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[Phys-L] Re: Quarters vs Semesters



In the quarter system school I went to, the intro physics class had 5
exams plus a final exam. So we were tested about every two weeks. If
frequency of exams is good, I was apparently in pedagogical heaven.

(Actually, it was a very good course, with an excellent instructor, so
we didn't mind the above average exam count for my university in that
course.)

How many tests an instructor gives in a term, is way more instructor
dependent than quarter/semester system dependent, so I don't think this
sort of calculation is very relevant. You can semester or quarter
system courses with high or low exam counts.

________________________
Joel Rauber
Department of Physics - SDSU

Joel.Rauber@sdstate.edu
605-688-4293



| -----Original Message-----
| From: Forum for Physics Educators
| [mailto:PHYS-L@list1.ucc.nau.edu] On Behalf Of Robert Cohen
| Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 1:44 PM
| To: PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU
| Subject: Re: Quarters vs Semesters
|
| Michael Edmiston wrote:
| <snip>
| > Hugh discussed different definitions of quarters. Actually the
| > federal government and most states have definitions of quarters and
| > semesters. Schools don't have to follow those definitions,
| but if they
| > don't it is supposed to have implications for student
| financial aid.
| > A quarter is 10 weeks of classes (i.e. an exam week would
| be an 11th
| > week).
| > A semester is 15 weeks of classes (i.e. an exam week would
| be a 16th
| > week). In either system an academic year contains 30 weeks of
| > classes. A fulltime student must carry at least 12 credit hours. A
| > class is supposed to meet one class hour (50
| > minutes) for each credit hour.
| <snip>
|
| Exam should count also (what about a mid-term exam, for
| example) and so I suspect only 15 weeks is required (or 14
| weeks plus an exam week).
| Overall, there would be the same number of hours (2x15 or 3x10).
|
| This raises the question as to whether the time spent on
| exams is any different. For example, if each quarter course
| has a single 1-h midterm and 3-h final, and each semester
| course has three 1-h midterms and a 3-h final, that means
| 3x(1+3)=12 h would be devoted to exams for each quarter
| course and 2x(3+3)=12 h would be devoted to exams for each
| semester course. I would think it would be better,
| pedagogically, to offer exams more frequently, which would
| imply that the semester system is better, no?
|
| ____________________________________________________
| Robert Cohen; 570-422-3428; www.esu.edu/~bbq East Stroudsburg
| University; E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301
|
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