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On 01/27/2011 12:20 PM, Dr. Richard Tarara wrote:
For problem solving the Heller 'rich context'--I call them 'real world'
problems are a good tool. (These have been, probably are, available
online--U of Minnesota)
Let's take a look at the featured examples:
http://groups.physics.umn.edu/physed/Research/CRP/crexample.html
In the first example:
-- It mentions a secret mission but you don't need to know anything about the nature of the mission.
-- It mentions submarines but you don't need to know anything
about submarines.
-- It mentions the ocean but you don't need to know anything
about the ocean.
-- In the real world, the second captain would be told the
rendezvous time, latitude, and longitude, and would not
need to infer these from the other guy's velocity profile.
-- Unlike in the real world, no details are overspecified or
underspecified.
This is *not* a real-world problem. This is a completely fake
"textbook" problem with a load of window-dressing. It is the
proverbial pig wearing the proverbial lipstick.
In the third example:
-- The headline mentions energy but the problem has little
if any connection to energy per se. There is no attempt
to calculate the energy.
-- It mentions California but you don't need to know anything
about California.
-- It mentions a "recent" earthquake but you don't need to
know anything about that earthquake.
-- It mentions the telephone company but you don't need to
know anything about telephony.
This does not even remotely resemble a real-world question.