Thanks for suggestions about how to ask "delicate" questions in a class.
1. Students respond (on papar or electronically) without identifying
themselves.
2. Students close eyes and then raise hands.
3. Formulating questions in such way that the desired outcome corresponds
to non-raised hands. For example, "How many of you would NOT be able to
explain shapes of the moon to children ? OK, the vote shows that all
of you can. Now we can proceed ..." A good way to promote our optimism.
4. Be ready with a good demo. Yes, "activity beats passivity every time".
I will give them magnifying lenses on Monday and ask for their names
to be written on wood (a homework assignment) "with the fire from the
sun". I will also ask them to record the shapes of the moon, over the
period of one month, and to report their observations.
Note that only one teacher outside the US responded so far (from FSU, the
best university in Canada). It would be interresting to hear from MANY
foreign phys-L-ers.
Is "tolerence of ignorance", sometimes called "grade inflation", typical?
Is it only a US phenomenon? Is it limited to one type of schools? How to
deal with it? Yes, "activity beats passivity every time".
Ludwik Kowalski
"I hate to say it: but leadership is EVERYTHING!" Why do you hate to say
it, Brian?