My son, Andy, has just begun one of those new types of
introductory physics classes at NC State Univ. NCSU is very
proud of the class format. I am looking forward to his
evaluation of the class.
With regard to Deb's comment on the pressure to have larger
classes, Andy said that there were a large number of students in
the room but the class was broken up into units of about 10
students per unit and each unit had its own table.
Ken
Christopher D. Green wrote:
Perhaps this is something that large psychology departments should
consider as well. Of course, it would take money.
"The [MIT] physics department has replaced the traditional large
introductory lecture with smaller classes that emphasize hands-on,
interactive, collaborative learning.... M.I.T. is not alone. Other
universities are changing their ways, among them Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, North Carolina State University, the University of Maryland,
the University of Colorado at Boulder and Harvard. In these
institutions, physicists have been pioneering teaching methods drawn
from research showing that most students learn fundamental concepts more
successfully, and are better able to apply them, through interactive,
collaborative, student-centered learning."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/us/13physics.html?_r=2
Chris
--
Christopher D. Green
Department of Psychology
York University
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3
Canada
416-736-2100 ex. 66164
chri...@yorku.ca
http://www.yorku.ca/christo/
==========================
---------------------------------------------------------------
Kenneth M. Steele, Ph.D. steel...@appstate.edu
Professor and Assistant Chairperson
Department of Psychology http://www.psych.appstate.edu
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
USA
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