Watching Videos To Raise Quiz Scores

Watching videos to raise quiz scores

Some students want to know about extra credit. I try to explain the meaning of "extra" in this context. It generally means one has already done the regular work and wants to go above and beyond and learn a little extra. In my opinion, it is not a way for students to make up afterwards for regular work and assignments they didn't do.

Moreover, I'm against mindless tasks just to do extra work to raise a grade. If there is a possibility for extra credit in a class (and this could be rare) it should be very educational.

I think that two series of videos are educational enough that I'm willing to raise your quiz scores (RAQs only) if you watch them. For each two video episodes you watch I will raise a quiz score of your choosing by up to 50% (but your final score can't exceed 100%). That is, if you originally scored 40% on a quiz then watching two videos could raise it to 90%; if your original score was 68% then watching two videos would raise it to 100%. Watching only one video doesn't do anything for a quiz score; you must report them in pairs.

You do not need a lengthy summary of the videos, just list the series, number, and title; I will trust that you really watched them and gained the educational benefit. You must also specify which quiz score you want raised. It is possible to raise the score on a given quiz twice if that will benefit you. Remember, it is up to you to specify which score you want raised. Use this form Download this form

One of the sets of videos that can be used for this activity is "The Mechanical Universe" (the college version, not the high school adaption). This series is available from our library Links to an external site. (VHS and DVD).  Also streaming here Links to an external site..

The other video series you may use is Walter Lewin's Links to an external site. lectures to a similar physics course at MIT. They are available on YouTube.  The 3-min intro videos don't count.  They should be at least 30 minutes long each.Physics 801 Lectures, Links to an external site.and Physics 802 Lectures, Links to an external site. and Physics 803 Lectures Links to an external site..

There is an excellent six-part series on how to study that must be the first video you watch each semester. The six parts count together collectively as one video. You may re-watch and re-count this video (six parts together) every month if you want to, but it must at least be the first video of the semester. The link is here Links to an external site..

I will also let you count rapt attendance at the Thursday afternoon Science Division Seminar as equal to one video.

It is my sincere hope that you will watch these videos, even if you don't need them to raise your grade. They are each excellent and provide instruction in ways I can't reproduce in our classroom. The smartest way to use them is not to wait until the last month of the semester, but rather watch the corresponding episodes that are relevant to our current class discussion.