"Studies show that learning in groups is much better for female students than large lecture classes and learning by your-self," Pine says.

Accessible

Pine says another advantage of Chem 8 and 9's discussion approach is that it allows students to pick up the context and background of the material taught in the course.

"I enjoyed knowing where the ideas were coming from and not just being told something," she says.

Layzer says the course's format also makes it manageable for students with varying amounts of science and math experience.

"The class was designed to be accessible to many different experience and ability levels," he says. "It will challenge those who have strong backgrounds and yet will be accessible to people with weaker backgrounds."

Many students, however, feel that a certain amount of background--not to mention an extraordinary amount of motivation--is necessary to function in the class.

"I had to do a lot of learning on my own, since my background in physics was very weak," David B. Jan '97 says.

While he found it hard to catch up, Jan says the instructors were attentive to his needs.

"People were accessible when I needed help," he says. "There were two teaching fellows and two professors for math, and two teaching assistants and pone professor for Chem." Now, with Friend's addition to the course, there are two professors for Chem 8 and 9.

Jan recommends that a student have a strong background in physics and math before entering the class. A backgrounds in chemistry is also useful but to as lesser degree, he says.

Perhaps the most important prerequisite for the class, however, is the motivation and willingness to discuss questions about the material, students say.

"You have to learn to read a sourcebook and textbook and be willing to ask questions in class," says Melody Wu '98.

The reward for student's hard work is a deep understanding of the subject mater, they say.

Pine says many students who took Chem 9 in the spring managed to take organic chemistry (Chem 20) simultaneously without any problems. Others were enrolled in Physics 15b concurrently with Chem 9.