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Re: Pedagogy



I'd like to second Fernanda. Yes, the male/female thing is part of it, and
women get put down all too often when they try to ask questions. It's like
we're just not worth the effort. But who wouldn't be feeling "put down" when
they're struggling, and somebody else says "it's easy?" Easy and hard, like
beauty, are entirely in the eyes of the beholder. IMHO, the hardest problems
in physics are those for which the professor says, "Just write down the
answer." This is a condescending, useless, annoying, and unhelpful response.
On what basis is the student to formulate an answer? What reasoning process
is used to get to the answer? Just because the math is easy, it doesn't
follow that the concept is clear. It takes a lot of experience and often a
previous acquaintence with the problem to be able to "just write down the
answer" without thinking about it. Remember, learning to tie shoes is hard
too, but an initial inability to tie shoes doesn't mean that you won't get
it eventually. Solving "easy" physics problems, like tying shoes, is a much
more complex process than most people realize.

Vickie

-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu]On Behalf
Of Fernanda Foertter [Advanced Physics Forums]
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 11:14 AM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: Pedagogy


I really dislike it when profs say that...I feel put down. But I must
admit, it maybe more male x female difference. I've noticed more females
complain about this than male friends. What I use instead with my own
students is "you know this, don't panic. Remember when..." and then I try
using another related example to see if they can't make their own jump. I
keep trying alternate examples until they see the pattern and that this
problem is just another version of it. I've gotten some good feeback about
my little change of words.

Something that cannot be said for Jackson problems... he he.

Fernie