Rutgers University Student Instructional Rating
(Online Survey)
Devlin Patrick
Summer 2015, 01:640:477:B1 — MATHEMATICAL THEORY OF PROBABILITY (index #02214)
Enrollment= 26, Responses= 24

Part A: University-wide Questions:
Student Responses Weighted Means
Strong
Disagree
1
Strong
Agree
5
No response
 
Section Course Level Dept
1. The instructor was prepared for class and presented the material in an organized manner 0 0 1 1 22 0 4.88 4.79 4.65 4.52
2. The instructor responded effectively to student comments and questions 0 0 0 1 23 0 4.96 4.95 4.76 4.49
3. The instructor generated interest in the course material 0 0 0 2 22 0 4.92 4.83 4.69 4.40
4. The instructor had a positive attitude toward assisting all students in understanding course material 0 0 0 0 23 1 5.00 4.90 4.76 4.56
5. The instructor assigned grades fairly 0 0 1 1 22 0 4.88 4.84 4.75 4.45
6. The instructional methods encouraged student learning 0 0 0 3 21 0 4.88 4.78 4.66 4.37
7. I learned a great deal in this course 0 0 1 2 21 0 4.83 4.80 4.66 4.38
8. I had a strong prior interest in the subject matter and wanted to take this course 0 0 5 5 14 0 4.38 4.48 4.17 3.55
 PoorExcellent 
9. I rate the teaching effectiveness of the instructor as 0 0 0 3 21 0 4.88 4.79 4.61 4.41
10. I rate the overall quality of the course as 0 0 0 3 21 0 4.88 4.80 4.58 4.27

What do you like best about this course?:

The material is creative and interesting. The course topics are easily applied to every day situations.

Pat has passion!! He makes difficult materials to be mich easier and understandable.

Besides birds or the dance party? The professor being extremely enthusiastic about the subject.

Everything. The way Pat teaches makes math fun and makes me very excited to learn. I don't think I would have learned or enjoyed this class as much as I did if it was taught by another instructor. Angry birds are awesome and offer great moral support on exams.

Class was fun.

Pat was definitely energetic and generated interest in the material but I feel more importantly he explained things well and concisely.

What I liked best about the course was the material covered and how it was delivered.

the instructor definitely made it a lot more interesting than i expected the course to be. because I enjoyed the way he taught, it made learning the material much easier. not to mention it made me WANT to learn it.

Inspiring instructor and interesting class.

I liked how Pat created a good learning environment for the whole class and valued our opinions and questions as a class.

The material was interesting.

I really think that Pat does an incredible job at showing how many ways there may be to solve these types of issues. His style is very effective and really wants each student to understand the material.

Pat and everything that comes with Pat (i.e. Angry Birds, colored chalk (COLORED CHALK!), quirky dances, making noises when he erases or writes, etc).

Pat Devlin unstoppable positive attitude

His passion in the material and his patience in teaching us students, one of the best. Class everyday is refreshing and puts you in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Pat's positive attitude so early in the morning. He made the class interesting and informative.

The examples were really interesting.

The positive attitude of the instructor and his policies which made clear that teaching the class was his priority


If you were teaching this course, what would you do differently?:

Nothing.

Nothing. I don't think it gets any better than the way Pat teaches this course.

Less homework.

Idk I feel the only challenge was the duration of the course. It was to short to fully absorb everything.

There is nothing I would do differently.

absolutely nothing. Pat has honestly been my favorite professor so far in my undergraduate rutgers career.

Not much at all really. Thought it was good!

Nothing.

I don't think I would change anything

Nothing.

Nothing perfect job

He does it best

Not have it so early in the morning.

I would most likely fail to be as awesome as this instructor


In what ways, if any, has this course or the instructor encouraged your intellectual growth and progress?:

I was getting frustrated with my math courses and this course rekindled my interest in the subject.

I love probability questions, and I always love to hear different methods in solving one problem.

I liked when we tried to solve questions with other classmates.

Pat's very enthusiastic about math and gives awesome real life situation examples which makes me really excited to learn. I went to office hours regularly and the extra examples/practice really helps me understand the material.

I'm actually not sure.

The instructor presented the material in a clear, effective manner. The instructor was encouraging and gave the students all the tools to succeed.

The reason why Pat is such a great professor is because he knows that the material isn't easy to understand. He knows that this is a summer course and that it is difficult to do so in such a fast pace in the summer. For that I am grateful - because he understands. He puts a lot of emphasis on improvement and rewards accordingly to effort. Because of this, it truly made me want to work harder and learn the material. I started to develop a sense of responsibility not the disappoint Pat because it felt that he truly cared about his students' success.

Real life relations and explaining problems in various ways to fit the need of different learning styles.

The instructor has made me like probability.

Pat really made me enjoy math again. I haven't enjoyed my last two math courses very much but this class really made me want to explore more ony own. After the course I plan on trying to teach myself the last few chapters in my free time and go over some additional ideas in probability.

Pat, don't ever change. Your teaching style shows that you aren't this tyrant who's been in the math teaching biz for a while. When I told my mom that my previous TA would be my instructor for this course, she voiced concern that you weren't a professor/dr. and I brushed that away because I knew you'd use your tremendous enthusiasm to make up for anything you didn't know. And then it turns out there's pretty little that you don't know in probability (at least that I saw) so I LOVED taking this course with you. You also obviously demonstrated that you emphasize the learning process and the actual material over grades. The "put effort in, I'll reward you for effort, and your grade will reflect THAT instead of here's your grade and that's that sucks for you thanks for playing" motivated me to try, whereas if it was the "here's your grade and that's that sucks for you thanks for playing" I would just not care and cram the night before the exam. Also, thanks for going over (in semi detail) stuff that the obviously advanced folks got right away and became bored during class. I don't get stuff right away because sometimes math is hard and I need to hear it more than once, but I get embarrassed because advanced people get it so I should right? But no. So thanks for just going over it or during office hours at my pace.

Very very encouraging

Pat's grading system and him being so approachable was the biggest help in the course.

He has a really cool teaching style.

This course and instructor gave me the understanding I needed to feel comfortable with the concepts of probability as they would apply to other fields of mathematics and science as well as my daily life

Pat is the reason I picked up a math minor again. I dreaded going into Calc II, but he gave me the confidence to succeed through self-reflection and setting personal goals in the classroom. Now I've got my sights set on taking upper level mathematics courses. His pedagogy and perspective on learning (and teaching "how to learn") should be used by more instructors, inside and outside of math. All the best, Pat. I'm forever grateful.


Other comments or suggestions::

Pat is the BEST!!!

Extremely helpful during office hours. Explains using your major to help relate topics to make learning more effective.

Thanks Pat! I wish I could take all my math classes with you.

You were awesome by far one of the best math professors I've ever had. So enthusiastic, especially for an 8 am summer course.

Pat is a great teacher and made the course enjoyable.

Thank you so much Pat for an awesome semester, I hope to take another class with you again in the future :) Have a great summer!!

The instructor is very good at teaching.

Taking another class with this and trying to work part time I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do particularly well, but Pat made this something I wanted to study and I made time for it. And if I was stuck on something I had no trouble asking him for extra help.

HEY RUTGERS HIRING POWERS THAT BE HIRE PAT AS A TENURED PROF kthxbye

Pat is the man!

Had him as my professor in calc 2 and he still since then is an amazing professor that cares about each and every one of his students.

Blue bird please