Comments on: Good or Easy? http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/04/good-or-easy/ Economics, Politics, Entertainment and Life in Academia Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:41:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Yuri http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/04/good-or-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-1691 Yuri Tue, 26 May 2009 07:40:35 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=618#comment-1691 The IO class of yours this semester I thought was almost perfect. The workload kept us thinking while still (as a student) being able to maintain 4 other classes. With regards to previous comments I understand how some may have not like or had difficulty with the math involved, but to me that was the best part. I mean whats the point of the theory if its not applied to data, which I really haven't seen enough of as an econ undergrad. The Econ Film course was kind of easy, but it still required thought (especially with later discussions) and it was a first try for you. Profs sometimes forget what its like to be a full-time student with regards to grades and workloads. Ive seen both sides of it and as students we know when we deserve a grade or don't. I will give the example of a prof who told my class that the average for a test was too high so the next exam will be harder. WTF does that mean? Are we doing too good? Should we band together and make sure our class average stays at a certain level? Teacher grade averages are difficult to assess and I dont think you should put much into it. You know as an individual when students are trying or aren't and grades are assessed to individual students, instead of bell curves, for a reason. You seem to have a good handle on how to balance the issues involved and as a student it encourages us to excel when we feel a teacher understands. The IO class of yours this semester I thought was almost perfect. The workload kept us thinking while still (as a student) being able to maintain 4 other classes. With regards to previous comments I understand how some may have not like or had difficulty with the math involved, but to me that was the best part. I mean whats the point of the theory if its not applied to data, which I really haven’t seen enough of as an econ undergrad.
The Econ Film course was kind of easy, but it still required thought (especially with later discussions) and it was a first try for you.
Profs sometimes forget what its like to be a full-time student with regards to grades and workloads. Ive seen both sides of it and as students we know when we deserve a grade or don’t. I will give the example of a prof who told my class that the average for a test was too high so the next exam will be harder. WTF does that mean? Are we doing too good? Should we band together and make sure our class average stays at a certain level? Teacher grade averages are difficult to assess and I dont think you should put much into it. You know as an individual when students are trying or aren’t and grades are assessed to individual students, instead of bell curves, for a reason. You seem to have a good handle on how to balance the issues involved and as a student it encourages us to excel when we feel a teacher understands.

]]> By: ProfSwitzer http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/04/good-or-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-983 ProfSwitzer Fri, 01 May 2009 17:16:04 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=618#comment-983 It was Baye's Managerial Economics and Business Strategy. You can get the edition we used, the fifth edition, online for pretty cheap. Thanks for the nice comment, Cole. It was Baye’s Managerial Economics and Business Strategy. You can get the edition we used, the fifth edition, online for pretty cheap. Thanks for the nice comment, Cole.

]]> By: Cole http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/04/good-or-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-982 Cole Fri, 01 May 2009 16:40:07 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=618#comment-982 I also took your Managerial Economics class at SCSU. It still remains my favorite Econ. class, both because of the material and the teacher. You did a good job explaining the material, and then you provided ways to use the theory in real life (primarily w/ Excel). I agree with Scott, you're good at what you do. By the way, could you let me know the textbook you used for that course? I was stupid and traded it back, but now I wish I had it - I could sure use it. I also took your Managerial Economics class at SCSU. It still remains my favorite Econ. class, both because of the material and the teacher. You did a good job explaining the material, and then you provided ways to use the theory in real life (primarily w/ Excel).

I agree with Scott, you’re good at what you do.

By the way, could you let me know the textbook you used for that course? I was stupid and traded it back, but now I wish I had it – I could sure use it.

]]> By: Zach http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/04/good-or-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-749 Zach Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:41:07 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=618#comment-749 Dave you are right that your films course was a bit easy, I think that was just an example of a course that needed a lot more developing but that is why it was offered as a one time thing. Being in your Industrial Organization class has been a bit more difficuly but not that bad. I have taken both Managerial and Intermediate Micro so some of it I have already seen and heard before. What has made your class more difficult is the actual application that you require. It is not like many Professors I have had that teach pure theory and not much application. What doesmake your class easy is that you give your students plenty of chances to do the application by both having a homework and a practice test before hand. Personally I believe every professor should aim for every student to get A's but not make it so easy as to have them do nothing and get an A. Dave you are right that your films course was a bit easy, I think that was just an example of a course that needed a lot more developing but that is why it was offered as a one time thing.
Being in your Industrial Organization class has been a bit more difficuly but not that bad. I have taken both Managerial and Intermediate Micro so some of it I have already seen and heard before. What has made your class more difficult is the actual application that you require. It is not like many Professors I have had that teach pure theory and not much application. What doesmake your class easy is that you give your students plenty of chances to do the application by both having a homework and a practice test before hand.
Personally I believe every professor should aim for every student to get A’s but not make it so easy as to have them do nothing and get an A.

]]> By: ProfSwitzer http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/04/good-or-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-746 ProfSwitzer Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:49:02 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=618#comment-746 Thank you, Scott. Thank you, Scott.

]]> By: Scott Proulx http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/2009/04/good-or-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-745 Scott Proulx Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:38:41 +0000 http://www.profswitzer.com/blog/?p=618#comment-745 The Managerial Economics course I took from you ranks among my top 3-5 favorite courses I took in college. I find the material exceedingly interesting, so that helps, but for your part, I would put your teaching of the course among the 3-5 best teaching jobs I experienced during my college career. I'm quite certain that good grades are earned because you are a good teacher. I would agree with all of your hunches explaining the data you have. You're good at what you do. The Managerial Economics course I took from you ranks among my top 3-5 favorite courses I took in college. I find the material exceedingly interesting, so that helps, but for your part, I would put your teaching of the course among the 3-5 best teaching jobs I experienced during my college career. I’m quite certain that good grades are earned because you are a good teacher. I would agree with all of your hunches explaining the data you have. You’re good at what you do.

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