Observations from the Class Session Today

Several things threw me off my game a bit, one I hadn't anticipated, another I had but didn't make a suitable accommodation.  Then a couple were just that I expected one thing and something else happened.

Students to my right sat closer to the front of the room than students to my left.   On the left the first two rows of seats were empty and there were students in the last row.  On my right I believe each row had some students. The effect was to create a stagger in the seating from right to left.  Coupling that with some difficulty hearing people in the back and we will make some adjustments on Thursday in the seating so this is less of an issue moving forward.

I am very nearsighted and on my home computer the computer resolution is set low so text looks large.  The computer resolution on the classroom computer was much higher and I was put off by that some.  I think I had too many windows open for navigation purposes. I either need to figure this out or bring in my own laptop. We'll see.

I was so concerned with keeping the audio down when playing the PowerPoint before the class session started, because I didn't want to disturb other classes, that I think it didn't catch your attention as it otherwise might.  We might spend a few minutes next week on what an effective presentation does and how one makes one.

Checking the concept quiz results, it appears that quite a few students did the concept quiz during our class.  If anyone did it but wasn't present in the classroom, that is a definite no-no. Even for those who were present, it's bad form to multiprocess in this way.  It is an indicator that you aren't paying full attention in class.  This is one reason I will ask you put to away electronic devices after the first few minutes in class from here on out.

I have a photo roster of the class.  I believe the photos are from your I-Card, though I'm not 100% sure of that.  I certainly didn't memorize that roster, but I thought I'd recognize more students than I did.  I wonder if you feel you now look like your I-Card photo.  Either this Thursday or next Tuesday, I will take attendance, not to track whether you are there but so I can learn who you are and match names with faces.