[Phys-L] Re: What students will do. (was: Physics Solutions Manual)

["Spagna Jr., George" <gspagna@RMC.EDU>]

Bernard asks

> p.s. George, did you readopt a text because their grades plummeted?

And Joel adds

> Or because you got tired of listening to the complaints on student
evaluations?

> Or, what was the reason?

It's a bit more complicated - top grades slipped a little, and more
students "fell off" the bottom of the distribution.  More importantly,
it became clear that by not using a set textbook we were apparently
(student perception) sending the message that they need only fully
engage the material while in class.  Even misusing a textbook (e.g.
"solving" assigned problems by trying to mimic a worked example in lieu
of reading and trying to understand the material) seems to be of more
benefit than not using it at all.  At least, if it was "their" book,
they seemed to use it more out of class.

I also have two advantages in dealing with student complaints.  First, I
have tenure - which doesn't foster indifference to student feedback, but
does allow perspective rather than knee-jerk responses.  Second, I am
department chair so I can shield non-tenured faculty when they are
carrying out a consensus decision of the department.  I have discussed
our pedagogical approaches with the Dean, and he understands and
encourages what we are trying to do.

**********************************************
     "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than

    sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."

                                          - Martin Luther King, Jr.

**********************************************

Dr. George Spagna
Chair, Physics Department
Randolph-Macon College
P.O. Box 5005
Ashland, VA 23005-5505

phone: (804) 752-7344
fax: (804) 752-4724
e-mail: gspagna@rmc.edu
http://faculty.rmc.edu/gspagna


Spagna Jr., George wrote:

> A number of years ago we experimented by replacing an adopted textbook
> with a "lending library" of our new and recent textbooks.  Homework
> assignments were written by the faculty, sometimes using textbook
> problems, but often generating "context rich" problem statements.  We
> thought we were doing them a favor by not requiring the purchase of a
> $100+ tome.
>
> Students were encouraged to figure out where we were in their borrowed
> book by paying attention to the subjects we were working on.  If
unsure,
> they were encouraged to ask.
>
> They didn't use the books, except perhaps as paperweights.  We've gone
> back to an adopted textbook.
>
> **********************************************
>     "Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than
>
>    sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
>
>                                          - Martin Luther King, Jr.
>
> **********************************************
>
> Dr. George Spagna
> Chair, Physics Department
> Randolph-Macon College
> P.O. Box 5005
> Ashland, VA 23005-5505
>
> phone: (804) 752-7344
> fax: (804) 752-4724
> e-mail: gspagna@rmc.edu
> http://faculty.rmc.edu/gspagna
_______________________________________________
Phys-L mailing list
Phys-L@electron.physics.buffalo.edu
https://www.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l