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Re: Extra Credit (was Where Have All the Boys Gone?)



Regarding the visiting expert on using the class period for discussion
groups


If I had to include group discussions in the 50-minute
lecture period, I
would certainly cover much less material than I presently
cover. . . .

Actually, the visiting "expert" was repeatedly confronted
with that concern
but was _adamant_ that one could cover _more_ material with his method
because students would really be motivated to read the
chapter before the
class activity. The professor only has to deal with the concepts the
students didn't understand in their reading, rather than
having to plod
through the whole chapter (some of which the students easily
understand if
they read it).


Gee, what planet is that "expert" from? Larry thought he remembered it to
be a Law or Finance professor. Those prof's typically have a vastly
different set of clientele than we do in the typical introductory physics
class. Mostly students taking a seemingly difficult required course, which
just takes a lot of time from all the other things they would rather be
doing, working on the other 4-5 courses they are taking, some in their
actual major; having fun; working at their 20-30 hour job that they are
simultaneously holding down while being a full time student; (insert your
favorite reasons here). Many finance and law students are of course
looking
forward to achieving 100K plus jobs when they graduate (I'm not saying they
all get those jobs, just that they often are looking forward to it.)

On a side note: here in South Dakota, the Law professors are the only ones
who don't have student evaluations. (maybe the medical school professors as
well, but I'm unsure of them.)

Joel Rauber
Joel_Rauber@sdstate.edu