Posted by alexandra_k on December 15, 2014, at 17:32:07
In reply to Re: wrecked the bar, posted by alexandra_k on December 15, 2014, at 15:48:53
well... the outline is up for physics already... we don't do ideal gases or thermodynamics. no pistons. but what we do do... looks overwhelming already, to be honest. the amount of content that is covered in each lecture...
and perhaps part of my problem... is that it is about pattern recognition, really. they want you to do the work... which means... working through the problem sets / answers. and the exam questions will be (maybe slight variations e.g., with different numerical values) on exactly those questions.
and the trouble is... i get lost in trying to UNDERSTAND.
and with chemistry... they lecture and tell you x and y and z. and then they give you a problem. and you CAN'T GET THE RIGHT ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM FROM UNDERSTANDING x and y and z. they don't expect you to be able to do the problem on your own. when they work through the solution to the problem they are giving you NEW instruction. it isn't a case of simple application.
and that is what gets me. and upsets me. and demotivates and demoralises me. questions that don't test my understanding. questions that are platforms for new instruction. i thought the questions were test questions. like... comprehension questions. and when i can't get the questions along the way correct... it upsets me. because i think it shows me that I haven't followed along at all. So then I want to go back through the content so I can get it better and understand how the content should have enabled me to answer that question... Only it couldn't.
All that matters is the worked problems. And the pattern recognition in play there. To be able to work the problem yourself. Perhaps with different numerical values. Or whatever. I CAN do those... But half the battle... Most of the battle... Is in comprehending what it is that they want from me / what the game is in the first place.
Like first year logic... Where the problem students are the mature students who mess things up because they add 6 more steps than they needed to because they were convinced IT COULD NOT BE THAT SIMPLE! sort of...
Dammit. I'll stay enrolled... Have 1 week to withdraw.. See how I feel after that first week.
Of course I will most probably do it. Because doing it... Will motivate me to do ANYTHING BUT THAT. Which of course includes studying UMAT puzzles and chemistry... Sigh.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1058481
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20141123/msgs/1074235.html