Following is forwarded for a non-list member who would like to comment.
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From: SMTP%"phys-l@atlantis.cc.uwf.edu" 15-APR-1996 22:10:39.80
Keith F. Forton <kforton@traverse.lib.mi.us>
Traverse City Senior High School
P.O. Box 32
Traverse City, Michigan 49685-0032
Keith Wrote:
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I am posting this message for help and advice on a situation that
has arisen in the school in which I teach..... What this will
entail is that instead of 1 hr classes for 180+ days, the whole
physics curriculum would be offered in a 1.5 hr class but only for
90 days.....Has anybody had experience with this "block time
scheduling" in physics or chemistry ? Are 1.5 hr 90 day physics
courses truly the way of the future ? Common sense tells me that
it is important that I see my students for 180 days as we both grow
together in our understanding of our physical world.
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RESPONSE:
Your common sense is correct you will not be able to cover the same
amount of material or reach the same level of mastery!
I teach a technician's level physics course at a community college
it is scheduled in one of three ways: three one hour lectures for
15 weeks, two 1.5 hour lectures for 15 weeks, nights one 3 hour
lecture for 15 weeks. The number of topics and the depth of
coverage goes down noticeably as the number of class meetings
decrease, the average student achieves a much lower level of
mastery in those sections with fewer meetings. The thing being over
looked by these so called educational experts is the need for
digestion time during which students become familiar with the
vocabulary and concepts in manageable chunks and the need for
adequate review.
I don't read the edbus rags { It's a religious thing I avoid those
things that are bad for my mental or physical health } so I don't
have any idea where you could find "scholarly" rebuttal to this
pernicious idea. But my simple experience is it don't work!
Keep the Faith
Bill
W.mooney@ieee.org
Frank M. Lanzafame Department of Chemistry
Monroe Community College 1000 East Henrietta Rd.
Rochester, NY 14623 (716) 292-2396
Internet: flanzafame@eckert.acadcomp.monroecc.edu