The wise man doesn't give the right answers, he poses the right questions.
--Claude Levi-Strauss, Belgian anthropologist

PHYSICS 203

Summer 2008
Instructor

Igor Glozman
 Office:  29-332
Tel: (206) 878-3710 ext 3510
email: iglozman@highline.edu
web: http://flightline.highline.edu/iglozman/

Lecture MTuTh 12:00 PM - 1:35 PM, Rm 29-306 (6085)
 
Lab Wed 12:00 - 1:50 PM, Rm 29-306
 
Office Hours

MTuWTh    11:00 am - 12:00 PM
*also by appointment and whenever you can catch me

Textbook Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 6th ed, by Tipler and Mosca
 
Course description

The second installment in a year-long calculus-based introduction to physics, with primary emphasis on mechanics.  Major topics include electromagnetism and circuits. Students are presumed to have already taken mechanics.

Why Physics?

Whether you are a participant or a spectator, you need to know the rules of a game before you can fully enjoy it. To fully appreciate Mother Nature, in all her glory, you need to know the rules she plays by.  And that’s what physics is all about.

Course objectives In addition to helping students master course content (i.e., physics) and develop academic maturity (see below), this course is designed to help students achieve the following more general objectives:
  • Have fun!!!
  • Become an active member of a learning community.
  • Learn to learn (see FAQs for some quick tips).
  • Improve:
  • Learn to apply knowledge outside of class.
  • Have fun!!!
Grading       Homework 10%
        Participation 5% (or more)
        Journal/Evals 5% (or more)
        Lab 15%
        Presentation/Science Articles 20%
        Midterm 20% (Wed, July 23, class time)
        Final 25% (Wed, Aug 13, 12:00–1:50 PM)

 

Grading scale

Students often want to know where they stand in the class. While the question is difficult to answer with accuracy before all the assignments are turned in and the results compared to the rest of the class, the scale below should give you a rough idea.

Decimal grade Type of student
4.0 Exceptional student, strong in every aspect of the class.
3.0 Pretty good student, strong in most aspects of the class, with some weaknesses
2.0 Average student, weak in many areas but has a reasonable grasp of the important ideas
1.0 Serious issues with effort and motivation (or evidence thereof)
0.0 Little or no effort, virtually no motivation (or evidence thereof)

For a more detailed analysis, please visit the grade calculator, http://flightline.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/gradecalc.htm.

Course content

 

Course components (in gory detail)

Cartoon of speaker addressing a classParticipation:  There is an old saying that "It's better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." While this attitude is quite pervasive among students, it usually constitutes an impediment to learning in the classroom. Class participation is very important not only for your own success but also for that of your classmates. So try to become active participants in the learning community, whether it be the actual classroom or in the discussion board. Form study groups, participate in classroom discussions, and be prepared to answer questions when called upon in class. Of course, feel free to ask questions at any time. While attendance is not mandatory, except in labs and during student presentations, excessive absences will lower you participation grade and will also leave a bad impression.

dig_hole

Homework: To help you keep up with class material, weekly graded (required) assignments have been set up at at http://webassign.net. Expect about 20 problems per week to 10 days, which will translate to about 2-3 problems per day (with proper time management). For best results, you should first work on the problems by yourself with as few resources as possible, as if you were taking a test. That means no notes, no books, no tutor. Remember that frustration and some trial and error are essential parts of the learning process. Merely getting the right answer with the help of the book or a tutor may bypass the critical learning component. Students who rely too much on outside help often develop a false sense of security and experience a collapse on the exams. Of course, you should get help after making a sincere effort and hitting a dead end. However, even after getting help, make sure to reproduce the solution under test-like conditions.

Exams: This is your chance to show off what you have learned. Much of the material on the exams is taken almost directly from the homework. So if you do your homework and stay alert in class, you should have no trouble. The final tends to be a bit more challenging than the midterms, particularly for those students who tend to cram and memorize. On the other hand, the final can also be your opportunity to make up for any weaknesses that may have existed up to that point. Because of the wide spectrum of preparedness on the part of the students, the distribution of scores on the exams can also be quite broad. An average of 50-60% is not unusual, with some students significantly above and some below. If you need special accommodations, please let me know in advance.

