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From: danielg@earl.med.unc.edu (Daniel Gene Sinclair)
Newsgroups: comp.edu,sci.math,sci.physics
Subject: Re: Student preparedness
Summary: Xeroxed notes are great if used properly
Message-ID: <210@uncmed.med.unc.edu>
Date: 30 Dec 88 21:14:39 GMT
References: <4893@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <6435@killer.DALLAS.TX.US> <5237@pdn.UUCP> <2145@faline.bellcore.com>
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Reply-To: danielg@earl.UUCP (Daniel Gene Sinclair)
Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
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Xeroxed notes are quite helpful if they are used correctly ; here are two
instances of *incorrect* use:

    1.  They contain ALL of the class material

	If the prof goes through the information verbatim, so
	that the student needs only to bring the notes and his trusty
	hi-liter, you can expect absenteeism, as well as a boring lecture.
	I have been to lectures where the prof literally read the notes
	aloud, stopping to ask for questions occaisonally - :-(.  This
	shows an obvious lack of zeal for the profession.

	One person posted that he 'conversationally' covered the notes so
	that the students could spend time trying to understand the notes
	instead of merely being sure to 'get it all down.'  IMHO this is a
	highly commendable method, but perhaps not the best - the 'losers'
	who decide to cut (let's blow it off, he's not going to cover
	anything outside of the notes) need to be considered: what
	incentive can we give them to come, while maintaining the
	effective method of xeoroxed notes plus discussion?  I mean, it's
	easy to just blow them off as jerks, but the sad fact is that most
	young men and women come to college with little self-discipline
	and character.  Do we want them to make it, or would we rather not
	bother?  I'll address this later.

    2.  They contain HALF of the class material

	This is not as bad as the first, but worthy of brief mention.  It
	is a pain to have to juggle xeroxed notes and handwritten notes,
	trying to figure out which notes go with which - I usually just
	recopied everything into one set of notes and put the others
	aside.  Xeroxed notes ought to be supplementary (a small % of the
	total or optional) or the large portion of the class material.

While attending NCSU in Raleigh, I had what I consider to be my best
instructor (though not my favorite material, invertebrate zo.)  He used
prefab notes in the following way:

    The notes included almost all of the written material, but little or
    none of the necessary diagrams.  During class, he would *very* quickly
    rewrite the wriiten notes on an overhead (with a long sheet of that
    plastic stuff which he contiually rolled - pens in one hand, roller in
    the other) and then he would draw in the diagrams in color.  We had
    color pens (you know, the fat bic pens with red, orange, green, blue,
    black :-) )  and followed along (we used color to tell the mesoderms
    from the ectoderms, etc.)  There was plenty of space for our diagrams
    to be drawn in, and if we had any extra written stuff, that could be
    inlcuded.

    This may not work for a class like history (OK, here's Henry VIII's
    large belly) but it could surely be implemented in courses such as
    chemistry, botany, biolgy, genetics (leave room for them to draw Punet
    squares, do calculations), etc.  This approach also lends impetus to
    those who would rather sleep in.

    I would like to further emphasize this method by listing it's
    advantages (at the risk of repeating myself :-) )

	1. it allows the prof and student to cover more material without
	   having to wait for the students to 'catch up'

        2. it allows the students to try to understand the material in
           prof is not around to answer questions (will this be on the
	   test?).
         
        3. it gives the late sleeper motivation to go to class, since he 
	   might miss something important.  I think that this is good
	   since most students are not used to consistent, hard work (ie.
	   no character - keep the flames to yourself ! ).  College ought
	   to be a place where leaders are wrought, not just brought (made
	   that up myself! :-)  Of course, colleges ought to be a place
	   where our future leaders are taught proper morals and motives
	   (what a drag to be motivated by selfish ambition), but we'll
	   have to take that one up with the ACLU ;-).  

OK, you got my $0.02.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   USENET : danielg@med.unc.edu            Daniel G. Sinclair
   BITNET : danielg@unc.bitnet             Rsch. Tech. II

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