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This problem starts in the high school where the math teacher requires a
graphing calculator but invariably fails to instruct them how to
interpret the graphs they get. Students never have to actually draw a
graph until they get to my physics class where they have to draw the
resulting data on graph paper for some newtonian mechanics lab, such as
displacement v time or velocity v time and they can't figure out which
variable goes on the x axis and which goes on the y axis. They
eventually can place the *dots* on the graph, but then can't figure out
how to draw the curve. (They want to connect all the dots even though
actual data often doesn't follow a pure curved pattern. Then I bring out
"Mimi and Fifi", my French curves, and teach them how to show a smooth
best fit curve. They have never seen a French Curve set before and
probably never will, because when they go to the math class again they
are right back to the calculators. They also cannot interpret or
interpolate
from the given curve and often can't place the proper interval of data
on the axes. (In the beginning they all want to put the actual data
numbers which gives a nice straight line) In the end, they think I am a
throwback and that they will probably never have to do what I have
instructed about graphing. So, they get to you and have become addicted
to the easy way out... using the caucluator and the heck with what it all
means!.
Marty
ps: BTW, I tell them that in high school physics I the only calculator
they really need is a $12 TI-30. Most of them can't use 99% of the
functions on the TI-85's anyway!
On Mar 22, 2010, at 1:19 PM, Dr. Richard Tarara wrote:
Are other people seeing problems with this--students ability to sketchThe
graphs of algebraic expressions? This year is the worst I've seen.
context is primarily in doing Gauss' Law for spheres and cylinders andeven
wanting a field versus distance graph. I'm getting a lot of nonesense
after we've done numerous examples (and pure gibberish the first timethis
is asked). [We're talking about Chemistry and Engineering studentswith
pretty solid calculus backgrounds.] I'm wondering if this might notbe
partly due to graphing calculators--they've graphed many functions butnever
internalized what shapes go with what functions. Again--is this ananalog
isolated observance or are others seeing this too?
Rick
***************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN
rtarara@saintmarys.edu
******************************
Free Physics Software
New multi-input energy simulator--plays similar to the Montana State
computer.
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/software.html
*******************************
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l