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

["Daniel L. MacIsaac" <Dan.MacIsaac@NAU.EDU>]

> > Derivations are a bit of a hot-button issue for me.  I believe that one
> > shouldn't have students do tasks for which they won't be made possibly
> > responsible for later.  Derivations are a good example of this (whether
> > done
> > as part of lectures or in some sort of active engagement method),...
>
>         I couldn't agree more enthusiastically.  Those of you who have
> looked at the excerpts from my calculus text will note that every
> derivation is given either as:
>         1. an example to be followed in exercises; or
>         2. an exercise; the exercise then leads the student
> through the derivation.
>                                 Regards,
>                                         Jack
Cool.  Now extend this logic to nifty demos and reading the text.  What is to
be done, ...er... left to be done in lecture after eliminating these?  I have
seen lots of lectures where derivations, text reading and nifty demos was
all that took place.  I have no problem with lectures if you can eliminate or
largely eliminate these things (say <20% time, including crse admin).  Now
what do you do with the other 80%?  I'm trying to do whiteboards and seat
experiments, what do others do?  What do you do, Jack?  I note Hake has a list
in his paper, but I'm sure there are other worthwile things worth doing in
lecture that aren't passive that aren't on Hake's list.

Dan, in need of a party name...
("What is to be done?' was the title of a little book by VI Lenin)

Dan MacIsaac, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Northern AZ Univ
danmac@nau.edu          http://purcell.phy.nau.edu         PHYS-L list owner