Lab: This is the place where you get a chance to participate in some "hands-on" activities, designed not only to make the subject matter less abstract but are hopefully also just plain fun.

"In the matter of physics, the first lessons should contain nothing but what is experimental and interesting to see. A pretty experiment is in itself often more valuable than twenty formulae extracted from our minds."--Albert Einstein, A. Moszkowski, Conversations with Einstein, page 67, Horizon Press (1970)

Students will form groups of about 3-5 people and will apply the scientific method to the collection and analysis of data from various experiments related to class topics. For each lab, each group will submit a write-up subject to peer review. We'll try to keep lab as fun and informal as possible, but attendance and punctuality are mandatory.

Typing ComputerWebassign and Blackboard: All assignments in this class are submitted online either at www.webassign.net or in Blackboard (http://blackboard.highline.edu). Webassign is used for homework and exams; Blackboard is used for everything else. You should log in regularly to make sure that you are aware of all due dates. To access and submit your assignments, you need to input your username, password, and institution name. Your username in webassign will be the same as that in Blackboard. The webassign password is initially the same as the username, but students are encouraged to change it as soon as they log in. The institution name is highline.cc.wa. While webassign is a powerful instructional tool for both student and teacher, it is regrettably not free. Both the school and the students share the cost. Students pay a one-time fee of about $10 either in the bookstore ("buy webassign card") or online (http://www.webassign.net/info/support/access_codes.html).

Group presentation: This is your opportunity to research a topic of interest to you (but related to course material) in some depth and educate your peers (the class), while sharpening your communication skills. They do say, after all, that the best way to learn a topic is to teach it. Your presentation should include a short poster and/or PowerPoint presentation. You are encouraged to choose a topic of particular interest to you; some ideas can be found here: http://www.flightline.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/project_ideas.htm. Keep in mind, however, that it is ultimately your responsibility to find a topic. You are also encouraged to use any other props which you feel will enhance your presentation and stimulate your audience. For instance, you may choose to entertain the class with a demo (related to the class), which is a simple experiment that demonstrates an important scientific principle. A degree in engineering or astrophysics is not required, but a creative spirit and an outpouring of enthusiasm wouldn't hurt. Some examples of such demos can be found here. You should work in groups of 3-5 people, but you must share the workload.

sunrise over pond

Journal: A journal is a record of occurrences, experiences, and reflections kept on a regular basis--a bit like a diary. Whether in industry or in an educational setting, making observations and generally being more self-reflective are helpful in identifying areas of strength and weakness so that appropriate adjustments can be made and better problem-solving algorithms can be developed. By directing you to be more self-reflective, a journal can increase your effectiveness by helping you define objectives and set goals, and monitor progress toward them. Secondarily, this process would also allow an outside observer (e.g., supervisor or teacher) to offer some useful feedback. In this class, you will be expected to keep such a journal and make regular entries in webassign, roughly every couple of days. Entries can include things you've learned or are having trouble with, and any other school-related experiences that may be affecting your performance. Here are some guidelines:

Evaluations: In addition to the day-to-day observations in your journal, you will have the opportunity to evaluate the class, the instructor, and your classmates. Two important areas of evaluation will be the student presentations. Evaluation criteria for the presentation are suggested at: http://www.flightline.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/preseval.htm. Lab evaluations are described here: http://www.flightline.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/labeval.htm. The effort that goes into your evaluations is no less important than the actual presentation, so please take it seriously. The exercise of evaluating others (as well as yourself) is a valuable learning tool because it forces the evaluator to take responsibility and focus on important issues.

