Re: Homework (Was Measure of student understanding)

[Rick Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

It has certainly been discussed here at length, mainly by others who grew up
in the 40s, 50s, and into the 60s.  I don't know if there have been any
studies on this.

Rick

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Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
219-284-4664
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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----- Original Message -----
From: "FOUAD AJAMI" <ajami@NETCOM.CA>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Monday, April 29, 2002 6:20 PM
Subject: Re: Homework (Was Measure of student understanding)


> Here is one more variable whose effect has not been sufficiently studied.
Or
> has it?
>
> When I was a student, in the mid fifties, I estimate that one third to one
> half of students going into science or engineering had some background in
> some aspect of science: building a stereo system, using a manual SLR
camera,
> and developing one's films, repairing cars, building boats, etc. (even
> Meccano sets would do the trick). Those who did not do these things soon
> decided to get into them to keep up (peer pressure).
> Today, the successors of these scientifically aware students are probably
> computer hackers. Outside this field, fewer students have the possibility
of
> having a serious scientific hobby.
> This lack of scientific sense does affect the classroom, in that
everything
> has to be explained.
> Personally, my introduction to Mechanics, Forces and Thermo was observing
> steam locomotives and a stationary steam generator in a nearby factory.
>
> Fouad Ajami
> Physics Department
> Champlain College
> St Lambert, Qc, Canada
> Tel: 450-672-7360-272
> Fax: 450-672-7299