PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1947
Letters to the Editor
Physics Quizzes, Pro And Con
Student Protests
Dear Editor.
Why do we have to put up with the inefficient, instructor-dominated situation as it now exists in the department of physics at the University? Ordinarily courses are conducted for the benefit of the student with the idea that he may learn something.
Examinations have long been used to measure what the student has learned. These are for his benefit, and to enable the instructor to assign a grade for the semester.
The results of the last physics test (taken at 12 noon, Saturday, Oct. 11) show the following things: the test was too difficult, the material was not properly presented, and the method of examination was improper. Our instructor denied the first assumption; yet the class average (547 students) was only 7.7 out of 25 questions, which was a grade of D. This indicated there is something seriously wrong in the physics department somewhere.
How The Exam Was Held
The only thing lacking during the examination were bars on the shoulders of the instructors standing over our heads, shouting instructions, and carrying on distracting conversations between themselves. We marched in, took our seats by the numbers, and got up and left by the numbers.
"Get ready to leave," "Put down your pencil," "Place your paper inside the questions," "Get up and leave," were all accompanied by violent gestures and reverberated from one end of the auditorium to the other. This continued for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the examination accompanied by sound of students leaving.
Supposedly the examination was to last 50 minutes, but at 12:35 the marching-out process began. Those of us who try to allocate time to each problem were thrown in a quandary by the turn of events.
No Way To Check Tests
One of the primary purposes of a test is to aid the student in finding out what he doesn't know and to help him check his weak points. It is to his advantage to go over his test paper to see what he missed and why. He feels more certain that his paper was properly graded if he inspects it himself rather than taking the assurance of the physics department put out on their "poop" sheet
Instead, the papers are kept secret for some unknown reason. (Maybe they don't want any quiz files started on their tests.)
Right To Gripe
Concerning any test in which the class average is less than $ \frac{1}{3} $ the total number of questions and the grade is a D, there is plenty of room to do a little giping. Of course, this grading scale has been set up by the past students of physics, but I doubt very much if we this semester are possessed with so much less intellect than those who has endured the tortures of physics in previous years.
It wouldn't be so bad if I had only this semester to look forward to, but thinking about bearing such mental torture for another semester has me worried.
Ernest R. Schlachter College junior.
Physics Dept. Says
Dear Editor,
The results of the physics test of October 11 were as much of a shock to instructors of the department as to the students involved. Search for the causes of the debacle is under way, and it is hoped that future results will be more in line with past experience.
The type of test used, its apparent difficulty, method of conducting the examination, method of grading the papers and announcing the results are all the result of several years of experience with large numbers of students.
Why System Is Used
The system has always annoyed a considerable number of students but has been retained for the following reasons:
ONE. It is apparently the only way that the same examination can be given to large numbers of students without seriously handicapping those who take the examination first.
TWO. The grading can be done objectively so that instructor opinion of students is eliminated as a factor in grading.
THREE. The system has resulted, in the past, in a fair distribution of high, medium, and low grades without an excessive number of failures.
Why Instructors Dominate
As to specific complaints: The department pleads guilty to the charge of an "instructor-dominated situation." That, for better or for worse, is inevitable in our education system. Strict supervision of examinations is one of the foundation stones of the system, and the honest student has a right to expect that in any department and class.
The statement as to time allowed for the examination is simply not true. According to three different watches, students were started out of the room 53 minutes after the first ones were seated. The confusion the student complains of was not excessive. In fact, it seemed to several department members to be one of the most orderly examinations ever conducted. Suggestions as to how as large a number of students could be handled with less confusion would be gladly received.
Multiple-Choice Used
As to the tests themselves, they are always of the multiple-choice type. This type of question reduces to a minimum the necessity for pure memory work and puts a premium on reasoning ability and precision of thinking. With this type of test it is also possible to cover much more ground (25 questions well distributed over the section covered) and a student is not seriously handicapped by failure to remember one small detail.
The tests are based directly on the part of the test covered. On the last test there was a sufficient number of problems copied directly from previously assigned problems in the text, with only a change in numerical data, to permit the student to make a C grade without answering any other questions.
Why Students Griped
In conclusion, it is the belief of the department that most of the gipes that come its way year after year are due to the fact that physics is a difficult subject for many students. In spite of everything that
Public Postcard
Dear Friends,
W. S.S.F. Drive committee, Campus.
Good luck as you start your drive today. The need is there, and through you University students will do their part to answer it.
Sincerely yours,
University Daily Kansan.
Education is the surest road to peace. Many believe it is the only way.
Donate To Peace
It was education which fought against ignorance and intolerance and brought Europe out of the Dark Ages. It is education which has given us the greatest civilization man has yet known. It may be education which will save this civilization which has so highly regarded the worth of individual man.
But education in many parts of the world is in serious trouble. Take a war which broke up many universities, scattered or imprisoned its faculty and students, and upset their economy. Add to it a jittery peace with not enough food, all kinds of disease, and hopelessly inadequate shelter. Out of that concoction must come the educated men and women who will lead their countries in a world that must be at peace to survive.
American students well know the problems of peace and the danger of war. They have heard time and time again of the troubles of Europe and Asia. But seldom is there given a chance really to help in a personal way. Even less often does the student get an opportunity to help someone he is sure really deserves aid.
The World Student Service fund drive which is commencing here today gives University students an opportunity to insure that the leaders of the world of tomorrow will be educated men and women. The proceeds of this drive go through the World Student Relief organization to aid universities and colleges, as well as faculty and students in all parts of the world.
Because of the very belief in education which has brought them to college, American students must aid in continuing education throughout the world. This is a most positive and direct pathway to peace.
can be done, some students will fail, and others will make poorer grades than have been made in other departments.
A donation to the WSSF drive is a drop of oil in the lamp of learning which might light the way to peace.
The best thing that can be done is to try to be fair, courteous, and considerate to the people of widely different abilities who decide, or are required, to take physics. It might be interesting to have Mr. Schlachter's opinion of the department again after he has had more experience with its methods and policies.
G. L. Pistorious,
Instructor, physics department.
The University DAILY KANSAN
Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
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