Evaluations will be graded mostly on the effort and thought that goes into them. Constructive criticism generally receives the highest marks. An effective critique is one which takes a position and offers a justification. An ineffective critique is one which offers an empty statement like "Everybody was great," with no further justification. Remember, everyone can always do better, so try to come up with some tips and observations. Evaluations should be submitted in a timely manner in Blackboard. Toward the end of the course, you will also have the opportunity to evaluate the course and estimate the grade that you think you deserve based on the criteria in this syllabus. Here's the list of important opportunities to make observations and offer analysis:

Discussion List Cartoon

Forum:  One good way to interact with your classmates without the headache of organizing meetings is to exchange ideas in the “virtual forum” or discussion web set up specifically for your class in Blackboard. I encourage you to use the forum to solve homework problems together, ask questions, make suggestions, or simply air some thoughts. In addition, important announcements will appear in the forum. Remember that you are all in this adventure together, so please do as much as you can to contribute. Most of you will find visiting the forum a pleasant adventure, a way to hang out with familiar characters. For some, the forum will turn out to be an addiction--but fortunately one of the healthy ones. Note: To get full credit for forum participation, you need to demonstrate not only a consistent effort throughout the quarter but also some depth in at least a few of your posts. As with the science articles (see below), it is not sufficient to unload during the last couple of weeks.

Science articles: These articles are intended to encourage you to practice your written communication skills, especially as they relate to scientific material. Your effort on the articles will become part of your overall grade on the presentation. While some students find it difficult to add yet another task to their already busy schedules, the potential benefits suggest that it might be a good investment. These include:

Science sources can be found all over the web, as suggested by (but not limited to) to this list:

http://flightline.highline.edu/iglozman/bibliography.htm

The format is similar--at least, in spirit--to that of the group presentations, except that every student should work independently (not a group project) and no oral presentation is required. Read an article on a science-related topic and submit (post) a short big-idea report on it in the forum. This report should be no longer than a couple of sentences, a quick summary of the big ideas--just long enough to whet the reader's appetite. Include a reference and a couple of challenging questions (and answers) related to the article. Here is a couple of examples:

 

says &apos

Be prepared to respond to questions that might arise in connection to these articles. This is all very informal, so try not to be too stressed about it, but do put some effort into it. As with forum participation (see above), consistency is very important, so try not to unload during the last week or two. You need to do about 1 article per week (in the forum). More is better, less is worse. You also need to respond to at least one article per week in the forum. Your response not only keeps you alert to others' posts, but also encourages others to keep posting. (An indifferent audience is not very motivating.) Keep track of your activities with regard to articles and comment on them in the journals.

Keys to success

Attitude and perspective:  Although physics tends to be challenging for most students, the real difficulty is not the subject matter but rather the attitude with which it is approached. The best approach is to work hard and apply oneself. In addition, maintain a positive attitude and a love of learning at all times. Try not whine about how difficult the material is; instead, try to have fun and be grateful for your educational opportunities. When you start to feel a little stressed from school, try to think about the starving orphan in some third-world, poverty-stricken village who would love to trade places with you. It's all a question of perspective, so try to maintain a healthy one.

Deadlines and due dates: Deadlines and due dates are an integral part of the world we live in. We all have to deal with them and they help us stay on track. In that regard, this class is no different: All assignments come with a due date. The due date should not be interpreted as the day to work feverishly on an assignment; rather, you should be working on assignments with consistency (not in spikes) as soon as they are available, keeping the due dates in mind as aids in helping you manage your time and tasks efficiently. Those that have trouble staying on top of due dates might consider mentally moving the due date up to a somewhat earlier time. Keep in mind that the ability to keep up with the due dates is part of each assignment. If you miss an assignment (for any reason), you should explain your circumstances in your journal and/or in person to your instructor.

***Preparing for class:  In this course, students are expected to come to class prepared, having gone over at least some of the relevant material in the textbook. For best results, the class should be considered a supplement rather than a substitute for reading and independent study. The instructor cannot make you learn; the instructor is only the tour guide. So don't be afraid to learn things on your own, outside of class. You are expected to do so--during this class and during the rest of your lives. Throughout the quarter, students will be given frequent opportunities in class to demonstrate their level of preparedness by making a sincere attempt to answer questions posed by other students or by the instructor. While this may seem intimidating at first, it is really an effective way to motivate students to be actively engaged in a classroom discussion. (The alternative, and usually less appealing, option is the dreaded pop quiz. So stay on your toes and don't make me resort to it.:))

