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Abdulrahman Alghamdi
Proff. Rebecca Agosta
UWRT 1101 035
November 12, 2015

Observation of SI Community in Physics Department

Guiding Questions
1234-

What is your goals in this community?

How long have you been teaching students in this department?
How long have you been teaching in the SI Session?
Did you try change or develop anything in the community?

Jottings and Descriptions

This observation was on Wednesday 11/11/2015 in the Burson building at 6:30
pm with the graduate student Anzeng Le. He is graduate student from China, who teach
with SI physics 2101 and physics 2102 since 2014. There was not too many students at
that time, because most of the students attended on Monday and Tuesday sessions and
this is day repeat for the same topic. Anzeng uses the excellent way to explain this
course so that he distributes very important questions found in Expert TA. This is
website is an essential website for Physics students. Students use this website to do
their homework and their exams. This website has a lot of important questions that
come in the final exam. However, a lot of students do not know about that. Anzeng
begins to discuss these questions and during this discussion student start to ask
questions to the teacher. Usually, if a teacher asks students at the beginning of class
that if they have any question, they probably no one immediately will remember any
question. So He is somewhat trying to extract questions from the students minds. Also,

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he uses some methods that help students understand the lesson very well. Sometimes,
he reviews some websites that contain pictures and video clips that helps students to
visualize the lesson in perfect way, and sometimes he uses some sensory methods
such as the wheel in "angular velocity" lesson to prove some theories to the students.
This is the fastest way for a student to imagine the topic. At the end of the period, there
is something I liked very much which is the teacher remains in class to discuss some
difficult questions with the students, even if the time is up.
After that, I went to the main office for this community. Supplemental Instruction
(SI) community has an office with computer lab called Physics resource center. This
office has abundant amount of old exam, equation sheets, practice materials and so
many materials that help students to succeed in this course. Also, they have a computer
lab that the students use to study and do research at the middle of community which is
a great idea.

Analysis
I think the technique that the SI teacher in his class, which is discussing some
questions in particular topic to extract questions from students is the best way to teach
students in this kind of supplementary sessions. Also, discussing the questions from the
Expert TA website is a good idea to draw the attention of students rather than it be on
website without using it, especially, it is important questions for the final test. In addition,
the use of audio-visual teaching methods is very important, especially in course like
physics which it requires a deep understanding of some natural physical phenomena.
Also, the use of sensory methods, which students can touch it and experience it, is the
best way to learn. Finally, my visit to the SI office provided me a lot of information about
the work environment of this community so that they provide students supplementary
and necessary materials such as old exam, equation sheets, practice materials and so
many materials that help students to succeed in this course.

Reflection

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Doing observation was a new experience to evaluate someone or somewhere.

Also, it was a fun time to try new things. I imagined myself that person who comes to
class to evaluate our teacher in middle and high school. I was acting like an old person
who has a lot of experience. Also, I enjoyed the know a lot of people in that community.
Honestly, I was afraid at the beginning, especially, when I entered the class for
evaluation. All students looked to me and they think I am working in the university. I think
SI office in Physics department is better than any other SI in the university because they
are perfect and organized and they make the Physics department is a perfect
environment for studying. One time I went to SI session in Math department, it was not
like the one I observed.