Minutes of the meeting held on November 15 2011

4. Part IB course: Miss Mat<strong>the</strong>ws reported.Lecture course: Dr WingateThe lecturer is very clear and <strong>the</strong> pace is good. In general his writing is legible, but onone occasion he didn’t bring overheads, and <strong>the</strong> students found it confusing. There were notenough examples done in <strong>the</strong> lectures, and so people didn’t know how to apply <strong>the</strong> rules to solve<strong>the</strong> problems on <strong>the</strong> examples sheets. The first examples class has now taken place, and this hasimproved <strong>the</strong> situation. The contents <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> handouts are good, but <strong>the</strong>y are handed out inchapters, each <strong>of</strong> which has an identical cover page, and students <strong>of</strong>ten bring <strong>the</strong> wrong one tolectures. The students ask that <strong>the</strong> different sections at least have numbers on <strong>the</strong> front, andpreferably distinguishable titles. The examples sheets are good, but <strong>the</strong>re are felt to be a fewquestions where <strong>the</strong> algebra is too heavy. The attendance is steady with <strong>the</strong> lecture room beingabout three quarters full. The lecturer has said that students can ask quick questions or point outtypos, but some people are asking deeper questions which disrupts <strong>the</strong> class. The students wouldlike it to be made clear that students with such questions should e-mail <strong>the</strong> lecturer or approachhim after <strong>the</strong> lecture.6. Any o<strong>the</strong>r business.Both <strong>the</strong> IA and IB representatives confirmed that most people do not use books verymuch, preferring to rely on <strong>the</strong> on-line resources, although <strong>the</strong> book by Riley, Hobson andBence was found useful by those who had consulted it. In response to a question as to whe<strong>the</strong>rlecturers should continue to circulate paper copies <strong>of</strong> handouts and examples sheets giveneverything is on line, <strong>the</strong> student representatives said <strong>the</strong>y still needed hard copies to work with;<strong>the</strong>y feel that bringing laptops to lectures and following and annotating <strong>the</strong> notes on <strong>the</strong>m is notpractical for maths. They pointed out that <strong>the</strong>y have to pay for <strong>the</strong>ir own printing, and <strong>the</strong> coststo <strong>the</strong>m would be significant if <strong>the</strong>y had to download and print everything <strong>the</strong>mselves.Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Gull reiterated his amazement that <strong>the</strong> attendance at maths lectures is notmonitored, as it is for Physics.