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At 21:42 -0500 4/30/02, Jack Uretsky wrote:a
But Hugh's answer avoids the question asked by both Rich and
myself. What
is the predictive value of the conceptual tests?
I'm a bit confused: is there a way to identify the predictive value of any
instructional methodology?
Let's assume that personal motivation (and willingness to work hard) plays
big part. How do we separate that from the instructional methodology?who
Is it reasonable to say that the benefit of "traditional" methodology has
been reflected in the "success" of its graduates, as indicated by those
get Ph.D.'s? Would it be valid to say that those with better grades getrelated
into better graduate schools and so grades are correlated with "success"?
If so, suppose "reform" methods result in better grades for more students.
Would this satisfy those who ask for predictive measures of success
to "reform" methodology? If not, what will?understanding
IMO, it seems there are three types of students*:
I. Those that grapple with weaknesses in their understanding until they
figure it out, not being satisfied until they do.
II. Those that are willing to grapple with weaknesses in their
but they need help.because
III. Those that don't grapple with weaknesses in their understanding
they don't know what it means to be weak in understanding - these studentsto
have "survived" by memorization and regurgitation.
The faculty in my department are all type I's. Type I's seem correlated
with "success".
My students are mainly type II's and III's. I am an idealist. I think it
is possible to move people from II to I and from III to II and I think
"reform" methods have been successful at this.
*I'm ignoring the factor that some students just don't care. I have seen
some type I's and II's that just don't care. They are just not ready for
college. They'll drop out and in a few years come back and be stellar
students. Some people may think that all type III's just aren't willing
do the work. Their courses aren't designed to improve success, but rather"willing
just identify those students who are type I's, i.e., those that are
to do the work" (which is predictive of success).
____________________________________________
Robert Cohen; rcohen@po-box.esu.edu; http://www.esu.edu/~bbq
Physics, East Stroudsburg Univ., E. Stroudsburg, PA 18301