CIS3355: Business Data Structures
Fall, 2008
 

 Midterm Comments

Pseudonym: Rosscrop
Date: 03/31/05
Time: 12:57:55 PM

Good_Points

The best part of this course in my opinion is the material being covered. This is material that will be of great benefit, especially to those in the CIS field. The instructor knows his stuff... Kudos to you.

Bad_Points

The worst part of the course is the fact that we don't have PC's in front of us during class to do real time learning.

WebisteComments

Change the class to the lab completely. It helps to follow along in the web site and in the programs

Pseudonym: Sam-034
Date: 03/31/05
Time: 02:26:23 PM

Good_Points

This course has provided great insight as to the inner workings of how data is stored and manipulated inside a computer therby de-mystifying what goes on in there. I really enjoy the fact that most of the material can be found online and that you don't really have to buy any books for the course. Professor Kirs is great, and in a way reminds my of Bob Ross the painter, with the same calm and reassuring voice. Professor Kirs makes the various aspects of data structures sound as easy as painting a "happy little tree", however when some of us go to paint that tree we end up with a large mess.

Bad_Points

The course seems a little too complex for my liking. There are just too many little things to take care of in any given week. On their own, the assignments are really not that difficult, but when combined, they can provide quite the headache. I've also found that several of the review questions in the online textbook and in some cases even the online quizes have the wrong answers. This can be a probelm easpecially when you see the same question on a real quiz because you're never sure which answer is the right one.

WebisteComments

For one thing you can start by putting in the missing "how" in "Enter your Comments about the course can be improved below" I think just by fixing some of the stuff I mentioned earlier, the course would be better for future students.

Pseudonym: angel_sunshine
Date: 03/31/05
Time: 07:43:51 PM

Good_Points

The best part is that the Professor and the TA are so helpful. They make the course is easy to understand and enjoyable.

Bad_Points

The part is when the Professor explains the program assignment on the screen projector, it will be so small and hard to read.

WebisteComments

When explaining the program assignment on Visual Studio and on the screen projector, change the setup for a higher resolution.

Pseudonym: valdeledalle
Date: 04/01/05
Time: 08:26:55 AM

Good_Points

I think the best part of the course is the teacher because he is very flexible and he really tries to make everybody understand the subject. He prefers less material but better understanding.

Bad_Points

I had to take this class because of what my school asked me in France. But I don't like computers at all. I think the bad part of the course is that I am a little bit lost for the project, because we never do it ourselves in class.

WebisteComments

You could improve by doing more application on computer.

Pseudonym: wcc_cfl
Date: 04/01/05
Time: 08:49:57 AM

Good_Points

C/C++ is an interesting programming language that I've enjoyed learning

Bad_Points

Coming into this course, I thought the classes were going to be more hands on. Its not enough for me to see the professor type in code. Also, I am not learning enough by watching slides. I feel like the professor just reads through the slides and I begin to lose interest in the material that is being taught. Then, when I try to gather my thoughts, I'm lost and don't understand the material. The other bad part is the book. I understand that it is in the beginning process, but it is filled with errors that confuse me. It will appear like a wrong number was entered, which will then throw me off. Also, in the review questions, answers will appear to contradict other answers which also causes confusion

WebisteComments

This course can improve by incorporating some hands-on class time. I would feel more comfortable with the programming if we work with the professor so that when I make mistakes, I can ask questions and learn from the mistakes. Also, its fustrating to see that no one knows how to use Visual Studio.NET. I feel that better preperation needs to go into this. Finally, although the book has a good start, it needs to be improved by correcting all the errors in it.

Pseudonym: NEMO
Date: 04/01/05
Time: 02:30:31 PM

Good_Points

The best part of this class is that everything that is needed to complete the assignments is on the website. Also, the professor always is looking for new ways to improve the grades of the students.

Bad_Points

The bad part is that we do not have computers in front of us and is difficult to follow the steps to complete the projects and is hard to read from the screen projector.

WebisteComments

The only comment to improve the course is that professor asked for a lab to teach this class; it will very helpful.

