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astro300_f16:day6 [2016/09/20 22:02] – jwang | astro300_f16:day6 [2016/09/21 19:02] (current) – [Midsemester Evals (15 minutes)] ccheng | ||
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Diffraction grating demo (12 min) - a 7A/120 combo demo. The purpose is to visualize how diffraction/ | Diffraction grating demo (12 min) - a 7A/120 combo demo. The purpose is to visualize how diffraction/ | ||
* How a spectrometer works (5 min) - spectrometer in 120 lab is a black box. Now we can look into the box to see what goes on | * How a spectrometer works (5 min) - spectrometer in 120 lab is a black box. Now we can look into the box to see what goes on | ||
- | * Laser pointer (red) + diffraction grating + point at wall (2 volunteers) | + | * Laser pointer (red) + diffraction grating + point at white board (2 volunteers: laser and grating (need to hold still)) |
* Identify orders | * Identify orders | ||
* Grating equation (simpler one) | * Grating equation (simpler one) | ||
* Grating is created by etching in opaque lines periodically. Which way are the lines oriented? | * Grating is created by etching in opaque lines periodically. Which way are the lines oriented? | ||
- | * What is the spacing of the lines? Need volunteer to measure things | + | * What is the spacing of the lines? Need volunteer to mark on the white board and measure things |
- | * Add a green laser (another volunteer). | + | * Add/change to a green laser (another volunteer). |
* Explain how this allows us to separate wavelengths so that a spatial location corresponds to light at a given wavelength | * Explain how this allows us to separate wavelengths so that a spatial location corresponds to light at a given wavelength | ||
* Explain nuances: spectrometers usually used ruled rather than holographic gratings (better efficiency). Using although reflective rather than transmissive (more compact) | * Explain nuances: spectrometers usually used ruled rather than holographic gratings (better efficiency). Using although reflective rather than transmissive (more compact) | ||
- | * More of a general diffraction demo: width of a human hair (3 min) | + | * More of a general diffraction demo: width of a human hair (4 min) |
* Volunteer to supply and hold hair in front of laser pointer | * Volunteer to supply and hold hair in front of laser pointer | ||
* See the ensuing diffraction pattern. Can anyone explain what we're seeing? | * See the ensuing diffraction pattern. Can anyone explain what we're seeing? | ||
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* How does this compare with the diffraction grating? | * How does this compare with the diffraction grating? | ||
* Can you use this to explain why it can be desirable to want bigger telescopes? | * Can you use this to explain why it can be desirable to want bigger telescopes? | ||
- | * Pass out diffraction gratings to class (2 min) | + | * Pass out diffraction gratings to class (4 min) |
- | * These can be borrowed from the Physics demo room (72 Le Conte - in the basement). | + | * These can be borrowed from the Physics demo room (72 Le Conte - in the basement). C10 also has a bunch in the storage room cabinet on the 1st floor (used for arclamp demo). |
* What else can we look at with the diffraction gratings? | * What else can we look at with the diffraction gratings? | ||
Meta Discussion of this Demo (5 min) | Meta Discussion of this Demo (5 min) | ||
* Demos are great to illustrate phenomena, especially ones that aren't easy to understand. Diffraction is often explained on the board using waves and interference.. seeing it can help build physical intuition of it. (For programming, | * Demos are great to illustrate phenomena, especially ones that aren't easy to understand. Diffraction is often explained on the board using waves and interference.. seeing it can help build physical intuition of it. (For programming, | ||
- | * Can be fun alternative way to cover a top rather than a worksheet | + | * Can be fun alternative way to cover a topic rather than a worksheet |
* As a class on the board: Thinking about the demo we just did and previous demos you have done, what makes a good demo and a bad demo: | * As a class on the board: Thinking about the demo we just did and previous demos you have done, what makes a good demo and a bad demo: | ||
* What makes a good demo? (with e.g.'s connecting it back to the diffraction demo) | * What makes a good demo? (with e.g.'s connecting it back to the diffraction demo) | ||
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===== Midsemester Evals (15 minutes) ===== | ===== Midsemester Evals (15 minutes) ===== | ||
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+ | * Why do we do mid-semester evals (1 min) | ||
+ | * There is a department wide, official end of semester eval, but by then it's too late to fix things for your current students. | ||
+ | * The point of student feedback at mid-semester is to allow you to adjust your section and teaching style as necessary to match your current students' | ||
+ | * However, take the responses with a grain of salt; Ay 10 student don't always know what's best for them! | ||
* General overview of mid-semester evals (1 min) | * General overview of mid-semester evals (1 min) | ||
* These questions should cover things you want feedback on. Be explicit about what you want to know whenever possible. | * These questions should cover things you want feedback on. Be explicit about what you want to know whenever possible. | ||
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* You should make sure they are able to fill them out anonymously. | * You should make sure they are able to fill them out anonymously. | ||
* We aren't doing one for this class due to how short it is (we will be using notecards periodically instead) | * We aren't doing one for this class due to how short it is (we will be using notecards periodically instead) | ||
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* Your mid-semester should be short (1 sided to 2 sided max). This one is just super long to give you different examples on how to approach it. You should feel free to take what you like | * Your mid-semester should be short (1 sided to 2 sided max). This one is just super long to give you different examples on how to approach it. You should feel free to take what you like | ||
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- | * NOTE: The Ay 375 eval is a little bit on the long side; we did this purposely since Ay 375 is such an amorphous class and **should** be tailored to what its students are interested in. | + | * Question 1: Useful |
- | * Discuss the wisdom from past GSIs and Slater & Adams chapter 9: | + | * Question 2: Free response allows |
- | * Assigning a combination of " | + | * Question 3: Take it with a grain of salt, because most students |
- | * In addition, we've done two types of " | + | * Question 4: Another |
- | * Use different colored highlighters for positive and negative comments that merit further review. | + | * Questions 5-8: Useful to gauge how the difficulty |
- | * Four categories of " | + | * Questions 9-10: Fun, extra questions. Pros: makes the evaluation less formal |
- | | + | * After the eval is filled out: (1 min) |
- | | + | * It's a good idea to read through them all twice: once to just read every answer and the second time to see if you can spot some trends and consistencies (based on the assumption that if a majority of students agrees on something, then it might actually be a valid point or an accurate assessment). |
- | | + | * Arguably the most important part of evals is responding to the criticisms (both positive and negative) publicly in front of the class and addressing at least some of their concerns (Slater & Adams call this ' |
- | | + | * **We will ask you to compile a short summary report: |
- | * Why do we do mid-semester evals | + | |
- | * There is a department wide, official end of semester eval, but by then it' | + | |
- | * The point of student feedback at mid-semester is to allow you to adjust your section and teaching style as necessary to match your current students' | + | |
- | * However, | + | |
- | * Mid-semester eval basics | + | |
- | * They should be done about half-way through | + | |
- | * They should be anonymous (however you might want to ask for their section number so you can compare your multiple sections). | + | |
- | * Sometimes this is done during the last 10 mins of a section, but you get less accurate responses this way since many students | + | |
- | * Consider doing it in the middle of section (maybe right after your initial lecture review/ | + | |
- | * The GSI will usually step out of the room during this time or //at least// turn their back to the class. | + | |
- | * Have a student collect all of the evals and put them in an envelope. **DO NOT** open the envelope until way later (//i.e.// after you've left Evans and there are no students | + | |
- | * **Always** be sure to give students way more than enough room to write. | + | |
- | * Here's a ranked list of general topics that might be found on an eval (the last three are of the least importance by far with the last one being almost not worth putting on the list): | + | |
- | - Section structure (lecture review, Q&A, worksheets, demos, group work, //etc.//) | + | |
- | - GSI's skills (board skills, student interaction skills, lecture skills, //etc.//) | + | |
- | - Section content (which topics are covered | + | |
- | - Stuff besides section or lecture (//i.e.// star parties | + | |
- | - Course content (which topics are covered and how long is spent on each) | + | |
- | - Course structure (order | + | |
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- | * Types of questions: | + | |
- | * Open ended (good because they allow students to discuss | + | |
- | -Describe three things you like about this section. | + | |
- | -What does your GSI need to do less of in section? | + | |
- | -Put any additional comments. | + | |
- | * Quick answer | + | |
- | -On a scale of 1-5 (5 being great, 1 being horrible) rank the following. | + | |
- | -Give the section | + | |
- | -Circle MORE, LESS, or THE SAME for the amount of time (relative to the semester so far) we should spend on each item. | + | |
- | * Humorous | + | |
- | -Draw a face that best describes how you feel about this class. | + | |
- | * Humorous (just for fun). //E.g.//: | + | |
- | -Make up an hilarious nickname for your GSI. | + | |
- | * Humorous | + | |
- | * Put a variety of types of questions so that all types of students can give accurate feedback and you can get both qualitative and quasi-quantitative results. | + | |
- | * After the eval is filled out: | + | |
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- | * **We will ask you to compile a short summary report | + | |
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- | * Food for thought: In addition to turning it in to us for this class, the summary report could be sent to the Head GSI and/or prof (as opposed to having them read all of the evals). | + | |
- | * Arguably the most important part of evals is responding to the criticisms (both positive and negative) publicly in front of the class and addressing at least some of their concerns (Slater & Adams call this ' | + | |
- | * Different profs have different opinions of students responses on the evals: some ignore them completely and assume that the students have no idea what's best for them, some ignore them because the prof teaches the way they teach and that's that and it won't change, and some actually read through them (or at least read their GSIs' summaries of the evals). | + | |
- | * Sample ones on the [[private: | + | |
- | * Handout the [[astro300_f09: | + | |
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=====Homework===== | =====Homework===== | ||
- | - Write a midsemester evaluation and administer them in your sections next week (9/26-9/30). After reviewing your students' | + | - Write a midsemester evaluation and administer them in your sections |
- If you haven' | - If you haven' | ||