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Re: [Phys-L] proportional reasoning, scaling laws, et cetera



-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@mail.phys-l.org [mailto:phys-l-bounces@mail.phys-
l.org] On Behalf Of Robert Cohen
[snip]
Unfortunately, I'm not so sure it is making the point as well as I had hoped.
For one thing, I always find some students, when faced with the choice, who
prefer to memorize each individual route (or so they say). Apparently there
is a sizable population who do not like maps. For example, an article
appeared recently in our local paper where an intern was asked to find his
way to a particular destination using GPS, google maps, mapquest, asking
directions, and using a map. He then timed how long it took him using the
various techniques. When he used the map, he never got there. That didn't
seem to bother him in the least.

At least 5 times I've asked students, after a conversation about a nice place to eat in Memphis or Nashville, how to get there, they reply, "Oh, I don't know. I just enter the address in the GPS and follow that." Then I ask them what the address is. "Oh, I don't know. I'll <search engine> it if I need it." Even knowledge has become disposable to this generation. And they want a solution immediately or they give up. That's why they don't like maps.

I guess it doesn't hit them that SOMEBODY has to build that technology. Scientists (even science teachers) have become a priesthood to be consulted when convenient or entertaining, yet we are expected to also be psychologists, social workers, and ethicists. Why aren't the social workers, etc., expected to be scientists?