Pseudonym: trx
Date: 04/01/05
Time: 05:21:22 PM

Good_Points

I like the fact that we don't have to buy a textbook.

Bad_Points

I don't like the exams, i don't think they really measure how much we understand the material.

WebisteComments

multiple choice tests, that's all

Pseudonym: Blue Falcon
Date: 04/03/05
Time: 03:19:06 PM

Good_Points

The best part of this course would have to be the fact that you adjust the course schedule according to the how well or good the classes seem to be able to grasp the particular topic we may be on.

Bad_Points

The programming assignments are very vague and I wish Dr. Kirs could spend a little bit more time explaining the homework and possbily giving more examples of what is expected of us rather than just assume that we know what he is asking us to do.

WebisteComments

It would benefit the entire class if we could spend a little bit more time on the programming assigments.

Pseudonym: tjmorena
Date: 04/03/05
Time: 11:47:58 PM

Good_Points

To me the best part so far has been learning and understanding C++. I wasn't interested in taking this class at the beginning because I didn't think I was going to enjoy a programming class but to my surprise I've taken a liking to it. It actually makes sense to me and I enjoy working on the programming assignments!

Bad_Points

That there doesn't seem to be enough time to cover everything in the course. Too much time was spent on bits and bytes but then again that was the hardest part of the course to understand.

WebisteComments

The class schedule should be updated as soon as possible. We fell behind in the class and it was hard to follow the class schedule since it wasn't on pace in regards as to where we were in the actual class.

Pseudonym: catwoman
Date: 04/04/05
Time: 11:16:09 AM

Good_Points

What I like is that the class is based on the slides, so if you miss class for some reason you can go to the website and downlod the slides so you won't fall behind.

Bad_Points

What I don't like is that the class schedule doesn't get updated and sometimes you don't even know what is due and what is not due. The website is also kind of difficult to get around because it has so many links to click on.

WebisteComments

This course needs to have an accurate schedule of things to be due, it will be nice to go to the website and see what's really due that week. There's no time to wonder or try to contact the TA to see what's due.

Pseudonym: Odyssey20
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 09:56:02 AM

Good_Points

The best part of this course was all the new information that I gained in this class. The lecture gave good background information about a certain topic and your lecture put things in real life scenerios. Your class has by far given the most resources availiable to help with this course.

Bad_Points

The bad part of this course was the uncertainty of the schedule. I was never to sure when something was due, although it was posted we had fallen behind and I got lost.

WebisteComments

This course can be better improved if we did have more hands on work or more student participation, rather than lecture only.

Pseudonym: ant
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 01:41:52 PM

Good_Points

I like the fact that everything is explained in detail. I found some of the slides to be hilarious. I really like the fact that we did not have to purchase any books or study guides.

Bad_Points

The main thing that bothered me the most was that there are many mistakes on the study guides. It took me awhile to actually figure out some of the stuff because I thought I was doing it wrong.

WebisteComments

The only thing I would suggest to change is the errors on the study guide. Everything else is fine.

Pseudonym: BABS
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 01:45:50 PM

Good_Points

The best thing about the class is that all the information is easily accessible and readily available. Okay actually it's the fact that we did not have to purchase any books and our professor actually wrote it. That can be good and bad. Anyways, the class is very challenging, and you really have to pay attention to the lectures as well as read and constantly go over the material given. Doing all the practice questions and quizzes really makes a difference. I love the fact that Kirs is so passionate about trying to teach us even though there are times we are so clueless about what he is talking about, and he takes the time to explain it until we have a better understanding. Well maybe the clueless part is more for me not the class.

Bad_Points

The bad part of this course is that for someone like me with not that much experience in all the classes, the material can be very difficult. It sometimes takes twice as long to complete programs and can be very time consuming. Granted at least I'm learning the information but being a full time manager and a full time student can be stressful. Especially when I do not know what I'm doing.

WebisteComments

I think it would benefit the class if maybe throughout the semester, you can take a class or part of a class and see what students are having the most problems in and take the time to review it. Sometimes it's really easy to follow in class with you but when you get home to do the work you are lost. You are a great professor I just think the material is foreign to some of us, and we need a little time to adjust.

