[Blindmath] To all you blind physics experts

[John Gardner]

Hello Amanda, I am a blind physicist, but I was not blind when I was a
student.  Your experience in lecture is familiar to me, because I have been
to lots of lectures at all levels since becoming blind.  There are things
you might do to be better prepared, but it is clear from your letter that
the major problem is understanding the lecture.  

Your professor needs some pointers on how to convey "this rule" and "that
model"  A really good lecturer will say "This rule using the right hand
where the thumb points in the direction of the current and the fingers wrap
around the wire pointing in the direction of the electric field", etc.  This
kind of detailed (invariably repetitive)  lecturing is good for all the
students, not just those who are blind.  You have described lectures by Dick
Baldwin, and it is clear to me that he understand that such detail is
needed.

I am often asked for advice on how to communicate with blind people in
lectures.  My answer is that my advice is how to be an excellent lecturer
for everybody.  
* Write everything that is spoken on the board, show in a slide, or
otherwise communicate the essentials of every point made verbally.
* Do not use "this" and "that" as nouns.
* Never say "it", "that thing", etc.  Say the actual name of whatever
object, rule, equation... is being discussed.

There are many more things that could be added to this list, but any
lecturer who religiously follows these three rules will communicate much
better with everybody than he would if he didn't follow the rules.  

All this takes slightly more time and certainly more concentration.  And
frankly most lecturer are not very good at communicating fully.  But those
who really want to improve their lectures do not usually object to being
given my little list.  It comes from an experienced professor who happens to
be blind.  And it is intended to be constructive.

I suggest you give my note to your physics professor Ananda.  I doubt that
he will be offended from what you say.  I'm happy to have a private
discussion with him off list too.

John Gardner




-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Amanda Lacy
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 10:23 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: [Blindmath] To all you blind physics experts

There seem to be several of you on here, so I am hoping for some advice even
though this isn't exactly about math.

I am currently in general physics II and beginning to struggle. My physics
professor (Prof. Underwood) says that the units which will probably be the
hardest for me are electromagnetism (the one we're on now) and optics. I
have the book from Learning Ally and write down all the homework problems
and important equations on the computer. I've also started experimenting
with one of Prof. Baldwin's programs in order to emboss important diagrams
and follow along in class. I try to ask lots of questions during Prof.
Baldwin's office hours, in class, and in lab. I have a tactile drawing pad
and at least two people who give me pieces of there time and expertise when
they can, but still I am lost in class. The subject matter is so visual that
Prof. Underwood is often drawing and redrawing complex things on the board
as he lectures. Then I hear such tantalizing statements as, "learn this
right-hand rule," or "this very important concept explains how an electric
motor works." I hadn't f
 ollowed whatever it was which led to such statements. At the end of class,
my unanswered questions are often more numerous than they had been at the
beginning. As a consequence of not following lecture, some of my homework
looks completely unfamiliar to me so that I have no idea how to proceed.
Prof. Underwood is talking about building some 3D models for me. He is
really doing the best he can and sometimes seems unsure what to do with me.
I don't always know what to do with me either.

If any of you can describe strategies you used which did not rely on vision,
I would be grateful. I am genuinely curious about what I'm supposed to be
studying. If I can satisfy that curiosity, then the A will come on its own,
as it always does.


Thanks,
Amanda
_______________________________________________
Blindmath mailing list
Blindmath at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Blindmath:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/john.gardner%40orst.e
du