Discussion classes?

thecutiedisease · 09-05-2009, 01:30 AM

What exactly is/happens in a discussion class? Is it just a seminar?

bananaslug · 09-05-2009, 05:55 AM

Usually the TA goes over material from the class, helps you with homework if there is any, and answers questions. Sometimes they show you a film or do group activities.

Cali Trumpet · 09-05-2009, 01:48 PM

They are usually optional and are not that essential unless your classes are related to science and engineering.

bananaslug · 09-05-2009, 03:21 PM

Really? Because I've never had an optional discussion except in an environmental studies classes. And if I didn't have a discussion in my Philosophy, Race, and Gender class, I think the entire class would've failed everything because the professor was terrible at explaining things.

I hate that people don't think that discussions don't matter. If you're in a huge lecture, the discussions are usually the only place for you to voice your opinion, ask questions, or let the TA to get to know you, thus giving them more to go on when they give you a grade. If you have no other reason to go to discussion, go for the attendance points. In one class I had, if you missed more than 3 discussion, you automatically fail. And if that make you think they aren't "essential" I don't really know what is.

Cali Trumpet · 09-06-2009, 02:11 AM

I have taken a variety of classes during my first year at UCSC and I had only two classes with required sections, Calc19 and Stats5. I was just speaking from my experience. If discussions are not required, about 25% show up. Obviously, if teachers take points off or fail you for missing discussions, these would be considered required and not optional.

I did not say that discussions do not matter. I happen to attend every one of my discussions, required or not. From my experience, discussions are there for the purpose of reinforcing material learned in lecture in a more comfortable environment. Discussions are very useful because you can ask specific questions to an expert of the topic (a graduate student). I have however found that they are not essential to attaining your desired grade because the best way of learning is simply by reading the book.