Table 5.

Student perceptions of the nanocourse format

	Junior students	Senior students
Number of nanocourses taken for credit	2.06 (1.09)	2.84 (1.60)
Rate the extent to which nanocourses helped you:
Learn about a topic area related to your thesis work	1.92 (1.04)	2.07 (0.81)
Learn a technique related to your thesis work	2.18 (1.34)	1.92 (1.15)
Learn something new NOT related to your thesis or potential postdoc	2.17 (1.34)	1.83 (0.92)
Prepare for your qualifying exam	2.75 (1.42)	3.18 (1.64)
Improve your confidence in participating in scientific discussion	2.25 (1.44)	2.48 (1.42)
Interact with potential faculty mentors	2.23 (1.25)	2.37 (1.08)
How effective are nanocourses in offering opportunities for intellectual maturation as compared to quarter courses?	2.19 (1.28)	2 (0.96)
How effective are nanocourses in offering opportunities for intellectual maturation as compared to full- semester courses?	2.31 (1.31)	2.14 (1.12)

Data were collected from surveys distributed to all students who took a nanocourse during the Spring 2006, Fall 2006, and Spring 2007 semesters. Fifty-three student surveys were returned. Questions that asked students to rate or evaluate the format used a 5-point Likert scale, with a value of 1 representing “Helped a lot” or “Very Effective,” and a value of 5 representing “Not at all.” Values from responding students are reported here as means, with SDs in parentheses. Students in their first or second year of training were considered junior students, whereas students in their third year of training or above were considered senior students.