Re: L5-To lecture or not to lecture?

[Peter Schoch <pschoch@NAC.NET>]

OK, I like the response.  However, I take exception to the phrase "lowering
my standards".  My content, etc. has passed muster for tranferability to
numerous institutions.  I don't see the delivery method change as lowering my
standards.  I guess I have to look at it more (in this era of CPI) as
accomodating the needs of my customers.

I guess I find it undesirable to expect my students to choose me over work,
life, children, etc.  In a competitive marketplace, and with the new minset
of many of our students, I either adapt my style to deliver the necessary
content in a way they want it; or, I lose them.

My last bastion of having them think and discuss is through quizzes.  I give
the exact opposite from the standard "cookbook" quizzes.  I make them do as
close to real world problems as possible.  When they complain, I use that as
discussion to facilitate a solution process.  I take a verbal lashing to
enable this type of interaction (and it IS sneaky), but it works.

Oh well, in a perfect world all these problems would get worked out.  Maybe
they should say we are practicing our craft of physics education, the same
way they say physicians practice medicine.

Peter Schoch

Robert A Cohen wrote:

> On Wed, 3 Nov 1999, Peter Schoch wrote:
>
> > AMEN to that!
> >
> > The new methodology everyone is pushing, less lecture and more
> > everything else ignores many of these "real world" constraints.
> >
> > I can't do more labs with a crazy quilt scedule, no lab assistant, and
> > only a $900 budget for suppiles.  I can't use a Socratic method if I
> > can't depend upon the students having enough time to be prepared.  Our
> > Community College is all commuters, and most (90+%) work to afford to
> > come here.  They have already let me know, during several different
> > attempts at the Socratic method, that they neither have the time or
> > desire to learn this way.
> >
> > My most recent attempt at this resulted in a complaint to the Dean that
> > I wasn't teaching.  So, I have lectured ever since.
>
> I see two issues here, which may or may not have been the intent:
>
> 1. The Socratic method is a very difficult method to learn how to do
> efficiently and correctly.  In addition, the students have no desire to
> learn this way (at least initially).  These have been my problems.
> Fortunately, I have a very supportive department and I am willing to give
> it a chance because I think it shows much promise.  We'll see...
>
> 2. Like Peter, I have also found that my students have a lot of added
> pressures on their lives, much moreso than what I had when I was going to
> school.  However, while I understand their struggle, I am uncomfortable
> lowering my standards to accomodate these students.  Hmmm...what to
> do...what to do...
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> | Robert Cohen               Department of Physics       |
> |                            East Stroudsburg University |
> | bbq@esu.edu                East Stroudsburg, PA  18301 |
> | http://www.esu.edu/~bbq/   (570) 422-3428              |
> ----------------------------------------------------------