Tuesday, September 30, 2008

This student is going to annoy me all semester

In my general psychology class today, I was teaching about the sensory systems. At the end of the section, I talk briefly about ESP and basically crush all of their delusions telling them that there is no empirical evidence supporting extrasensory perception. The students asked a few of the typical questions like, "What about twins? Do they have any ESP?" Okay, fine. I understand those types of questions.

But then a student asked, "What about epilepsy?"

Me: "What about epilepsy?"

Student: "I don't know. Just epilepsy."

Me: "You mean is epilepsy related to ESP?"

Student: "Yes."

Me: "No."

That's easy!

I just got back to my office and I had a message from a student. The student was telling me that she wouldn't be in class later this afternoon and asked if I could send her an e-mail "with any important information that we cover in class."

Just what exactly would be the content of that e-mail?

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

I wish more students wrote answers like this

On an exam, I asked students to "Name one way to end synaptic transmission." Basically, neurons communicate by releasing neurotransmitters into synapses. I'm asking students for one of the ways this communication ends.

A student answered, "Disconnect the head from the body."

Yeah, that would do it. Too bad they don't get points for amusing answers.