Pseudonym: blue
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 02:00:39 PM

Good_Points

The best part of the course is that we don't have weekly assignments we have plenty of work with the projects. I also like the review questions they are very helpful for the quizzes.

Bad_Points

I don't like that the projects aren't discussed in greater detail and that there are many ways of doing a project. It gets confusing when trying to find errors and building it successfully.

WebisteComments

The course can be improved by have outside help from when were outside class especially with the projects.

Pseudonym: centuryone
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 05:41:47 PM

Good_Points

The best part of this course is learning something new every day. The lecture material given by the professor is really informative. He explains the material from his best of knowledge in the material covered. The homework assignments are very easy to do. The exams in the course relate to the material learned in class and are similar to the review questions.

Bad_Points

The bad part of the course is the programming assignments. We need more time to work on these projects because the errors make us lose time. We might need more time in the lab to complete this. We also need a book to guide us more to the specific topics to the course. It is too much material too handle in 15 weeks.

WebisteComments

The course can be improved by first assigning a book to the class about the course. That way we learn from the book and from the lecture material. Another way to improve the course is to spend at least 2 times a month in the lab to finish the programs. It would give us more time to finish them up in time. Another suggestion would be to have multiple choice tests on the exam. It would bring our grades up a little.

Pseudonym: burbridge
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 06:07:29 PM

Good_Points

Best part of the course are the review questions for the tests. The review questions are very helpful for the tests. If you study the review questions you will be set for the tests. The instructor uses the same format and almost the same questions. Also,the instructor knows how to teach this course. I understand it when he goes over his slides and explains step by step the powerpoint presentation.

Bad_Points

The worst part about the course is the website. It is so hard to get around it. I could never get to a screen without trial and error. I had to go back to the first screen (if I could find the first screen) and try it all over again. It is very hard to navigate the website, it needs to be better organized.

WebisteComments

Course can be improved by cleaning up the website and by having a more accessible instructor. I hardly saw the instructor after the class and I always had to talk to the T.A. to get my questions answered.

Pseudonym: shadow
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 11:18:47 PM

Good_Points

The most enjoyable parts of this class are the web communication, tutorial, programming assignments, and online quizzes. Furthermore, its hands one approach to learning is applicable to a CIS degree. Additionally, it forces student to interact with application and troubleshoot errors created while doing so.

Bad_Points

The areas that need work are lectures which in my opinion are somewhat useless. A considerable amount of the information that I have learned, has been outside of class with little instruction by the professor; although, I feel he needs to be available for student and their questions. Furthermore, the updates on the website need to be more accurate and current. For instance, I have missed 1 assignment because I was following the instruction of the class schedule and information provided by the professor during class, neither stated the assignment was due but the TA graded the assignment and I received a zero.

WebisteComments

I think you could add more projects, on-line quizzes and homework assignments. Take the emphasis off lectures and allow the students the opportunity to learn by doing. I think you should create an interactive email notification when assignment, dialogue, projects, or information in general has been updated on the web site. I think you should implement a messaging service (Virtual private Network/online community) that would allow students to communicate amongst themselves and maybe involve the Professor or TA. I general, I would continue to push to a more online environment for the class.

Pseudonym: shadow
Date: 04/05/05
Time: 11:19:21 PM

Good_Points

The most enjoyable parts of this class are the web communication, tutorial, programming assignments, and online quizzes. Furthermore, its hands one approach to learning is applicable to a CIS degree. Additionally, it forces student to interact with application and troubleshoot errors created while doing so.

Bad_Points

The areas that need work are lectures which in my opinion are somewhat useless. A considerable amount of the information that I have learned, has been outside of class with little instruction by the professor; although, I feel he needs to be available for student and their questions. Furthermore, the updates on the website need to be more accurate and current. For instance, I have missed 1 assignment because I was following the instruction of the class schedule and information provided by the professor during class, neither stated the assignment was due but the TA graded the assignment and I received a zero.

