Question strategy

One of the nice things about Webcourses is the Discussions area. You can post a question about a homework or study question and then get some feedback from me or from a classmate. If you know a bit of HTML, you can even use subscripts and exponents, like F_net = 22.3 kg m/sec², if you check the "Use HTML" box in your post. Nice.

If you want F_net = 22.3 kg m/sec² then check the "Use HTML" box and type in F_net = 22.3 kg m/sec²

Suggest question for Exam 3 (bonus)

The "Suggest question for Exam 3 (bonus)" discussion is open in Webcourses. You can earn a bonus point, one half of a percentage on your semester grade, IF it is good enough to use on Exam 3.

By the way: I did not use any of your suggested questions on Exam 2. Lots of good ones, a few I had to reject outright. However, I did like one of the questions a LOT, but it is better for a final exam than for a midterm. SO...... One of these questions will be on the final exam. And that student will get the bonus point after the final exam on Aug. 6.

Suggest question for Exam 1 (bonus point)

The "Suggest question for Exam 1 (bonus)" discussion area is now open for input from you. It is a study tool that can earn you a bonus point.

And do not sneeze at one bonus point. There are 200 regular points on exams, so each bonus point is another one half of a percentage point. Considering that only 2.5 percentage points separate A- from A, you MIGHT want to snag every last bonus point possible.

But you have to earn it. Be creative and on the mark with your question. Instructions are in the discussion area, and I have set up one example question to go by.

TAs for this semester

I wan to introduce our two teaching assistants for the semester:

1. Summer Star Jimenez. She goes by her middle name, Star.
2. Zach Anderson.

Zach and Star will be contributing to discussions, checking our various mini-quizzes and helping me with grades. So when you see their name in Discussions or elsewhere, assume they are very wise.

Welcome aboard, Star and Zach!

"BONUS Design a question for Final Exam" discussion is open.

"BONUS Design a question for Final Exam" discussion is open now, and you can post your contributions now.

Create a good multiple choice question for the final exam, from chapters 20-22 electromagnetism concepts. Same procedures as before:

1. asterisk * to signify correct option;
2. chapter and page number for studying the answer.
3. Two bonus points if I use yours on the final exam.

Last major learning module is now UP.

Your week 15 learning module is now UP in Webcourses. It is the last major learning module for the semester. Post your questions about it in the Discussions area.

Next week, I think I will put together a mini-review quiz to get you back into the flow of all the topics from Exams 1, 2 and 3. Remember: the final exam covers EVERYTHING this semester!!!!!

Learning module for week 3 is now UP.

Welcome back to classes after a nice weekend.

This week's learning module is now UP. Look for the coffee cup icon on the home page in Webcourses. You will find:

1. the concept guide for chapter 3
2. a mini-quiz to trot you through some of the chapter 3 essentials
3. a link to the discussions area "Questions concerning motion, from chapters 2-4" in case you get stuck.

Remember: these are not the only study activities you should work with. They are only the starting point. In an online class like this, you have the responsibility of keeping up and being an aggressive learner.

Obtaining textbook etc.

Yesterday I activated a discussion area for those of you who are figuring out the best way to obtain the textbook. Have a look and see if there are any tips for you there. Or, post a question of your own. This is the week to get that squared away.

You guys...

You guys are putting in a lot of questions in Discussions, and I must praise you for it. It helps you AND anyone else who reads your thread.

Excellent.

Using Twitter

I have tried a few Twitter applications on my Powerbook, like Scalaris and Canary, but I like the browser interface best. Seems simpler and easier.

That being the case, it is good to point out that my Tw subchannels, like #PSC1121grav, can be read from a search like this

http://twitter.com/#search?q=psc1121grav

and then saved in my Tw page's right hand sidebar.

Just a suggestion. I cannot claim this is the best.

But if you use a Tw application, I would like to hear about how it works and why you like it. Post your remarks in Discussions.

