2.0 day 2

“Sequences, Series, and Foundations” started out pretty easy. The first week or so is just boolean logic, and I’ve had all that before. It also seems to dabble in set theory, which I have no problem with. The textbook is not a textbook at all, but a photocopied booklet created by the math department. Total cost: $16.

The companion website for my astronomy course is pretty cool. I’ve talked about and read about the use of the Internet in the classroom, and the University of Minnesota seems in it pretty deep. (Almost) All course registration is done online. There are no course catalogs printed. All the classrooms I’ve seen so far have digital projectors on the ceiling. 802.11b is everywhere.

Something that has suprised me is how many students have cell phones. This is true in high school as well. All of my extempers have a cell phone. All of them. Not nearly as many U students appear to have laptops. If they do, they don’t bring them to class. The bandwidth at the U is great. Wireless here is faster than my DSL at home (which is to be expected).

They do need way more outlets in the union and more places to sit. Its much less crowded here today than it was yesterday. I’d attribute that to everyone having already purchased their books. My classes are all near the union, which is great. I don’t have to cross the river for anything. (have pity on Bietz)