WebisteComments

I think you could add more projects, on-line quizzes and homework assignments. Take the emphasis off lectures and allow the students the opportunity to learn by doing. I think you should create an interactive email notification when assignment, dialogue, projects, or information in general has been updated on the web site. I think you should implement a messaging service (Virtual private Network/online community) that would allow students to communicate amongst themselves and maybe involve the Professor or TA. I general, I would continue to push to a more online environment for the class.

Pseudonym: spyder31
Date: 04/06/05
Time: 01:56:44 PM

Good_Points

NOTHING

Bad_Points

this is supposed to be a programming class but we have been in the lab one time as a class and we had to buy our own software half way through the semester. You need to be in a lab and on a computer going through steps to learn this kind of computer language. Looking at powerpoint slides does not cut it. Especially for people who have never seen this type of material.

WebisteComments

Have more lab time as a class, have the correct software the corresponds to the class and be more of a teacher rather than a lecturer

Pseudonym: magic
Date: 04/06/05
Time: 02:21:10 PM

Good_Points

I like the way the course is taught. We don’t have a bunch of boring reading assignments followed by boring written assignments. I like the lectures slides because they have many examples and we can download them to use at home. The web site is a very good tool for the class, especially the tutorials and the practice questions.

Bad_Points

The thing I don’t like about the course is that we only went to the lab once. I think we should go ore often.

WebisteComments

The only thing I would change is the amount of time we spend in lab. I wish we could spend a little more time go over the programs in the lab or practicing some of the subjects we go over in class.

Pseudonym: goose
Date: 04/06/05
Time: 06:01:33 PM

Good_Points

Treated as an adult and having the opportunity to attend or not attend class. After reading the chapters certain topics do need reiteration while others are well understood.

Bad_Points

It has been tough to follow the schedule of work to submit once we fell behind the original schedule. Website is a bit confusing to navigate and find material. Since the website serves as one of the major (class being the first) channels of communication I feel that it needs to be greatly simplified. Class is very broad and covers a lot of information and test are very specific and narrowly focused. Although we may understand a great deal of the material it is still easy to perform poorly on test. Review questions are not like test questions. There is nothing wrong with telling us what you need us to study for exactly. This class is challenging enough. Lastly, to many small homeworks (questions, online quizzes, etc.) due every week take a toll on the work load and are really not that beneficial when it comes to learning.

WebisteComments

Less material, more learning...trying to cover material for the sake of convering the material doesnt help much.

Pseudonym: Homer
Date: 04/06/05
Time: 06:43:38 PM

Good_Points

Good slides to follow along in class and at home. Not having to purchase a book and being able to use a PC in class to substitute as a book.

Bad_Points

Not enought hands on training. You learn by trial and error, on your own.

WebisteComments

This course could be improved if it were to be instructed in one of the CALC labs.

Pseudonym: Princess Fiona
Date: 04/06/05
Time: 07:14:20 PM

Good_Points

It is very informative and detailed.

Bad_Points

It is a course in which you must keep up with it because if you don't it is extremely easy to fall behind. There are not a lot of opportunities to improve your grade if you are having trouble.

WebisteComments

The website is too complicated. There is to much information and sometimes I get lost in the website.

Pseudonym: cathedral
Date: 04/07/05
Time: 02:33:38 PM

Good_Points

The best part of the course has been the way you teach. I would like to take the opportunity to say that I've thourougly enjoyed your class, it has been extremely interesting. Thanks

Bad_Points

Seriously, their is no bad/ugly part of the course.

WebisteComments

I think the course can be improved if there were computers in class. This way we could do more practice progrmas in class and ask questions at the time if we have any.

Pseudonym: Oz
Date: 04/07/05
Time: 03:26:50 PM

Good_Points

I think that the lecture during the class is very good, but what I really appreciate is all the material that is available in the web site

Bad_Points

I have studied very hard for the quizes, but the grading has been too tough I believe, I feel comfortable with the class and all the new things that we learn but I have several complains about the quizes, and worried about how they are going to affect my course grade

WebisteComments

maybe using some reviews for the quizes

Pseudonym: gama
Date: 04/07/05
Time: 07:18:30 PM

Good_Points

The way the class is structured, meaning that the student has a wide variety of resources at his/her disposition. FRom slideshows to links to webpages that you may find useful.

Bad_Points

The amount of information that must be processed continously is sometimes excessive.

WebisteComments

You can put back up the online quizzes that helped us so much. It would improve greatly the way we do on tests.

Pseudonym: wingnut2005
Date: 04/07/05
Time: 08:00:44 PM

Good_Points

The best part of the course is its text availability on the internet(although I hear that might change soon), and way quizzes are given. They are based on information that is taught in class, but, in particular, the material on the quiz has been clearly given. There are no excuses for not learning the material, which is really a good thing given that some instructors are ambiguous when it comes to what students should study and learn.

Bad_Points

The bad/ugly part of the course is that it moves very quickly. Unfortunately this is something beyond the instructors control, but, the material presented at times does feel overwhelming.

WebisteComments

I believe that the course is taught well. However, for those of us who have no choice but to suffer with the new package .NET, some of the code for the programs is not suitable for .NET. This is a new addition to the UTEP campus, but, it would certainly help if the tutorials for the programs where modified. This would help other students in the future.

Pseudonym: 1921
Date: 04/07/05
Time: 10:16:24 PM

Good_Points

I think to program and its interesting how we used all sort of information to make the program run. =)

Bad_Points

I think we need more hands on the computer because its really hard to do the homework. By having hands on, the students could have an opportunity to ask either the professor or the TA questions over the program.

WebisteComments

Just more time in the lab as a class.

Pseudonym: Vulcan
Date: 04/08/05
Time: 07:47:13 AM

Good_Points

The test was alright not to difficult and not easy but partial credit didn't seem to come into consideration.

Bad_Points

There's just too many little things to submit.

WebisteComments

The website can improve by better organization.

Pseudonym: Neo
Date: 04/11/05
Time: 07:13:17 PM

Good_Points

The best part of the course is the web page. It is easy to access all of the on-line assignments, projects, lecture slides, and even the book. And considering the vast information available, it is pretty well developed.

Bad_Points

The bad part of the course is the tutorials we have to create. I don’t think I have learned anything from the tutorials that is not in the book or in the lecture slides. I stress out a little thinking about having to create the tutorial and having to learn the material before professor Kirs covers it so I can have the tutorial ready before the quiz.

WebisteComments

I think the course could be improved if the small C/C++ projects we “program” were a little more challenging. I think we could learn more C++ if we started with more advanced commands and the projects were a little harder. We also could have used more time in the computer lab during class in order to experiment with C/C++ and ask any quesions we might have.

Pseudonym: u2
Date: 04/12/05
Time: 01:32:29 PM

Good_Points

I'd have to say that the best part that we didn't have to pay for a book and weekly assignments are simple.

Bad_Points

Professor should have been prepared to work with Visual.Net rather than the older version.

WebisteComments

More hands on training with C++ would be an improvemnt.

Pseudonym: xam
Date: 04/12/05
Time: 05:36:28 PM

Good_Points

The topic questions submissions, the bio and the reference comments are helpful towards the accumulatitive grade. The curve on the exams is also very helpful.

Bad_Points

The projects take a lot of time.

WebisteComments

It would be very helpful if a lot of info wouldn't be given in class, instead focus on similar problems that would actually be on the exams. It's too much info to retain, which makes it more confusing.

Pseudonym: iceman
Date: 04/12/05
Time: 06:11:37 PM

Good_Points

The best part of the course is that we don't have to buy any texts for the course, but I don't kow what is more expensive buying the book or downloading all the notes..

Bad_Points

the bad thing is that we have to turnn in a tutorial.

WebisteComments

I believe that the clas could be improved if the were to offer every student the software required for the programs.

Pseudonym: Zion
Date: 04/15/05
Time: 08:47:39 AM

Good_Points

I like programming.

Bad_Points

Unorganized, specially with the new transition to the new Microsoft.Net version.

WebisteComments

I would have really liked that we had more time to be in the lab. It would have been very helpful if we could see and follow what you were doing in .Net.