Re: inquiry based courses

["Dave Baum - Drew University Physics Dept." <DBAUM@drew.edu>]

I also shifted gears several years ago in terms of the way I teach classes.
the change was instigated by a question Lillian McDermott asked me during
dinner on a visit to the school at which I worked at the time.
She asked 'how do we know that there are two types of charge?'
Of course if you think about it for a couple seconds, it becomes obvious,
but I was SHOCKED to realize that I didn't know right off the bat.
SO, after four years of majoring in physics, six years of TAing physics,
and another year of teaching it, i realized that I knew nothing about HOW
we know things.  What was really scary was that I received an award
in grad school for teaching!

I started looking around for different approaches, and there are quitre a few good ones, but each seemed to take a single good idea to extremes.

Better to develop your own approach, integrating this other ideas
in ways suitable to your style and the class capabilities.

With my work situation I almost always end up with algebra-based physics,
which I think every one knows, but won't admit, is the toughest of
them all.  Otherwise, temps and new faculty wouldn't always get stuck with it.

Generally, half the student love what I do, the rest hate it.  You're not 
'telling them what they NEED to know.'

Surprisingly, there was ONE place where this approach was almost universally lkiliked by the students, but that's another story.

Now in terms of evaluations, it's important to make the students aware of WHAT
you're doing, and WHY.  I took a whole class period to go over (again)
what I expected them to get out of the class.  I made sure that they knew
that my class is NOT preparation for the MCATs ( although it should help!)

I can send a copy of the overheads to anyone interested.
Read the evaluations carefully, because students often DO have valuable insights.  But just ignore the whiners.  If a student writes that you stink as a teacher, screw him; but if he writes that you stink as a teacher because ...., then
that's imporant to review.

Same with your fellow faculty members.  IF they have something constructive to 
add, listen and if the suggestion makes sense, use it.  If however, you're a t a 
school where evaluations are king and they're giving you grief, screw them.
It's probably not a place you';re really want to work, anyway.

d abum
(as usual, I  can't type my own name, which is really d baum)