Some subscribers to Phys-L might be interested in a recent post "The
Wolfram and Benezet Silver Bullets For Making Math Education Work"
[Hake (2010)]. The abstract reads:
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ABSTRACT: Conrad Wolfram, in his talk "Teaching kids real math with
computers" <http://bit.ly/dUWJuB>, said "I believe that correctly
using computers is the silver bullet for making math education work."
Over 70 years ago Louis Paul Benezet <http://bit.ly/926tiM>
discovered another silver bullet for making math education work:
viz., abandoning the mindless drill that goes with most formal
instruction of mathematics in the lower grades.
Although admired by heavy-weight mathematicians such as Hassler
Whitney <http://bit.ly/eCiTGy> and Andrew Gleason
<http://bit.ly/hKxteu>, Benezet's work has been generally ignored by
the education community and vilified by traditionalist math warriors.
It remains to be seen whether or not Wolfram's "silver bullet" of
2010, up against similar negative influences, will have any more
effect on math education than did Benezet's of 1935/36.
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"Mathematics is the gate and key of the sciences. . . .Neglect of
mathematics works injury to all knowledge, since he who is ignorant
of it cannot know the other sciences or the things of this world. And
what is worse, men who are thus ignorant are unable to perceive their
own ignorance and so do not seek a remedy."
Roger Bacon (Opus Majus, bk. 1, ch. 4) <http://bit.ly/dzjbWv>
REFERENCES [URL shortened by <http://bit.ly/>; all URL's accessed on
11 December 2010.]
Hake, R.R. 2010. "The Wolfram and Benezet Silver Bullets For Making
Math Education Work," online on the OPEN! AERA-L archives at
<http://bit.ly/e9lNvn>. Post of 11 Dec 2010 13:48:36-0800 to AERA-L
and Net-Gold. The abstract and link to the complete post are being
transmitted to various discussion lists are also online on my blog
"Hake'sEdStuff" at
<http://bit.ly/fHfumo> with a provision for comments.