Re: ANOTHER ASPECT (was "why")

[Joseph Bellina <jbellina@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

I find your concern worrisome in the following way.  I think we learn by
making mistakes and then adjusting our thinking.  To insist that
students have a procedure artifically memorized so they can be
"successful" in a lab situation prevents them from actively engaging the
activities in the laboratory experience.
Of course, we are not talking about life-threatening situations, or very
expensive equipment.  In these cases, I suggest that what is done to help
a person learn drive a car might be a good metaphor...though I haven't
really thought about it enough.  That too is a mix of guidance and
experience, rather then rote learning before starting.

joe

hOn Tue, 9 Oct 2001,
Ludwik Kowalski wrote:

> I corrected the typo in the subject line. It is the same message.
>
> I would like to share an observation triggered by the following
> episode. During a workshop devoted to a computer tool I was
> trying to write down the procedural steps one after another. I
> always do this because I can not trust my memory. The
> instructor criticized me for this. He said something like this:
>
> > You are translating experience which is essentially visual
> > and kinesthetic into a textual representation. This prevents
> > you from internalizing this experience and from learning
> > more effectively.
>
> Significant differences between learning how to use hardware
> and how to use software were clear to me for a long time but
> this was a good articulation worth thinking about. In learning
> how to use hardware I developed an attitude of not doing
> anything without knowing the consequences or without
> following well written step by step instructions. Thus taking
> notes, memorizing steps and trying to understand was an
> essential preparation for doing laboratory things.
>
> In learning software the emphasis seems to be on "try it and
> learn from what happens. There will be no costly consequences
> or danger from clicking on wrong buttons or choosing wring
> options." I hope this kind of attitude will not be transferred to
> our science labs. How can this be prevented?
> Ludwik Kowalski
>
>
>
> Ludwik Kowalski wrote:
>
> > I would like to share an observation triggered by the following
> > episode. During a workshop devoted to a computer tool I was
> > trying to write down the procedural steps one after another. I
> > always do this because I can not trust my memory. The
> > instructor criticized me for this. He said something like this:
> >
> > > You are translating experience which is essentially visual
> > > and kinesthetic into a textual representation. This prevents
> > > you from internalizing this experience and from learning
> > > more effectively.
> >
> > Significant differences between learning how to use hardware
> > and how to use software were clear to me for a long time but
> > this was a good articulation worth thinking about. In learning
> > how to use hardware I developed an attitude of not doing
> > anything without knowing the consequences or without
> > following well written step by step instructions. Thus taking
> > notes, memorizing steps and trying to understand was an
> > essential preparation for doing laboratory things.
> >
> > In learning software the emphasis seems to be on "try it and
> > learn from what happens. There will be no costly consequences
> > or danger from clicking on wrong buttons or choosing wring
> > options." I hope this kind of attitude will not be transferred to
> > our science labs. How can this be prevented?
> > Ludwik Kowalski

Joseph J. Bellina, Jr.               219-284-4662
Associate Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556