Student Feedback from 1/24/06

Comments and Concerns about this class so far. - Instructor responses

• Class is going OK.  (4X)
  
• No questions or concerns right now. (9X)
  
• Example problems in class are helpful. (4X)
• The demos are helpful for visualizing concepts. (3X)
• I appreciate time spent on questions in class.
• I was confused about some concepts last week, but today's class helped clear things up. (2X)
  
• I am having great difficulty with the homework (4X).
  
• The homework takes me a long time. (4X) - The HWb problem sets should take less than one hour.
• WebAssign is very helpful. (2X)
• I am not fully understanding the concepts. (2X)
  
• I am having difficulty with the concept of electric field. - Hopefully the lab on this concept will help.
• Please review electric force problems with components.
  
• I am getting confused with the various symbols.
• I need more clarification on when to use negative or positive signs in equations.
  
• I am feeling lost, but hopefully will figure things out before the exam. - Use the various resources to get help if you need it.
• Having difficulty incorporating Physics 24 concepts in HW problems.
• I had Van Dam for Physics 24 and this class is a big change.  I am struggling to learn everything (4X).  It would be helpful to review concepts (like vectors) that we did not learn in Physics 24. (2X)  - I will try to do some of this in class, but since only half the class had Van Dam last semester, I do not want to waste time reviewing material that the other half the class already knows.  I suggest going to the Supplemental Instruction sessions to get help with these topics.
• I am concerned that we have not covered the course material in sufficient detail in class to be able to understand and complete the homework. (2X) - There is not enough time in class to be able to explain everything so that the entire class will understand all the concepts.  I will focus what I believe are most important concepts and those that are typically most difficult for students, but you will need to spend time outside of class filling in the gaps in order to fully understand the material.
• I would like to do more conceptual and word problems in class. (2X) - We will as time permits.
• I feel that the book is a very good learning tool.  I learn a lot more from reading it than I do from class. - That is why it is required to buy and read!  It is impossible for a lecture to be as complete and accurate as a good textbook.
• This class is stressing me out! - Me too!
  
• Glad you are back. - Me too!
• I am concerned about the exams.
  
• What format and types of problems will be on the exam? (2X) - See posted exams from Spring 2005
• Will you give us a formula sheet on exams, or do we need to memorize all the equations? - See sample exams and equation sheet posted on the syllabus.
• Is Gauss' law going to be important for exam since it wasn't stressed in class notes or on HW? - No, at most one question on the exam.
• Should we only focus on understanding the questions and problems assigned for homework? - That is a good starting point, but the exams are comprehensive, so you will need to understand as much as you can in each chapter, focusing on the main physics principles (the ones highlighed in class and in the chapter summaries).
  
• WebAssign problems should be due at least 1 full day after the material is taught in class. - I will keep this in mind.
  
• Is it possible to send out an email when you change WebAssign due dates? - Yes, I can do that.
• Could you post even numbered problems and questions online so we know if we are on the right track? (2X)- Complete answers to the conceptual questions for the HWa assignments can be viewed on WebAssign after the assignment due date.  I have requested permission from the textbook publisher to make full solutions to the textbook problems available to you in some form.
  
• Paul did a good job explaining concepts and working problems. (7X)
• Paul was a little disorganized and confusing. (7X)
• Paul seemed a bit nervous and made a few mistakes. (3X)
  
• Paul was patient and genuinely concerned in answering our questions.  (3X)

Feedback from students last year:

• Should it take me 5 hours to solve 6 homework problems?  - No, each of the HWa assignments should require only 15 - 30 minutes to complete after reading the chapter.  Each of the HWb assignments should take you 30 - 60 minutes to complete once you understand the concepts.
• How can a negative charge have negative potential energy while at a positive elelctrical potential? - Consider the analogous situation where a helium balloon (with negative weight) is held down (at a negative gravitational potential), but it has the ability to gain kinetic energy and do work, so it has positive potential energy.
• I learned that a capacitor can release its electrical potential energy faster than a battery.
• If we get behind in class, will we skip material from the book or have to learn on our own? - Some of both (I will try to let you know if this happens).