Seven Books

I want you to imagine reading seven books at the same time.  Read one chapter from one book, then set it down and pick up a second book and read a chapter from it, and so on, cycling back to the first book after you've read a chapter from the seventh book.

Now imagine that you're required to read one chapter from each book every day.  For the sake of removing any excuses, let's say that it's your job to do this.

Actually, let's make it easier: You're allowed to use audio books instead.

At the end of each week, you will take a short written quiz on each of the books, on the material contained in the chapters you were to read that week.  Unless you finished a book that week.  Then the quiz covers the entire book.

Sound ridiculous? Impossible?

So what would make it reasonable?  You are still responsible for the material contained in the seven books at the end of each week. But what would make it easier to obtain and understand and remember the information?

Ah, I've got it: A book club.  Read the required material and then we'll discuss it.  The discussion would help fill in the gaps of things that were missed the first time around.  In fact, it would probably give everyone in the book club a more complete picture of the material, since each of us would bring our own perspectives and reactions. Of course, you'd still need to read the material, since the discussion wouldn't make much sense otherwise, but still. Discussing things with others.  Yep, that would help.

Seven classes each day. Have the students read the material or listen to a lecture every day.  Quizzes at the end of each week.

Or, discuss the material with them.  Which one do you think would have the bigger impact?