I have done class notes for only 3 classes so far. The intermediate
algebra notes were about 80 pages, the prealgebra notes are about 40
pages, and the differential equations notes are in progress--I'd
estimate 80 pages when complete.
I prepared the prealgebra and algebra notes before classes began, and
I probably spent much of a week (during semester breaks) preparing
each of them. I'm just keeping a week or so ahead of the DE class,
working a few hours a weekend in preparing the notes. I use the
program EXP for the word processing (it's actually a math type-setting
program) and import figures I make in Paintbrush, Mathcad, or
Mathematica.
I have 3 colleagues who are also preparing class notes. Bob tries to
have them ready before the semester but has to do one or more on the
fly. Jenni and Brenda prepare notes as they need them. All three of
them prepare the notes by hand, with physical cutting and pasting of
figures.
We are spending a lot on transparencies, but I'm currently department
chair and ok the purchases (and Bob is chair-elect).
The department is going to purchase a DOCUMENT CAMERA aka OPAQUE
CAMERA. I've not used one, but I'm hoping I can use one to solve a
few problems at once. This contraption is supposed to project an
image of whatever you place on its stage--an ordinary piece of paper,
a calculator, a textbook, etc. If it works well enough, we will have
no need of overhead transparencies, nor of calculator overhead LCD
panels.
If anyone out there can give me any sage counsel or useful info about
document cameras, I'd be obliged.
Bruce Yoshiwara
Los Angeles Pierce College
yoshiwbw@laccd.cc.ca.us
yoshiwbw@SMTPLINK.LACCD.EDU wrote:
>
> This past year I'm experimenting with class notes for my students.
> The students purchase the notes along with the required text (the
> extra cost has been about $2). The notes essentially consist of what
> I would previously have written on the board during the lecture
> portion of class. I have transparencies of each page and project the
> notes on a screen as I cover the material. I have numerous blanks on
> each page that we fill in as we go along, so the notes serve somewhat
> like a workbook, but they contain just what I want and in the way I
> want to present things.
>
> I got the idea from my colleague Bob Martinez, who used class notes
> for his summer school class--his primary motivation was to eliminate
> the time normally taken up while students copy (or miscopy) notes on
> the board, especially diagrams or complicated expressions. Another
> obvious advantage is that the students end up with much better notes.
> (Have you ever looked at your students' notes?) Projecting and going
> over the notes helps students with reading problems. And students who
> miss class have an easier time catching up.
>
> The class notes might be a factor in the higher percentage of students
> staying in class. Last week (the 13th) I still had 44 of 47 original
> students enrolled in my Prealgebra class (and 13 of 15 in my
> differential equations class). My typical dropout rate is about 50%
> for the remedial courses. However, the passing rate has not improved
> nearly so much, and I will be encouraging more than a dozen of my
> prealgebra students to withdraw this week.
>
> I have no doubts that using the notes is beneficial to the students.
> However, it does take a lot of time to prepare the notes.
>
> Bruce Yoshiwara
> Los Angeles Pierce College
> yoshiwbw@laccd.cc.ca.us
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