The participants and faculty members were asked to fill in their evaluation forms relating to various aspects of the Winter Course programme. The evaluation forms carried specific questions related to the structure of the course, reading material, field visit, assignments and participatory session. Like every year a special session was dedicated to the evaluation of the course. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury and Subrata Hore held an evaluation session with the participants on 14 December 2008.   

Reading materials 

Most participants felt that the core reading materials provided during the distance education segment was useful. Some of the participants pointed out that there was in certain cases of delay in uploading the reading materials as well they had difficulty in downloading the same from the secured segment of the website. Participants suggested if CRG could include in its archive of reading materials the texts of the lectures and additional reading materials which could be accessed by the participants for their future course of research, teaching, journalistic writing and designing human rights programme. 

Assignments  

Most of the participants found the instructions for assignments clear. Some suggested that it would be better to have some more time in deciding the module and theme of the term paper. Participants felt that while chat sessions with the module tutors were useful, CRG should create a web forum to introduce the participants, which would also serve as a place for exchange of ideas, while preparing assignments. Creative Assignment session was highly praised by the participants.  

Field Visit 

The participants felt that the field trip to Hamidpur Char was relevant to the course. According to some of the participants, more time should have been given to interact with the char residents. The participants felt that the field trip was useful especially after the lectures on the module on climate change. Participants requested the course desk to provide a map of the area. 

Some were of the opinion that more information of the location of visit was needed and that would have helped them to focus more on the subject of study. It would have been better, if, they could find more time to interact with the victims. Some even suggested that the field visit should be extended at least for one day to allow participants to have a little more time to talk to the community. But few observed that extension of days of visit would make no qualitative changes, as the villagers were sometimes uncomfortable in answering questions. Participants liked their stay and food at Malda. 

Participatory sessions, classroom arrangement and media segment 

While majority of the participants felt that the lectures were excellent; some of the participants felt that in some roundtables there were too many speakers. Everybody appreciated the classroom arrangement. The two-day media programme particularly the film session and book-reading session was appreciated. It was suggested that background materials should be provided for the parallel group discussions in the media segment.  

Follow-up 

Some of the participants willingly came forward with ideas to host the follow-up workshops in Chennai and Guwahati. The offer of Loyola College, Chennai was finally accepted. A follow up workshop was subsequently organised in Chennai in collaboration with the Loyola College there. An account of the follow up programme has been separately enclosed in this report (Section 15). 

Core Strength Areas

• Course design, the structure and content of the course and a comprehensive approach to Forced Migration
• Reading Materials
• Resource Persons
• Winter Course Forced Migration help desk
• Food and stay at Kolkata

Problems

• Heavy and continuous sessions without many breaks
• No break for city visit
• No time for interaction with the local researchers
• Time insufficient for completion of assignments during distance education
• One-day field trip too hectic and tiring
• Non-availability of map of the place of field study before visit

Participants’ Evaluation
 

Note: Out of twenty selected participants, four participants could not come to Kolkata after the unforeseen developments in Mumbai on 26 November 2008.

Participants’ Evaluation (Charts)

Participants’ Evaluation (Percentage)