Re: [Phys-l] Ca mandates 8th-grade algebra test

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>]

Hi all-
Such numbers are meaningless, as are all experimental results, unless one 
knows the statistical and systematic uncertainties associated with the 
results..  When the experiment falls in the realm of the social 
sciences, as research attempts in education must, the systematic 
uncertainties merit extensive discussion and are difficult to quantify.
Among the systematic uncertainties are the effects of the time and 
placement of the experiment, the precise definitions of the categories 
compared, and the identification of relevant factors.

The art of estimating systematic uncertainties seems to improve when the 
experiment is repeated many times and the deviations in quantitative 
results are accounted for.  When systematic uncertainties are under 
control, numerical results from different experiments will fluctuate 
in accordance with statistical predictions.
					Regards,
						Jack


On Sun, 13 Jul 2008, John Clement wrote:

> My estimate comes straight from the Lawson Piagetian test published in his
> book.  75% of the honors students do exhibit proportional reasoning while
> only 25% of the regular students exhibit proportional reasoning.  Since the
> really low students do not take physics 30% is a reasonable estimate for
> proportional reasoning.
>
> John M. Clement
> Houston, TX
>
> > John,
> >
> > I would venture to guess that the students in your private prep school
> > probably are more likely to be at the formal operational level than those
> > in average public schools, so your 30% estimate may be a bit high.
> >
> > Mark Shapiro
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > According to Shayer & Adey students need to be at the formal operational
> > level to be able to understand a 3 variable equation such as F=ma.  Since
> > only about 30% of US students are capable of understanding proportionality
> > when they are seniors in HS, algebra is literally impossible for most
> > students even in HS.  Pushing advanced abstract concepts down to lower
> > grades is absurd when students do not understand proportional reasoning or
> > conservation reasoning.
> >
> > Incidentally the 30% figure comes from my testing of students in a college
> > prep private school in Houston.
> >
> > If this seems a bit late on the topic, it is because I have been on a
> > river
> > boat tour of Russia for 2 weeks.
> >
> > John M. Clement
> > Houston, TX
>
>
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