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-1223 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 two weeks and is open-book.
- Layer 4: Homework Exams (course only)
- These open-book assessments are provided in the CH-1223 Coursebook required for students of CH-1223.
- Requires written solutions showing all math, units, etc. to reach the final answer
- The target time for any Homework Exam 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 5: Timed Assessments
- These summative assessments are equipped with timers per question and should be attempted in closed-book setting simulating an authentic exam environment.
- Presents a series of similar problems in a row, and the time limit decreases successively with progression
- Target times times are indicative of a reasonable measure of what an average student should take to solve the associated problem. This promotes the development of time-management skills.
- 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 are included in the CH-1223 Coursebook.
- These problems should be attempted in 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 and 4 are 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.