Well, I'm almost into week 5 already and there are a few things I'm amazed at:
In a class with a LOT of students, everything s_l_o_w_s down to a c_r_a_w_l. My MIS class is supposed to be an hour and 15 minutes long but we end up spending only about 20-30 minutes on "real" class stuff. The prof shows up with about 5 minutes to go and handles the 5 or so students waiting at the front podium to talk to him, then he puts the roll taker on the screen and we click in while he's putting on his wireless mic -- he has to change batteries nearly every time.
The first 10 or so slides are standard -- reminders to take the quiz (there's a new one every Tuesday and we have until Sunday midnight to take it), reminders to contact the TA if our clicker isn't working. It's class EIGHT and there are students that apparently haven't yet figured out how to register their clicker despite going over it in class every single time! You can tell because their clicker number shows at the end of the roll call screen without an assigned slot. Unbelievable. Each class you attend (click in) counts for 10 points so they're losing points every time. Then there's the reminders about available computer labs, how to contact the prof or TA, how to always use a subject line if you email either of them, and when their office hours are scheduled.
Halfway through the standard slides, the prof goes completely quiet while he waits for all 380 students to stop chatting. He has to interrupt class at least 5 more times throughout the hour to get everyone quieted down. Fortunately he has the patience of Job, although he's showing signs of real frustration lately. When he reaches his limit, he'll start throwing the whisperers out.
We'll complete a total of five major projects in this class this semester so we have at least 3 weeks or six class sessions before each is due for him to go over the requirements. And go over them, and go over them, and go over them again! By the time the project is due, he has practically spoon fed us everything we need to know to complete it successfully including major hints at the right answers! I guess that's good, but it really "dumbs down" the class to the lowest denominator (or ditziest student!). We're now into Project 2 so maybe things will speed up a little. Or not!
English class is better since we only have around 20 students, but I'm still a little surprised at how slowly the prof is getting into the meat of the class. Our first DRAFT of our first 3-4 page essay isn't due until Tuesday next week and then we have a couple more weeks to revise it before turning in a final paper. We've had readings and one-page response papers to turn in every week, but we're just now getting into how to create a good thesis and lay out our argument. Maybe they do that to bridge the time until the last drop/add date is past. We have lost a few students since the start of the semester.
I guess I expected the pace to be a little faster. Maybe that's due to the pace I experienced with my accelerated summer courses. There's certainly no reason to fall behind, and that's a relief while I'm still spending 40 hours a week winding things up at work. Soon after that's over, I kick in with an accelerated remedial math course that will keep my calendar fairly full, I imagine!