Math, Physics Courses Return To Structure

Two courses that tried complete self-pacing for the first time last year--Physics 1, "Principles of Physics," and Math 1, "Introduction to the Calculus"--have returned to a more traditional structure.

The change in structure is mainly due to a change of instructors, Francis W. Pipkin, associate dean of the Faculty, said yesterday.

Paul G. Bamberg, lecturer on Physics, who taught both Physics 1 and Math 1 last year, was a man of "enormous energy," who made the course work in a self-paced format, Pipkin said. But Margaret E. Law, lecturer on Physics who now teaches Physics 1, said yesterday that the course was more confusing last year than when it is instructor-paced.

Needs Structure

Law taught a section of the course last year and said that students needed to be taught the course material in a formal order, as the course is taught now.

Wen-ching Winnie Li, lecturer on Mathematics, who now teaches Math 1, said yesterday that students who fell behind in the fall semester of last year's course did very badly on the final exam--"you cannot learn math in one night."

Second semester of last year, Math 1 students were encouraged to attend two lectures a week in an effort to keep them on a better schedule, Li said.

Want to Be Told

She said many of her former students have told her that they did not like taking the course self-paced.

Last year, students in both courses supposedly attended sections only to have their questions answered, and to take unit tests when they felt they were ready. A final exam determined the main part of their grade.

This year students in Physics 1 attend regular lectures, and Math 1 students learn calculus in thrice-weekly sections with regular homework assignments.

Both courses still give unit tests which students can take when they feel ready, but learning is paced by the class meetings.

Both courses still give unit tests which students can take when they feel ready, but learning is paced by the class meetings.

Robert Moore, head section leader in Economics 10, "Principles of Economics," said yesterday that preliminary figures for enrollment in self-paced sections show that roughly the same proportion of students as last year--one-sixth--has chosen self-paced sections.

Ec 10 unit tests are given on the same basis as the tests in Physics 1 and Math 1 are given this year.

One special self-paced Math 1 section is offered this term to students with some background in calculus. The course, taught by Bamberg, will cover in one semester the material normally covered in both Math 1a and 1b.

Li said self-pacing is more likely to work in such a section, in which the students are motivated to learn a large amount of material