asked
(71.43%)
• The lecturer’s organization of the course (71.43%)
The practical aspects of the course were mentioned as strong points of the course
and good learning experiences. It should be noted that this semester featured two
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com

7. in‐class assignments, one individual and one based on team‐work. To showcase the
students’ results the online spaces from previous semesters were used:
http://kathonewmedia.wordpress.com
http://kathonewmedia.posterous.com
http://kathonewmedia.pbworks.com
These spaces were also used to showcase the student’s final practical projects.
It is notable that many of the students indicate as an important factor the lecturer’s
enthusiasm and support. For the ERASMUS programme courses this shows a
potential, if not a need, for courses to be delivered in a more interactive way where
students are constantly given challenges to solve together with the lecturer.
When it comes to the use of technology, it is remarkable that the online live video
guest lectures obtained still a very positive evaluation even from a group who is
accustomed to using online live video streaming platforms for personal uses. The
responses indicate that the transfer of knowledge, dialogue as well as learning
objectives could be achieved regardless of the presence in class of the lecturer.
Furthermore, the good evaluation the online live video lectures received show that
students appreciate contact with industry experts. It also presents a potential for
application in other courses and other environments as a short‐term yet cost‐
effective solution.
Recommendations and suggestions:
Taking into account the students’ observations and in an attempt to make a link to
the areas determined in the course evaluation as having a potential for improvement
it is suggested:
• To attempt selecting students prior to begging of class (submission of online
resume and Skype interview would allow the lecturer to interact first hand
with the students and ensure interest, motivation and preparation are high).
This will enable the visiting lecturer to search and negotiate short‐term
projects with small and medium companies that would benefit from the work
and feedback of the students. Moreover, it will ensure that the content
delivered meets the students specialization needs.
• To continue emphasizing on the practical aspects of new media.
• To liaise with commercial clients and thus offer the students the opportunity
to work on projects with real impact on business actors
• To continue to have guest lecturers from different universities joining via
online live video
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com

8. • To continue emphasizing on short‐deadline assignments as a means of
preparing students to thrive in their future working environments.
• To extend the course further from 8 session to 10 (from 4 days of
teaching/week to 5 days of teaching/week)
• To offer the course to returning students (if they want to), their assignment
being to develop an online communication strategy or campaign for a
product/company of their choice or to work on new media aspects that could
relate to their honour’s degrees for their home institutions .
Ana ADI
Doctoral Researcher – University of the West of Scotland, UK
PR Consultant
http://anaadi.wordpress.com