Questions about homework, mini-quizzes etc.

Here is my recommended work flow if you have a question about a mini-quiz item or something from a concept guide:

1. Instead of sending a course mail message to me...
2. Find the proper Discussions area for your subject.
3. Post your question in that Discussions area.
4. Make it one post for each mini-quiz item or homework problem.
5. I will coach you along in Discussions.
6. Once per day I will add to one Discussions post by branching out to Twitter for extra info.

I think this will make a good mixture of different styles of interaction.

Week 2 module is activated.

1. The Week 2 learning module is now active. Look on the home page for the cup of coffee icon for the folder of all learning modules.
2. More concept guides are in the Week 2 learning module. They are your study priority.
3. In the Week 2 learning module are some extra study tools:
   1. A spec sheet comparing Mars to Earth, which lets you see how the value of g on Earth's surface, 9.8 m/sec², compares to Mars. It's a PDF file.
   2. A prep tool to help you see what my exam questions can be like. It is a leftover mini-review from my spring 2009 lecture section. It's a set of 4 linked HTML pages.
4. Note: if you haven't noticed already, some of the textbook materials work with a rounded off value of g, 10 m/sec². Some of the text materials use a more precise value of 9.8 m/sec². I always use 9.8 m/sec² in exams!
5. I will probably release Writing Assignment 0 instructions over the weekend. To get ready for it, read and think about that article from Nature about the gravitational tractor. What do you find interesting or intriguing in that article?
6. Post substantive questions in the Discussion areas for chapters 2-4 and for chapter 5. I will coach you along there in Discussions.

Chance to snag some bonus points

Post a question in Webcourses Discussion area, "Bonus: suggest question for midterm exam 3," that you think would be a good one to appear on midterm exam 3.

Miriam E. has already gotten the ball rolling, with a nice question about buoyancy.

If I select your question for midterm exam 3, you will receive 2 bonus points! NICE!

How to proceed

You each now have your question.

The writing project will be a paper (first draft, then final draft) in which you state your answer and why... backed up by solid scientific information.

The solid scientific information is what you must now hunt down in Nature and Science, bookmarking in Connotea if the article is really good for your paper. Talk over your hunting strategies etc. inside Webcourses discussions, in your group's private discussion group.

You won't be writing a textbook, so don't get carried away, but be free with discussion and hunting interactions. Kibbitz, coach and gab about finding information.

Next Monday I will release the specific guidelines and instructions for writing the first draft, so do your hunting this week.

If you can come up with one or two good sources, bookmarked in Connotea with an SFX link that works, you will be in great shape. Help each other find one or two good sources.

Let's go.

Join a writing group! GO FOR LAUNCH

Time to join a writing group!

Look for this Connotea icon on the home page. It is the entryway for the writing/bookmarking group signup sheets. Double check the questions we selected and then find a group dedicated to that question.

As soon as you click to sign up, your Da Vinci or Younger Dryas group's private discussion area will automatically appear. Look in "Discussions related to the writing assignments" in Discussions. There are already two postings for you to read and act on. We will be grading your participation in the private discussions.

Also, look through the Writing module, especially the March-April schedule (item 1.3), Connotea catchup (item 4.3), and the blurb on how I will add your username to a Connotea group that corresponds to your WebCourses group.

Deadline for group signup is lunchtime, Monday after vacation. After that, we are going to proceed forward. If you miss this deadline, your grade for the writing project will be kaput.

Three new discussion areas

There are three new discussion areas for you to use in order to interact with Dr. B and Ashton, our TA.

1. Chapter 2, Describing Motion: exercises and questions discussion
2. Discussion for questions and tips on Chapter 3, Explaining Motion
3. Tardy Gulf Stream questions (for latecomers to the course).

The more you can interact with Dr. B and Ashton, the more you will learn. Everybody is different, and not everyone will like discussions, but many will, and if you like discussion posting, GO FOR IT!!