Re: grading schemes

[Jim Green <JMGreen@SISNA.COM>]

At 12:48 21 12 2001 , you wrote:
> I have only been teaching two years, and my remarks may be premature.
> Regarding demonstrating, there is a golly gee wiz Mr Wizard that can wake up
> students. It can even impress them. Sadly, it does not teach much. It
> entertains. My students have to get there hands on things and struggle with
> them to learn concepts.

I wonder if we are missing one of the great benefits of the likes of
demos:  It is well known that in teaching things as intensive as physics,
the  students need a time to download what is in their temporary brain
space to somewhere more permanent.  Because of the frequency of TV
commercials I feel that this should be done every 7 min of so.   IE one
should change something in the lecture every 7 min or their mind will go
numb.  A little demo of sorts is a very helpful interjection in this
regard.  Their brains download and then one can continue with the
physics.  PER people can give a further tutorial.

Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen