Seeing Isn’t Learning. Doing Is Learning
Let me be honest, I really don’t like online classes. But that’s where we are. Because of this old COVID pandemic, my summer physics class is completely online.
In a normal summer semester, classes are crazy fast. Every two days of summer class is equal to a whole week during a normal semester. It’s not just that the classes are fast, but there is less time in between classes for students to study and practice their physics stuff.
But still — summer classes are usually face to face. In person. I can see them, they can see me. We are meeting and working on physics problems as a community. That’s my goal for each class — to build a community of learners (where I am also a learner).
Yes, I still believe it is theoretically possible to do this online. I just don’t know how to do that yet. For instance — what about speed dating? This is one favorite in person activities (it’s sad that I have to label it as “in person” now). The basic idea is that students work in rotating groups to solve problems. It is way more awesome than you could image (here are the deets).
