PHYS 102 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Challeng and Check Progress:  Discussion

Weekly two (2) hour discussion sections are required. Students select a discussion section during registration.

The discussion cycle (see course schedule) is designed to provide the opportunity to:

• challenge their understanding in a safe, group environment.
• practice scientific communication through team and written work.
• build a community to explore new material together.
• check progress and practice exam skills.

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Each discussion session will consist of the following:

• Group activities:
  • Students organize themselves into small teams of max. four students within their discussion section
  • They will complete a group activity worksheet as a team.
  • Students are required to come to their section prepared:
    • Each small team should answer all questions labeled as "Preparation activities" or "Preparation questions" before their section and bring their proposed solutions with them for discussion in their team
    • Students need to familiarize themselves with the entire worksheet in advance. This includes reviewing the core concepts from the (pre-)lectures and forming a plan on how to solve the worksheet questions.
    • Students are encouraged to use Microsoft Teams to coordinate prework. Prework can be split up equally among the team members.
    • Coming unprepared to the discussion section may result in deduction of credit or being marked ABS for participation.
  • During their sections, each team will produce a consolidated report:
    • Students discuss their pre-prepared solutions with each other and determine correct solutions
    • Students solve, as a team, the in-section problems of the worksheet
    • Students should ask all questions they have about the problems to their TA before the end of their section.
• Participation grade of the week will reflect the following:
  • Receiving full marks will require answering all questions completely and making a good-faith effort.
  • The report must be each team's own work. Copying other people's work is not acceptable.
  • If you show up to discussion 10 or more minutes late, you will lose all participation points associated with that discussion session.
• The individual skills quiz:
  • Each student should work on their own quiz.
  • The quiz will be given in the last 40 minutes of the discussion session. You have to participate in the discussion in order to get credit for the in-discussion quiz.
  • Quizzes will be given through PrairieLearn using PrairieTest to access the quiz.
  • Explanations of your answers must be clear and organized. Your TA needs to understand your process.
  • Sloppy and incomplete work will result in reduced credit.
  • You will be able to review your quiz once all students have taken the quiz and they have been reviewed by your TA. You can access them through PraireLearn.