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[Phys-L] Re: Encouraging Reading Skills (was RE: In the Private Universe)



I'd have to "research" this to verify, but it's certainly like Charlie
Schwartz's pre lecture exercise; already discussed on PHYS-L.

bc

p.s. Wrong! (How did I confuse this?)

http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0105&L=phys-l&F=&S=&P=7954
<http://lists.nau.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0105&L=phys-l&F=&S=&P=7954>


It's like "planted"? memory. I still think Schwartz had students turn
something in at the beginning of class. BTW, Charlie is spending his
retirement researching and gad flying the regents mainly about economic
corruption. "We" UC workers appreciate him.

http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~schwrtz/
<http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/%7Eschwrtz/>



Joseph Bellina wrote:

It is a bit like Just in Time stuff, but I've always thought theft was
the highest form of compliment. Nice idea.
It also gives you data to play with.

joe

Folkerts, Timothy J wrote:



One approach to reinforcing reading that I have started recently is to give a simple assignment for each new chapter - to be completed BEFORE the first class on that material. They have to find nine pieces of information:
* 3 ideas that that were already familiar with before reading the chapter
* 3 ideas that they learned by reading the chapter
* 3 ideas that were still unclear after reading the chapter

So far I have been doing this mostly in gen. ed. courses (astronomy & physical science), but I may expand to core physics courses. The assignment asks them to write a full, specific sentence, rather than just a subject, like "I knew that the color of light was related to wavelength." rather than "color". Of course, everyone has different answers!

This kills several birds with one stone:
* students have to open the book more than the day before an assignment or exam!
* students have to pay attention to what they read.
* students practice writing.
* I get feedback before getting to the end of the chapter (and I can use it for subsequent semesters).
* I can tell students that I am focusing on the things that they need help with, even if it is really about the same thing I was going to do anyway ;-)


I don't remember exactly what inspired me to try this. I hope it isn't an idea that I stole from somewhere and forgot where I stole it :-)


Tim F

Instructor of Physics
Barton County Community College
Great Bend, KS
620-792-9320






--
Joseph J. Bellina, Jr. Ph.D.
574-284-4662, 4968
Saint Mary's College
Dept. of Chemistry and Physics
Notre Dame, IN, 46556