Qualitative Assessment

The following is excerpted from feedback requested from Marlene Toews Janzen who acted as second-language support for ESL students enrolled in HIS 1111 -- History of the World since 1945, in the Winter of 2007:

Stéphane is very well organized. [...] The outline is clear both in terms of his weekly plans and his expectations of the students. Although he has high expectations (this is no "Mickey Mouse" course), he understands that these are first-year students, and so he sets aside several classes to teach them about how to go about developing a good research bibliography and writing their major paper -- something many instructors simply expect them to figure out on their own. The term paper assignment is divided into two parts, so that students get feedback on their initial research bibliography work before they start really researching and writing the paper. This is excellent, and was a tremendous help to the group of students I am working with.

It is in the classroom lectures, however, that Stéphane's outstanding teaching abilities really come to light. From the first, he established a rapport with the students -- from the daily interchange of reciprocal "good afternoon(s)", to the interaction during lectures. He engages the students (no small feat in a class of 200), asking questions before he begins the lecture, and continues to do so as he speaks. His power-point lecture guides are clear and helpful, and are just that -- listening and study guides. [...] He does not simply stand in front of the class and read the power-point notes (something the students are clearly capable of doing on their own). He really lectures -- moving around a bit at the front of the hall to keep the students' attention, and reading only for specific statistics or quotes. He keeps the students' interest and communicates well. One week, he permitted another class of advanced ESL students, who are not yet full-time students here, to attend a lecture (on decolonization, as it happened). The students, who come from a variety of cultures and academic backgrounds all said they thought it was a great class -- and said they wanted to take the course as one of their electives. Some actually got involved in the discussion.

[...] [Students] are, almost without fail, positive about him. They enjoy coming to class because they feel that he is actually speaking to them and cares if they learn. They appear to enjoy his lectures, and appreciate his sometimes quirky sense of humour in class. The students I have heard from felt the midterm exam was fair and generally reflected what they had learned in class and through their readings.