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Department of Physics

The Cavendish Laboratory
 

Monday 12th January 1998: 09:30 - Committee Room

  1. MMA of 97-8/1 (already circulated)
    RTP should have been recorded as on leave.
    Minute 2 - I. Hopkinson and E. Marseglia have agreed to fill the gaps in the IA Lent class.
    Minute 4 - Education Committee of General Board satisfied with our response re: External Examiners' reports.
  2. Consultative Committee
    Among the points raised, the TC might wish to discuss the following:
    • Part III - Astrophysics - a lot of material - why no Part II course?
    • Review of Solid State courses - working group coordinated by Prof. Friend, but he is on leave.
    • Part II + III - request for answers to examples.
    • Part II Computing - several criticisms (disparity between students' experience; poor choice of editor, no teaching about programming, need guidance about writeup, IB Maths numerical lectures poorly taught and not supervised ...).
      n.b. comments from Dr. Mackay below.
    • Part II Supervisions - need mechanism to feed back comments from students.
    • Part IB - Mathematical Concepts - good handout, but insufficient linkage with physics.
    • Part IB - Mathematical Examples Class - insufficient demonstrators - better if lecturer went over some examples - give out problem sheets the preceding week?
    • Part IB - Practicals - some poor demonstrators - problems with marking, and inconsistent.
    • Part IA - Practicals - too long - overview of errors at the start of term - first experiment not counted for exam? - comments on demonstrators (as IB).
  3. Lecture Attendance
    The figures show the usual trend, a decline of about 25% between start and end of term in all IA and IB courses, plus some drift from course B to A in Part IA.
  4. Part II Computing
    Suggestions from Dr.D. Mackay attached for discussion. 
    Also note letter from A. Winter.
  5. Part III Modelling
    Poor attendance - letter from Dr.D. Mackay attached.
  6. NST review
    Final report of the Review Committee now received (attached).
    Prof. Howie's draft letter, prepared after the last TC meeting and before receipt of the final report, is enclosed as a basis for a possible response.
  7. Teaching Quality Assessment
    Meeting with G. Rennie - WA/DAG to report
  8. Plagiarism
    Letter from G. Rennie attached. Faculty Board may want input from us.
  9. Exam Skills Day
    Letter from Dr.P. Harland attached - do we wish to comment?
  10. Lecturers 1998-9
    First discussion?
  11. AOB