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Posts in category Education

AQM mid-term survey

Here is the summary of the results of the mid-term survey of the course of Advanced Quantum mechanics.

Most important points

  • Little appreciation for the presentations. Still misunderstandings of their meaning
  • Contrasting opinions about the lectures
  • Requests for non-existing “simpler” exercises

Survey AQM #1

Here are the results of the first survey of AQM course. It took place on Feb 26. There were 36 participants. Main numbers are as follows:
Mark lectures: 7.4 Mark PPS: 6.7 Overall mark: 7.3
Better than last year. Still lack of PPS appreciation.
Read more

Sixth Lecture Advanced Quantum Mechanics 2016

was about classical stuff, representation of oscillators – rather technical and preparatory, but necessary, and, with several anecdotes, not boring.

The timing was good, though I could go faster in the first half of the lecture and slower in the second half. However, I’ve a bad feeling of not being understood completely. Perhaps next time I need to reserve time to make several simple calculations explicitly — you never know.

My question “Who does not know what vector potential is?” usually was answered positively by 20% of students. This time no single hand was risen. I wonder if the education has been improved or the question was not understood ๐Ÿ™‚

 

First lecture Advanced Quantum Mechanics: 2016

This year I got a very convenient lecture room, zaal E, that can house almost an infinite number of students and has a slanted floor. I gave the same course in this room yet 10 years ago. It took a bit of time to adjust: and I could enjoy again. An inconvenience is that the lectures take place on early Monday morning ๐Ÿ™

Despite this, the audience was full – not unusual for the first lecture. I took time explaining the rules of the course (those I myself find rather complex). Not that I felt understood, but I said what I had to. The stuff went rather fast. Nobody has heard of Heisenberg picture, no single hand – all right, but with this it went only faster. Still I was very vague about qubits and had to skip the harmonic oscillator – too much time lost in the beginning.

I had like 4 minutes for density matrix – no preliminary knowledge as well. Looked enough, but I have discovered that the outlining of the partial trace is too abstract to be taught that quickly …

Fortunately, there was enough time on Thursday. The presentations were fine, including density matrix from thermodynamical point of view. And I told about partial trace, slowly and with details – that seemed to go into open ears. Fine!

Survey Advanced Quantum Mechanics 2

The semester is over – well, almost, we need to prepare the exams, yet it all will happen very soon. The end of the semester was pretty busy so I had no mood neither time for the blog. I shall only do what I ought to – to publish the results of the last survey on Advanced Quantum Mechanics course made on 1-6-2015, during one of the last lectures. Students by this time had very certain opinion about the course, were rather critical, yet could appreciate the good parts of it. That I can also judge from a big number of the students (52) who are going to take the exam.
Ok, questions and answers:
In my opinion, the content of this course is relevant to my education (from -2 to 2) 1.4

This course corresponds well to my prior knowledge (from -2 to 2) 0.8

In relation to the amount of credit points, the actual study load of this course was much higher (from -2 to 2) 0

The lecturer explain the subject matter clearly (from -2 to 2) 0.3

The lecturer discuss the subject matter in a stimulating way (from -2 to 2) 0.2

The instructors give sufficient feedback on student presentations (from -2 to 2 ) 1.53 here we have improved a lot !

The problem-solving sessions are interesting and useful (from -2 to 2 ) -0.22 we need to restructure the problem-solving sessions

English mark for the teacher (from 0 to 10 ) 6.7
English mark for the instructors (from 0 to 10 ) 8.3 good

The lecturer should present the material with more examples . OK

The problem-solving sessions should be with more discussions. OK

This course is well organised (supply of information, scheduling) (from -2 to 2 ) 1.4 much improvement!

I will go on with the course and come to the examination. Majority answered undoubtedly.

What mark do you expect to get at the exam? 6.9
Do you use the book? Majority uses it regulary

The overal mark:
lectures 6.6
problem-solving sessions 6.1 have to do something about
the whole course 7.2 could be better

we wouldnโ€™t mind to score more, yet itโ€™s not a big problem

I have also interesting remarks from the students, to be posted later.

Self-evaluation AQM: the results of the survey

About a month ago I ask the students to answer some questions regarding the course. We’ve used this feedback. Now the semester break has started: I have time to derive and publish the exact results.

In my opinion, the content of this course is relevant to my education (from -2 to 2) 1.66 good

This course corresponds well to my prior knowledge (from -2 to 2) 0.83 lower than we expected, though not bad

In relation to the amount of credit points, the actual study load of this course was much higher (from -2 to 2) 0.33 very good

The lecturer explain the subject matter clearly (from -2 to 2) 0.33 mmm, point to improve

The lecturer discuss the subject matter in a stimulating way (from -2 to 2) 1.0 rather good

The instructors give sufficient feedback on student presentations (from -2 to 2 ) 0.66 we can improve

The problem-solving sessions are interesting and useful (from -2 to 2 ) 0.88 as expected

English mark for the teacher (from 0 to 10 ) 6.8 mmm…
English mark for the instructors (from 0 to 10 ) 8.0 good

The lecturer should present the material with more examples . OK

The problem-solving sessions should be with more discussions. OK

This course is well organised (supply of information, scheduling) (from -2 to 2 ) 0.9 expected

I will go on with the course and come to the examination. Majority answered undoubtedly or most likely.

What mark do you expect to get at the exam? 7 well, not very ambitious ๐Ÿ™‚

Do you use the book? Much worse than expected! A quarter use it regulary, a quater – sometimes. No, that is not good.

The overal mark:
lectures 7.5
problem-solving sessions 6.9
the whole course 7.5

we wouldn’t mind to score more, yet it’s not a big problem

I will make another survey shortly after the semester break.

Sixth lecture Quantum Transport

the last one before the semester break. We did Coulomb blockade and I believe we did it good). I’m pretty slow this year, there’s a delay of one lecture, so the the deadline for home work about Coulomb blockade was actually earlier than the lecture(. I feel guilty, yet could not do anything about except the better semester planning six month ago. I have to really hurry up after the semester break.

Seventh lecture Advanced Quantum Mechanics

Can’t believe I got so far before the semester break: we have sucsesfully quantized the classical fields! The stuff is still rather technical and boring, yet in the second half we’ve discussed fancy effects of zero-point energy, vacuum fluctuations and uncertainties. It was on time: wish I am so good next time, I expect more difficulties)).

Fifth lecture Quantum Transport

On Friday, we have finished with the quantum circuit theories covering spin transport and transmission distribution. I was reasonably satisfied with the results, there was some interaction with the audience.

I’ve just began the Coulomb blockade: looks like I’ve circumvented half-lecture shift and will have to plan an extra lecture.

Sixth lecture Advanced Quantum Mechanics

was about classical fields. O, I did the half! The topic may feel boring: all oscillators, waves, linear equations can be brought to the same standard form. Perhaps I will have to arrange some entertainment next time. The timing was good: actually, did not expect this ๐Ÿ™‚

ยฉ 2011 TU Delft