Students’ calcs in the 70s/80s

[john gustaf stebbins]

(01-02-2024 10:29 PM)Peter Klein Wrote:  

(01-02-2024 08:19 PM)Johnh Wrote:  When you take a problem apart and understand it to a point where you can code it into some computational device, you really get to understand it.

Some people have never understood that beyond the most basic level, the key to learning is conceptual thinking. Calculators and computers allow that much better than rote memorization and endless drilling. (And yes, I realize that just typing in an equation from a book does not mean you understand it. And that some people will only acquire the most basic math skills, and only with a lot of drilling. One size does not fit all).

In high school I had similar experiences. Those of us that had access to calculators and computers had to write our own programs to solve the problems, which would give more insight into the math and science than just doing the work the hard way.

In college I had mixed results. One TA graded me down on a lab report because the instructions were to plot your data and eyeball a trend line. I calculated the best fit line, but it didn't look right to the TA's eyeball.

Another TA in a mathematical modeling class saw what I did to plot out the homework graphs with a program and asked to keep my papers to show others. Probably my biggest academic mistake was not asking to come along when he was showing them off--could have led to a whole different career path.