Re: grade-grubbing vs. love of learning

["Richard W. Tarara" <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Denker" <jsd@MONMOUTH.COM>
> It depends on the school.  I notice that at saintmarys.edu, according to
> the online version of the course schedule, no organized elective courses
in
> physics were even offered last semester.  I'm sure that at other places,
> both the demand and the supply are higher.

There are reasons for this, the first and foremost being that there is no
physics major here.  The physics group (2 of us) is actually folded into the
Chemistry Department.  We teach a couse that satisfies the General Education
Requirement (2 semester science with laboratory)--64 students, 4 lab
sections (all handled 100% by the main instructor--no TAs {they don't
exist}): A 2 semester Calculus based general physics for the Chemistry,
Biology, and a few Math majors (with labs of course):  A third semester
follow up course aimed primarily at the Chemistry majors that concentrates
on a more detailed study of E&M and emphasizes the Calculus and other
advanced math methods (also with lab).  We do have an elective Electronics
course, taken by only a few, mostly Chem majors and a few math majors trying
to get minors.  The kinds of elective science courses that might sell here
would not be the 'challenging' type.  Descriptive Astronomy might sell if we
had the man-power and the equipment.  The Gen Ed course already deals with
environmental concerns by having one semester based on the questions of
Global Energy use and its effects.

In terms of students anxious to take really challenging courses, I think I
can safely say that there are a LOT more schools like ours than like MIT and
Cal Tech..  ;-(

Rick