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Re: semesters



Roger asked about my calculus of comparing the quarter to the semester
system schools. so here goes

We had 40 hour lectures in one quarter and at SDSU we have about 41 or 42
hour lectures for the semester system course. Very close to the same.

Also, I have taught a grad course out of the same book as a friend at Utah
State (quarters). He is able in 1 year (3 quarters) to cover significantly
more material than me in 1 year (2 semesters); It may not be quite 50% more
material, but its close and he covered some areas more carefully than I do.

I think Roger is counting weeks instruction whereas I'm counting lecture
days. Also, I see the year long semester introductory sequence trimming
material compared to the year long quarter sequence. I.e. 3 quarters > 2
semesters

Joel

Joel, I was going on weeks based on three 50 min. lecture periods per week.
Under that system 1 sem. hr. credit transfers as 1.5 quarter hrs. of credit
at the places that I am acquainted with.

In the eight week summer sessions, our classes are considerably longer. The
problem that I have had is that I find that I teach less material during
these longer periods. Both the summer classes and classes during the regular
semester have the same number of minutes, total. But I can never cover the
same amount of material. I have blamed it on the fact that discussions get
involved and are hard to stop without the forced break at the end of the
period for class periods that are only 50 min. long.

The only thing that I liked about the quarter system was that the quarter
was finished before Christmas and didn't have the three weeks of class after
Christmas vacation under the old semester system. However, since the
semesters now start earlier for us so that we finish before the holidays,
that is no longer an objection. Instead, now I object to starting in mid
August but with air conditioning it's a weak objection.

Roger Pruitt