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Re: what is understanding



On Sat, 28 Jun 1997 JACK L. URETSKY asked:
I did not understand your message. In particular I did not understand the
meaning of "state of mind", "attended", "novel", "validly discuss" and
"expert".

I suggest, for example, that none of us knows how to discuss a situation
that lies entirely outside of our experience.

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Students are expected to understand physics. But what is understanding?
It is state of mind, with respect to a topic or a set of topics. But how
c an understanding be defined? This is not easy. Here is a description of
understanding that Gregg SwackHammer shared with us. Gregg is one of the
l>> leaders of the workshop for physics teachers in which I am participating
(>> Modeling workshop at ASU). Instead of focusing what understanding is
Gregg tells us how it can be recognized. He does not remember the source
of his inspiration.

UNDERSTANDING is attended when a student can confront a novel situation
and validly discuss it (at length) with an expert.
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We can say that we already know, at an intuitive level, what understanding
is and that a further definition (in terms of equally vague concepts, such
as state of mind) is not necessary. On the other hand "to undrestand English"
is not the same thing as "to understand physics, or calculus". That is why
a definition presented by Gregg may be useful to some of us.

I do not agree that "none of us knows how to discuss a situation that
lies entirely outside of our experience". I have no experience with time
delation and length contraction but I can discuss these topics with those
who know much more about them than I (when they are willing to tolerate my
limitations).

It is much easier to deal with more concrete concepts. The optical image
definition, for example, (as opposed to a picture) is much easier than the
"human therapeutic energy field". Jack, can you quote the formulation of
what must be accomplished to win the 1.1 million prize? "Human energy" can
be measured in many ways, for example, with a radiometer.

When is the deadline? What is the address of the agency? No, I am not
planning to apply. But somebody might. Please share your experience.

Ludwik Kowalski