 

Objectives

Academic maturity:  Academic maturity is an umbrella term used to describe those characteristics which allow students to reach their academic potential and achieve growth in an academic environment and ultimately in the field of their choice. Characteristics generally associated with academic maturity include:

In their book Making Sense of College Grades (Jossey-Bass, 1986), Ohmer Milton, Howard R. Pollio, and James A. Eison found that learning-oriented college students were more inclined to explore possibilities and relationships rather than to work only with known facts; they also were more attentive to lectures. In contrast, grade-oriented students who focus on "making the grade"--for example, who only read material that will be tested and view other class reading as an inconvenient waste of time--performed less well on exams, had poorer study habits, and were twice as likely to report having cheated repeatedly. So try to approach your educational opportunities in a mature, knowledge-hungry way. Remember that only about half of your grade will be based on exams. The other half will be based on academic maturity (in its various forms).

Independent learning: In this class, students are expected to develop the ability to read the book and to be independent of the instructor (as much as possible) in learning the material. The instructor should be viewed more as a tour guide and facilitator than a transferrer of  knowledge. For best results, you should try to familiarize yourself with the concepts before seeing them in class. The due dates for homework assignments are timed to motivate you to stay on top of the material and discourage you from procrastination.

 

Critical thinking: "Critical thinking" and "thinking outside the box" are catch phrases which are receiving increasingly more attention in both education and in the industrial world. Traditionally, education of the masses has emphasized the rote memorization of facts rather than depth of understanding. In today's fast-paced world, however, as information proliferates and becomes obsolete more rapidly, the traditional assembly-line philosophy of learning can no longer be considered adequate. Indeed, information becomes less important than the ability to access information, to identify and define issues or problems, to generate hypotheses, to construct arguments, to make inferences, and to evaluate results. All these new demands require that students actively engage in learning rather than passively "receive" knowledge. So do your best to become active learners.

 

cartoon man with the top of his head lifting up from the pressure of an earth and other things.Understanding vs memorization: Physics deals with quantitative as well as qualitative concepts. The quantitative aspects of physics generally involve the manipulation and application of formulas. While the initial impression may be that there are many, many complicated-looking formulas, the reality is that all these formulas are based on only a few fundamental and relatively simple relations. You will find that if you invest some time into understanding these simple relations and the qualitative concepts behind them, you will not only gain a deeper and longer-lasting understanding of physics, but you will also save yourself from the daunting task of having to memorize these formulas and from the recurring nightmare of misapplying them. For your continued edification, the "internalize but do not memorize" mantra will be chanted repeatedly throughout the course.

 

***Computer literacy: Computers are a general-purpose tool; they may appeal to different people in different ways. One person may like graphics and animation. Another may like electronic mail. Another may prefer video games. Whatever one's particular uses of a computer, proficiency with a computer can dramatically increase one's productivity and potential for success. Unfortunately, not everyone is completely comfortable with the use of computers, and some even suffer from computer phobia. Fortunately, like all irrational fears, computer phobia is no match for a determined, curiosity-driven mind and gradually dissolves with practice and perseverance.

As with most new things, there is a learning curve, and feeling some frustration at times is perfectly natural. The important thing to realize is that learning to use computer technology (in its many incarnations) is not something that should be considered a distraction from class work; it IS a big part of the class. Irrespective of background, all students in the class will be expected to master the following list of computer-related skills:

 

Pedagogy

A paradigm shift: According to William Perry's Scheme of Intellectual Development, the typical first-year college student has a dualistic view of knowledge, believing that right answers for everything exist in the absolute and that the role of the instructor is to teach them. Knowledge represents a gradual accretion of right answers acquired through effort and obedience to the instructor. Sadly, traditional teaching practices, particularly in introductory courses, tend to reinforce, rather than challenge, this unsophisticated view of learning. Traditional approaches emphasize the presentation of information, and define learning as its absorption. In contrast to this traditional content-driven paradigm, an effective student-centered, learning-oriented classroom involves a more active approach to learning, characterized by the following basic principles:

