1 00:00:05,540 --> 00:00:08,150 GUNTHER ROLAND: So at the beginning of each semester, 2 00:00:08,150 --> 00:00:11,510 I ask the students, what have you heard about Junior Lab? 3 00:00:11,510 --> 00:00:13,430 And what I find is that some of them 4 00:00:13,430 --> 00:00:17,960 have been worried about having to take the class since they 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,650 joined MIT as a freshmen, even before they declared 6 00:00:21,650 --> 00:00:22,760 their majors. 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,130 And the characterization that I've heard multiple times 8 00:00:25,130 --> 00:00:27,410 is that Junior Lab is a black hole that 9 00:00:27,410 --> 00:00:30,140 swallows up all available time. 10 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:34,640 And this reputation was not, I would, say 11 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:36,200 completely undeserved. 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,500 It is a very challenging class and it is very time intensive, 13 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:42,680 and you really have to be very judicious in how 14 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,450 you invest your effort. 15 00:00:44,450 --> 00:00:46,130 On the other hand, many of the elements 16 00:00:46,130 --> 00:00:49,130 that we have introduced in the last few years, 17 00:00:49,130 --> 00:00:53,090 like flipping the classroom, like rearranging 18 00:00:53,090 --> 00:00:59,660 a lot of the curriculum were meant to address this worry 19 00:00:59,660 --> 00:01:04,370 and to really preserve, and maybe even purify 20 00:01:04,370 --> 00:01:07,820 the essence of the class while removing 21 00:01:07,820 --> 00:01:10,700 some of the elements that really caused a lot of students 22 00:01:10,700 --> 00:01:11,472 stress. 23 00:01:11,472 --> 00:01:13,430 And I think the best way to see what we've done 24 00:01:13,430 --> 00:01:16,550 is to really come and try it for yourself. 25 00:01:16,550 --> 00:01:20,490 And I think many students will found at the end 26 00:01:20,490 --> 00:01:25,360 that it is a time consuming, but extremely rewarding experience.