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Re: [Phys-l] Feynman's messenger lectures now available




The implicit definition here is that "learning"="gain on FCI" and thus
that is how the effectiveness of all teaching must be judged. This is
surely debatable. But in any case, I don't think that Bill Gates meant to
say: "Boy, if I had only seen those lectures, my FCI score would have
skyrocketed!". Lectures can inspire, and entertain, they can guide, they
can lay the groundwork for the individual study that must follow, or they
can bore, intimidate and overwhelm. So many variables to this vast
undertaking, hard to reduce to a meaningful single factor -- FCI gain or
any other.


Eric Mazur's lectures actually address much more than the FCI, although he
does use it as one figure of merit. Both of these previously mentioned
lectures are very good. But of course they will generally not change
people's minds, because they are lectures. The FCI is just the beginning,
and much more has been learned since then. But you have to start somewhere.
Personally I think the FMCE is better, but the two track well enough that
they are really very equivalent.

I think what Gates meant is that if he had originally seen the Feynman
lectures that he might have taken a different path in life. Would he have
gone into physics? But because of the reasons I gave, I really doubt that
they would have had much influence on him as a college or HS student. I
doubt that he is even aware of PER or the FCI, so FCI scores are a non
issue.

My point is that lectures are good if you already have a fair degree of
understanding, but not if you don't. There was a study where they were
trying to teach students to design their own experiments. Lecturing them
had basically no effect. Having them do inquiry labs had some effect, but
not as much as one would like. However inquiry labs with a summative
lecture were a powerful combination. In other words the lecture worked
because they already had the experience necessary to understand what was
being said. The learning cycle always puts exploration first before term
definition or concept development. The only front end lecture should be
concrete preparation.

Incidentally I just heard from a student that his HS used an online homework
grading system. Students paid other students to do their problems, or got
the answers from others. The real problem solvers made some money in the
process.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX