Course Evaluation: CS 153 Java Programming 1
Faculty: Professor Shin Liu | Date: May 6, 2026
1. Primary Drivers of Student Engagement
Metric: “Which materials made you feel most engaged?”
| Instructional Material | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-on Programming Assignments | 18 | 44% |
| External Self-Learning Tools (W3Schools) | 8 | 20% |
| Tutorial Videos | 5 | 12% |
| Group Study / Liquid Syllabus | 6 | 15% |
| Other (Comm/Discussion/Orientation) | 4 | 9% |
| Grand Total | 41 | 100% |
Key Finding: Students prioritize active application over passive consumption.
2. Connectivity & Retention Analysis
Metric: “Which activity helped you feel most connected?”
| Connection Activity | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Group Study Activities | 18 | 44% |
| Communication & Tutorial Videos | 14 | 34% |
| Welcome Letter / Orientation / Other | 9 | 22% |
| Grand Total | 41 | 100% |
Insights: Peer Collaboration is the “human glue” of the course. Social presence is the most effective intervention for reducing withdrawal rates.
3. Student Advocacy & Climate
KPI: 92.5% Recommendation Rate (37 of 40 students)
| Metric | Strongly Agree | Agree | Disagree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty Respect | 33 | 6 | 1 |
| Peer Respect | 30 | 9 | 1 |
| Overall Support | 29 | 11 | 1 |
4. Qualitative Feedback & Summary
Students identified four core pillars of success:
Hands-On Learning
Trial and error builds technical confidence.
Visual Guidance
Self-paced videos make abstract concepts digestible.
Community Connection
Discord reduces isolation and provides a safety net.
Clear Structure
Bite-sized modules reduce administrative anxiety.
Final Takeaway: Technical mastery is driven by hands-on application, while retention is sustained by collaborative emotional engagement.