 

Learning PyramidActive vs passive: ***In the traditional model of education, the instructor is expected to have all the answers, while the student is expected to listen, take notes, and then demonstrate how full of knowledge he/she has become (usually on a test). In this model, brains are essentially treated as passive receptacles to be filled by the expertise of the instructor. According to constructivism, a popular theme in contemporary theories of education, learners do not acquire knowledge passively but construct it actively based on their experiences. But while most educational experts today recognize that this is not an effective mode of teaching, it is still unfortunately the predominant mode of education at the undergraduate levels. Hopefully, we can do a little better in this class.

 

Bloom's Taxonomy: Much of the philosophy behind the various class activities and components is based on Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain, a learning theory based on six levels of intellectual behaviors: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These levels progress from the simplest, knowledge (the remembering, either by recognition or recall, of ideas, materials, and phenomena) to the most complex, evaluation (the making of judgments about the value, for some purpose, of ideas, works, solutions, methods, material, etc..).

Learning styles:  Have you ever wondered why you loved history while your friends hated it, felt inspired by one particular faculty member while your friends thought she was boring? Have you ever been uncomfortable at a party while others seem to be having a wonderful time? Do you ever wonder why others miss deadlines and never seem to have things organized? All of these are connected to our personality type and our preferred way of doing and viewing things. When we are in a classroom environment that matches our learning style, everything feels right. The teacher is stimulating, the material exciting, the work enjoyable. But if the environment does not match our preferred learning style, we feel out of place, uncomfortable, and unable to do our best. There are no right or wrong, good or bad learning styles, just preferred styles. Understanding learning styles and personality preferences provides an important dimension of self-discovery and personal growth for students.  Knowing what we have in common with others, how we differ, and what is unique about ourselves can be both empowering and critical to our success in college and beyond. One of the most popular rubrics for understanding personality types is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). What's your MBTI? Find out here: http://www.gsu.edu/~dschjb/wwwmbti.html.

Cooperative learning: Extensive educational research indicates that when students learn together in pairs or in small groups, the learning is faster, there is greater retention, and students feel more positive about the learning process. The value of cooperative learning has resulted in its widespread use throughout the country, and it has become a standard part of most pre-service training. Several components of this course, including lab and group presentation, are designed to give you the opportunity to develop some of these skills. When working on group projects, all group members must participate in all aspects of the project, not simply taking turns. While we can all come up with pretty creative excuses why it's difficult to meet as a group outside of class, the ability to do so is an important objective of the class (and in the real world), no less important than the scores on an exam.

 

animation of aurora borealisProcrastination: Procrastination is perhaps the single most insidious deterrent to effective learning. Procrastination has a way of ruling our lives if we do not bring it under control. Not only does it make learning more difficult due the sheer volume of last-minute material, it also leads to excessive (and unnecessary) stress. Since understanding generally requires more time to achieve than short-term memorization, try to be consistent in your effort and don't procrastinate. In physics, perhaps even more so than in other fields, procrastination and cramming are simply ineffective learning strategies. And while it takes a great deal of wisdom and effort to break the clutches of procrastination, the results are usually worth it. Want to know how much of a procrastinator you are? Visit: http://flightline.highline.edu/iglozman/classes/procrastination_quotient.htm.

 

Head Bang on ComputerPerfectionism:  Are you a perfectionistic procrastinator? The question may seem paradoxical since you might think that a perfectionist is driven to get things done. In fact, perfectionism is often associated with procrastination because perfectionists can be easily paralyzed by the fear that some action may lead to an imperfect result. Perfectionism can lead to "starts and spurts" performance, in which an individual attacks a task with great energy (e.g., cleaning spree) and then slumps back in exhaustion after having exasperated, irritated, or alienated everyone around. Perfectionism has also been found to be strongly related to depression and an extremely critical spirit (either toward self or others). What is perfectionism, then? Perfectionism is a form of rigidity or inflexibility that is marked by three major characteristics:

  1. The intense desire to jump in and do things yourself because others just can't do it right.
  2. The insistent attitude that you wouldn't even start on something if you can't do it well.
  3. The profound need for closure, indicated by agitation or discomfort should something be left "hanging".

