Re: pedagogical versus technological

[Ludwik Kowalski <kowalskil@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>]

Dan made a very good summary of what
I think is a correct position. Happy grading.
Ludwik Kowalski
P.S.
Will those who are in their 20s and 30s now
be using brain scanners instead of traditional
grading in several decades?

On Monday, December 15, 2003, at 12:32 AM, danmacisaac wrote:

> On Sunday, December 14, 2003, at 05:36  PM, Bob LaMontagne wrote:
> > The thing that is is most satisfying is how the students spontaneously
> > start discussions amongst lab partner groups as to how to best format
> > the data and graph. Someone who is familiar with trendlines will place
> > one on the data - this snowballs into everyone doing trendlines. The
> > same thing happens in our labs involving error analysis and error
> > bars.
> >
> > I mention this ins response to the claim that computers are best when
> > used as discovery tools. That is exactly what we find. Canned learning
> > programs and CD's provided with textbooks fall flat pedagogically. But
> > just leaving the computers available as a tool for analysis does more
> > than we could ever deliberately set up in our lab write-ups.
> >
> > Bob at PC
> >
> > John Clement wrote:
> > >
> >
> > > So I would say the issue is there, but it really boils down to
> > > approp=
> > > riate
> > > uses of technology.  You can get superb results with research based
>
> Amen.  Much of the discussion regarding technology use in learning
> (and educational research in general) on this list is so ill-formed as
> to be incomprehensible.  There is no general "computers is better"
> finding, as we would not expect an "overheads is better" or "yellow
> chalk is better" -- these are meaningless statements.  A well-formed
> curriculum like modeling that makes appropriate use of technology
> in a meaningful way with lots of student dialogue can be seen to
> make a measurable impact on student conceptual learning as
> measured by interviews or by a pre- and post-test design
> with a refined, valid instrument (not student or teacher opinion).
>
> There are other uses of computers that promote skills acquisition --
> drill and kill promotes basic calculational prowress, for instance.
>
> Dan MacIsaac, Assistant Professor of Physics, SUNY Buffalo State
> College
> 222 SCIE BSC 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo NY 14222 716-878-3802
> macisadl@buffalostate.edu http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.edu