The obvious joke to insert here is: "you mean the students, the
professors, or the administration?" On some level, they were all
enemies, but also all friends.
Some context: the SCALE-UP classroom I helped teach was a
freshman-level calc-based physics class. The one for physics majors,
and those others who were required to take it. This included CS,
chemistry, and bioengineering majors, for example. There is no larger
engineering school at this University, hence the total department
load teaching physics as a support class, although large, is not as
massive as some places. Although there is a major medical school,
AFAICT premeds by and large take the algebra-based physics class.
Some quick observations, just about the students:
1. Despite not being a teacher, I have lurked on this list for many
years. Based on many things I've read, I was expecting many remedial
students. We collected a detailed survey from the students at the
beginning as to their backgrounds and expectations. To be sure, there
were those who had never taken a physics class, or those who had but
stated it as worthless, usually because the HS teacher was not a
physics teacher. OTOH, there were a large number that had taken
several AP classes, you name it: math, calculus, physics, chemistry,
they had it all. We also have local specialty schools focusing on
math and science, and drew students from them. It became clear that
this University can well afford to accept only the best, by whatever
measure that means. I did not expect this.
2. The class was mostly freshman, and some sophomores, and just a
scattering of upperclassmen/women. This University is now, overall,
60% women and 40% men, I am told (thereabouts). Historically, I have
been told that the physics class sometimes has reflected this, but it
is not common. Each of the 2 semesters I taught (fall/spring) had
about 25% women, more or less. Despite living here, I didn't even
know the University was now mostly women.
3. By and large, these students were used to being the best at their
respective high schools. Some of them may not have ever gotten
anything other than As. The freshman especially seemed to think that
college might be like HS. After all, they took AP classes and got
great grades, and that's just like college, right? They not only
signed up for physics, but for math and chemistry and biomed and
what-have-you, just like they did in high school. And many were
absolutely, totally, abjectly... crushed. Although I was not able to
query every last student, I got into conversations with several about
the University guidance services. Their opinion? Guidance services
are useless. I did not expect this.
4. I helped teach the same class, in the fall when there were a total
of 4 sections, 1 of them SCALE-UP, and in the spring again for those
students who were "off track," when there were a total of 3 sections,
1 of them SCALE-UP. The second thing I did not expect was the
difference in personality from one semester to the next, although in
retrospect it makes sense. The fall students basically were
idealistic about college - it takes a while to grind the life out of
a child you know, whereas the spring students had had their heads
handed to them in the fall, and had developed a cynicism that I'm
sure we honed further. Cynicism on the part of once idealistic young
people? Not too much surprise there. But was did surprise me was how
striking the difference was after really just... what... 15 weeks?
OK, some of my wording leans to hyperbole, but there's a lot of
grains of truth in there. I'll next share some observations about the
administration and the professors, and then talk about the SCALE-UP
class. I'm still working in industry, at least until my company shuts
down in the next 2 months, so I'll write and respond, if anyone shows
interest, as I can.