Each of these characteristics "drives" the perfectionist to procrastinate. For perfectionistic procrastinators, the first step in dealing with procrastination is acknowledging and disliking these three basic tendencies. Then practical solutions can be applied systematically. For example, moderate your expectations and stop focusing on faults and flaws.

Fear of failure: How often do we find ourselves afraid to try something for fear of failure, ridicule, or imperfection? Ironically, it is this fear of failure, rather than the actual failure, which is the greatest impediment to learning. Failure itself is a powerful teacher and can be the source of much personal growth. One of the reasons that kids are such excellent learners is that they reject all fear of failure. Trial and error is their policy and they are very effective at it. When children fail, they discover that they need to expand their capabilities. And although they may be frustrated by initial failures, they are rarely so frustrated that they don't try again. Just listen to them babbling and groping their way toward language acquisition. They are not always perfectly understood, but they ultimately learn the language, much better than most of us could learn it in school. Interestingly, children are not embarrassed by failure until they get to school; it is here that they learn to fear failure. This is very unfortunate since it is the willingness of young children to fail that is so critical to their ability to learn. Without failure there is no second try, no thinking about what needs to be changed, what needs to be learned. The loss of this willingness to fail is highly detrimental to the very curiosity that drives education. So, with that in mind, give yourself the permission to babble like a child. If you can do that, you'll be well on your way to success.

Teaching/grading philosophy: Most teachers want students to focus on learning and not be too preoccupied with points. To promote this mindset, the grading scheme in this class rewards you more for being motivated and well-rounded than for achieving perfect or near-perfect scores on exams. In particular, perfect scores on all exams but with very little contribution to the learning community may yield no more than a grade of B. On the other hand, a student who gets decent, though not necessarily stellar, scores on exams (e.g., 75%) but is always asking questions, working with and helping others, demonstrating a thirst for knowledge and growth, trying to do more than required (e.g., redoing labs when the data is faulty, experimenting with creative variations, and basically trying to learn and understand) will definitely be in contention for an A. The highest grades will be reserved for those people who not only score decent on exams, but also demonstrate a respectable work ethic and make a contribution to our learning community. My motivation for using this "nontraditional" grading scheme is to encourage students to become independent and self-motivated learners, so that learning and growth continues well after the class is over. You'll find that if you can learn to be internally driven, rather than driven by some arbitrary point system, you'll end up a lot more successful and will probably have a better quality of life. So whenever you don't get the grade that you want on an exam, think of it as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes rather than as something that will prevent you from transferring to some competitive graduate or undergraduate program.

 

Special Accommodations:  If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, please provide the instructor with the Letter of Accommodation you have received from the Office of Access Services, which is located in Building 6 in the Student Development Center.

Student rights and responsibilities:  One of the fundamental objectives of this institution is to provide the students with a high-quality education while developing in them a sense of ethics and social responsibility.  Students are therefore always expected to abide by the highest ethical standards.  Unethical conduct, most notably discrimination and various forms of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.), hurts the entire community and is subject to disciplinary action, as laid out in the Student Rights and Responsibilities document available at the Office of the Dean of Students. Anyone aware of such unethical activities should report to the instructor.

"Living up to basic ethical standards in the classroom—discipline, tolerance, honesty—is one of the most important ways children learn how to function in society at large." -- Eloise Salholz

Tutoring:  If you need extra help with this or any other class, you may find the tutoring center (26-319, x3444) useful.  The people are friendly and the services are free.

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Quick FAQs (including common gripes and excuses)

It appears to be human nature to complain and come up with excuses when effort and hard work may be involved. Here's a short list of classic excuses and the possible solution. (Click here to hear what they all sound like to someone who has heard it all before.)

