Re: How much is too much?

[Tina Fanetti <FanettT@QUEST.WITCC.CC.IA.US>]

> > 2) I still think that time spent reading the textbook
  a) is important, and
  b) counts as part of the student's time-budget<<
 
I agree and I can assign reading all I want but that won't make the students read the book.

This is a 5 hour class that meets for 6 hours, 2 of which are lab.  I am thinking that we will cover about a chapter every 1.5 week so that one assignment per chapter will balance out to about 1 set a week


> Unfortunately, most of my students can't solve problems involving more than one step.
> Anything that requires assumptions or manipulating equations they have trouble with.
>
> My students can't seem to follow step by step problem solving methods.

> > You'd better have a plan for overcoming that deficiency.  If
you don't deal with it, you're just perpetuating the grotesque
misimpression that all problems have one-step solutions.<<

I am working on that.  that is one of the challenges I am trying to address.  Is it better to give fewer, yet harder problems or give a mix or something else.    

Do you have any concrete suggestions?  I read that discussion you sent me..

Tina


Tina Fanetti
Physics Instructor
Western Iowa Technical Community College
4647 Stone Ave
Sioux City IA 51102
712-274-8733 ext 1429