Structured Learning Approach
This book/course is designed to offer structured layers to learning and mastery. Layers should be mastered sequentially as each layer serves as a prerequisite for higher layers.
- Layer 1: Lecture and Main Content
- This book will be used as the primary material for lecture content and presentation.
- It aims to heavily supplement the textbook for the class.
- Reviewing material covered in class and reading over material in an upcoming class is strongly encouraged.
- Layer 2: Integrated Practice
- Chapter sections incorporate guided tutorials, examples, and practice problems with detailed solutions.
- Solid attempts to solve the problem should be made before viewing the solution.
- Layer 3: Canvas Exams (course only)
- These formative assessments are offered to students of my CH-1213 course periodically and are designed to engage students with material immediately following lecture.
- These are bite-sized, low-stakes assessments targeting the lecture material of that day.
- Features unlimited attempts over the course of ten days and is open-book.
- Layer 4: Recitation
- This one hour weekly meeting is designed to provide you additional instruction on topics that you are struggling with.
- Small recitation sections provide you an opportunity to engage peers and teaching assistants on content that you are confused with. This includes but is not limited to lecture content, canvas exams, homework assignments, and practice exams.
- Recitation is designed to be an active learning environment, with peer-to-peer discussion of ideas and understanding.
- Layer 5: Homework
- These open-book assessments are provided in the CH-1213 Coursebook required for students of CH-1213.
- Requires written solutions showing all math, units, etc. to reach the final answer
- The target time for any Homework assignment should be 2–3 hours at most. Should a student find themselves taking more time to complete these, it should be an indicator that the previous layers have not yet been mastered.
- Layer 6: Practice Problems & Practice Exams
- Each chapter features cumulative practice problems and practice exams in the CH-1213 Coursebook.
- These problems should be attempted in a closed-book setting, simulating an authentic exam environment.
- The target time for most questions is less than 2 minutes.
Additional Points:
- Reliance on notes should progressively diminish as each layer is mastered.
- Layers 3 is only available to students within the course.
- It is expected that Layer 5 and Layer 6 can be done with very little external aids. These layers (5 and 6) should be treated as exercises without training wheels.
The student should implement efficient problem solving skills. These skills include
- Identifying the subject matter of the problem
- Rapid recollection of conceptual and mathematical information
- Quickly recognizing the plan to solve the problem
- Analyze given information
- Rationalize end result
- Connect the dots; rationalize a plan
- Target completion time should be reasonable; usually about a minute or less.
- Solving the problem
- Writing out work
- Properly using a calculator
Relying on provided solutions and answers is not recommended. Grappling with material enhances learning through familiarity and a deeper development of understanding. Material mastery will be partially evaluated with higher-stakes exams that are closed-book. The learning process should aim to prepare for such evaluations.