Deadlines

  1. I like the online access of assignments but I always forget the due dates.
    A regular routine of logging into webassign or Blackboard (e.g., submitting journals) usually solves this problem.
  2. I couldn't submit my homework because there was something wrong with my internet connection.
    Response: Don't wait until the last minute. Bad things often happen when you wait until the last minute.
  3. I couldn't submit my homework because I was working late and the assignment was past due by the time I got back home.
    Response: Don't wait until the last minute. The allotted time to complete the assignments is always quite generous.
  4. I finished the homework way before it was due but then when I tried to submit a few minutes before the deadline, the computer wouldn't let me.
    Response: Don't wait until the last minute to submit. Since you have several submissions available, there is no reason not to submit at least part of the assignment early.
  5. You only gave us 10 days to work on this assignment. If I had just one more day, I would have done so much better.
    Response: What if you only had 9 (instead of 10) days to work on the assignment, how many additional days would you need? If you always find yourself needing one more day than what you're actually given, then you're probably procrastinating.
  6. I still don't understand some of the concepts and I need one more day to work on the homework. Can I have an extension?
    Response: Deadlines need to remain firm to ensure that progress is made in a timely manner. However, you can and should continue to work the problems, even after the deadline, until you understand all the concepts. Resources (book, web, peers, tutor, teacher) are always available if you need help. And don't be shy about asking questions in class.
  7. I know you said you don't like extensions, but can I still have one?
    Response: Those who find themselves consistently unable to cope with due dates probably have serious time management issues that need to be addressed. Extensions would eliminate the pressure to deal with these issues.
  8. Why do you make the HW assignments due on Saturday? Wednesdays would work a lot better.
    Response: You have the option of finishing on Wednesday, and not waiting until the due date.
  9. I would find it easier if homework was due every day instead of every 2 weeks.
    The due dates are scheduled to give students as much flexibility as possible to accommodate heavy work schedules and other responsibilities. You are encouraged, however, to start chipping away at your assignments as soon as they become available in webassign.
  10. I missed the deadline for submitting the homework by only a few minutes. It doesn't seem fair that I should receive zero credit for it.
    Response: Assignments can be submitted multiple times and students are expected to submit assignments (even if they are incomplete) well in advance of the deadline. The fact that you waited until the last day to make your first submission implies that you procrastinated. And since one of the big objectives in the class is to improve in the procrastination department, "soft" deadlines would not be too helpful. Anyway, I drop the lowest score, so a little bad luck should make no difference.
  11. I know it's irresponsible of me to be late on this homework assignment, but is there any way for me to still hand it in?
    Response: No, due dates must be enforced or they lose meaning. Here's an experience of an actual student: "I did poorly on the first homework, but I learned from it. I procrastinated on turning it in and got held up at work, missing the submission deadline. Because of this, I turned in the remaining homeworks on time, and usually early. I completely revised my methods of doing homework" So there is hope!
  12. I missed the deadline on the hw. Can I still email you my work?
    Response: No need to send me your hw. The hw is intended to guide your reading and keep you from procrastinating. These FAQs in the syllabus cover just about all the hw scenarios, so no need for anyone to get creative. If you're concerned about points, I drop the lowest score. So do your best to avoid the hard deadline in the future, and you should be ok.
  13. I forgot to do my journals last week. Can I have an extension?
    Response: Journals reflect your thoughts and observations at a particular time and day. Once that day passes, so does the opportunity to reflect on that day. However, while you can't change history, you always have the opportunity to make history (i.e., write new journals).
  14. Is there something I can do to make up a missed assignment?
    Response: Yes, make sure it doesn't become a pattern. Extra in-class and forum participation also helps.

