In intro physics, after exam one, I like to let student give me feedback about how class is going. That feedback is about what happens in class. After exam two this year, I want them to think more about themselves and how they are spending time outside of class. So, here are today’s clicker questions: Am I being to confrontational?
I read the lecture material
A. before class, annotating the text to enhance learning, taking notes for myself about what I do and don’t understand.
B. ahead of time, but not close enough to really learn or be prepared for class.
C. Eventually, but never before hand. I don’t really stay on top of it.
D. Not really ever. I maybe just skim it eventually for formulas and to look at solutions.
I work problems…
A. Regularly from the end of the chapter, taking note of what I am doing well on and what needs improvement.
B. Sometimes, but not regularly enough or in a way that’s useful for me learning.
C. Seldom, but only really in the days leading up to the exam.
D. Not much at all. I just look at solutions.
I apply for reassessments
A. Regularly to get extra opportunities to practice and to get feedback on how I’m doing.
B. Sometimes, but I wait too until it’s too late and don’t do it often enough.
C. Never, but I want too. I’m too disorganized in my life to remember.
D. Never and I don’t even think about it.
I read about the lab activities
A. Before class, so my group can be efficient in how we spend out time. This gives our group enough time to nearly finish the lab in class, so there isn’t too much left to do outside class.
B. but only in a glancing way, so we end up wasting time in class not understanding what the lab is about. We never finish lab in class, and we are left with lots to do.
C. Never before class. I’m almost always confused about the labs.
D. Wait, we can look at the lab activities before class? Wait, the syllabus shows a schedule of what labs were doing each day?
A. I read the appendix of the lab activity book to learn about uncertainties, graphing, and how to linearize graphs.
B. I have looked at the appendix, but I don’t put in the effort to learn from it. I sort of blame the text for being confusing.
C. I know that there is an appendix, but I haven’t really looked at it closely.
D I didn’t even know that there was appendix.
I have met with Brian
A. On multiple occasions when I didn’t understand something
B. The week of the exam.
C. Never, but I always say to myself that I should
D. Never, and don’t even think about it.
I have…
A. Been to free tutoring on multiple occasions.
B. Gone to free tutoring once.
C. Never been to free tutoring.
D. Not been aware of free tutoring.
When Brian gives us choice in class,
A. I’m always using that opportunity to practice extra challenge problems and questions he gives us.
B. I sometimes scramble to finish an old lab and sometimes get a chance to practice.
C. I’m always scrambling to finish old work, and never get extra chances to practice learning in class.
Teach. Brian. Teach. 
I would have trouble answering some of the questions, because none of the answers match my study style. For example, I usually read material ahead of time, but I don’t take notes or annotate the text. I work problems regularly, but don’t “take note of what needs improving”. If something needs improving, I fix it, not “take note” of it. The assumptions behind the questions would make me uncomfortable as a student.
I assumed he meant “take note of” in the “notice” sense, not in the “make a written note” sense.
And to answer the question: I don’t think you’re being too confrontational. I might have worded things slightly differently, but I think overall this is fine.
If it were me, I’d explicitly say that if you’re happy with your progress in the course, keep doing what you’re doing. If you’re not happy, then these are things I recommend. Or something like that.
Yeah these aren’t actually how they got worded because they have to fit on a powerpoint slide. We also didn’t actually vote. We mostly just talked through them. At the end, students were asked in small groups to discuss one goal they can set for themselves.