Re: [Phys-l] Reading PER literature

["Paul Lulai" <plulai@stanthony.k12.mn.us>]

A few more comments added in line: (PLulai)

R. McDermott Adds.  Just a couple comments inline...
> If lecture is all it takes, why doesn't the book alone work?

Define "lecture".  If it amounts to nothing but listening to an
instructor 
read his/her notes, then perhaps you're correct.  And the book alone
DOES 
work for some people.

--- I agree that the book alone, or traditional lecture (writing notes
on the board and asking good rhetorical questions) works for some.  If
we want people to understand the material, we should try a variety of
methods. {paul}
 
> Why send a kid to lecture?

As opposed to...?

--- Just giving them your notes or the book.  Intending to point out
that if traditional lectures (as roughly described above) are really an
instructors way of conveying the material in comparison to the text.
{paul}

> Why not just give the kid your notes?

See book above.  It may also be that one's "notes" are simply an outline
and 
not a fully fleshed-out treatment.
--- I can understand this, if the instructors lecture notes are an
outline, then perhaps the lecture course is determined by interactions
between the instructor & students.  This sounds nice.  


> Maybe a little something extra hits a few more kids.

Several "somethings" is sometimes better than one "something", so I
agree.

> Keep talking about how more and more physics & science grad students
are
> from other countries.
> Fine.  Do something about it.  Teach differently.

Hmmm.  But many of them study here, so what does THAT say?  
--- That says that our schools are good.  It doesn't say that there is
no room for improvement in teaching methods.

Also, don't overlook the huge ratio of students in the world versus
"here"; it would be unreasonable to expect us to represent more than a
tiny fraction of that total.  You have the additional problem that our
population is influenced by our culture and its values.  Science isn't
as high up on that list as it once might have been.  This isn't to say
that changing the way we teach might not have an impact, but I'm not
sure how big it's likely to be.

--- Good points.  I agree with all of them.  

> Will more scholarships really spark an interest in people?  I would
> guess only those that find the stuff interesting in the first place.

There is also an issue of financial expectation from the profession.

> There is no scholarship in the world that would make me to get a
> graduate degree in a subject that didn't genuinely spark my
> curiosity/interest.

A fair point. 
---Thanks.  It is poorly worded (rush email), and probably isn't
terribly relevant for the group.

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