Learning strategies

  1. Student#1: I wish the instructor would give us all the theory first before doing examples rather than learning what we need as we go along.
    Student#2: I like the "get right to the problems" approach of teaching rather than laboring on theory and analysis/lecture. Teaching by example, basically.
    Response: Obviously, you can't please everyone. Personally, I much prefer the "just-in-time" approach because it does train students to think, while the theory approach is more cookbookish.
  2. Why can't we get a lab handout or something that tells us exactly what to do in lab:
    Response: If you want to follow recipes, take a cooking class. In this class, lab should be considered your opportunity to explore possibilities and develop creative approaches to problem-solving, with minimal interference from the instructor.
  3. I hate computers. I prefer to work with pen and paper.
    Response: You can always print out the assignment and submit it online when you're ready.
  4. The instructor never seems to answer any question with a simple "yes" or "no".
    Response: A simple "yes" or "no" often does not do justice to the complexity of an issue.
  5. The instructor's style of teaching and my learning style do not seem compatible.
    Response: The homework, textbook, internet, tutor, and other students are essentially independent of the instructor's teaching style. Feel free to use any resource you find helpful.
  6. Are lecture notes available for the class?
    Response: Yes, lecture notes are available online. Hopefully, these lecture notes will help students pay attention in class and reduce the urge that many students feel to write excessively and obsessively detailed notes in class. Keep in mind, though, that lecture notes are sketchy and are not designed to replace either the lecture or the class textbook (or other reading material). Having another perspective is very important.
  7. I like to write down everything the instructor says. Why does the instructor discourage me from taking too many notes.
    Response: This class is for interactive learning. Generating a transcript of the class is essentially a passive process which bypasses the interactive component. If you need to take notes, take notes from the book at your own pace and then possibly supplement those with a few key ideas from class that were new or different.
  8. Why does the instructor move on to new problems or material before everyone in the class has had a chance to understand the material just covered? And why doesn't he ever finish a problem in class?
    Response: Instructors try to anticipate difficulties but they are not mind readers. If a student does not understand something, it is ultimately the responsibility of the students to speak up, especially when the instructor asks, "Are there any questions?"
  9. Why does the instructor rush through all the steps in solving the problems?
    Response: The pace of problem solving is adjusted based on the perceived needs of the students. However, instructors are not mind readers, so you have to speak up if something is not clear.
  10. By the time I got somewhat familiar with the concepts, we've already moved on to a different concept. This has pushed me behind in school.
    Response: If you consistently find yourself falling behind, then you're probably procrastinating and waiting too long for the instructor to cover the material. Topics to be covered in class are never a secret, and studying ahead of lecture is usually very helpful.
  11. The last topic in the class seemed rushed and I just don't feel comfortable with it. Maybe we should have spent more time on it.
    Response: It takes time to get comfortable with a new topic and the last topic will usually seem rushed even if it receives as much class time as the other topics because it is obviously closer to the end. To avoid this last-minute crunch, try to read ahead of lecture and ask questions in class.
  12. Why should I read the book and come to class prepared? I'll just let the instructor teach me everything.
    Response: This class is not simply about passing exams. You need to develop/demonstrate an ability to be a self-motivated and independent learner.

Homework

  1. Many problems on the homework are similar to the examples done in class. If the instructor handed out solutions to the examples in class, the homework would be a lot easier.
    Response: That's true. With a solution manual in hand, homework problems would certainly be a lot easier. However, you learn more by struggling than by copying.
  2. Why don't we go over the homework after the due date?
    Response: We often do go over some problems. If these are not the problems you had difficulty with, you need to ask. Always keep in mind that while instructors do the best they can anticipating and addressing difficulties, they are not mind readers.
  3. I'm not crazy about webassign because it only tells you whether or not you got a problem right; it doesn't tell you what you did wrong.
    Response: Are the alternatives much more attractive? Would you prefer to hand in your work and not know what you got right or wrong until a week or two later?
  4. The homework questions are out of sequence with respect to the order of presentation in the book.
    Response: This class is about learning to think, not about memorizing buzzwords and page numbers.
  5. I couldn't find the formula in the book to solve certain problems on the homework.
    Response: This is probably a misperception based on incomplete understanding. After a few hundred years in development, physics is now pretty standardized and every textbook covers essentially the same core topics. I challenge you to show me one problem on the homework which cannot be solved with the tools developed in any physics book.
  6. The book helped with some problems, but for others, I had to use the internet.
    Response: Great! The internet is an excellent resource and you should be using it consistently.
  7. If the instructor passed out some problems for us to work on during the week, I could have done better in this class.
    Response: The instructor does pass out problems during the week. It's called homework.
  8. Why can't we get smaller homework assi