It is much harder to get students to break away from their templates ( or =
bag of rules) and to build connections and understanding about what they =
are learning. Anyone who begans to change their approach to instruction =
to one of building connections and understanding will go through a great =
deal of conflict with the "system" and the way rule learning is enculturate=
d in to the classroom. Helping students to deal with their conflicts about =
value of rule learning is a big part of the job. They will often fall back =
into the old pattern when frustrated. But in the long run if students are =
taught and expected to build connections and understanding when they work =
with any piece of technology students will remember more, will build new =
understandings faster, and will become autonomous in their learning of =
math . =20
Also please understand, I am not saying there is no place for rules in =
learning math. They are necessary. But if you are using technology or not =
rules must be build by the students themselves in a meaningful way and =
connected if they are to be useful in thier lives.
Dr. Marcia L. Tharp
Question: If someone can mindlessly perform a mathematical behavior, has =
that person truely the learned the math involved?
Dr. Marcia L.Tharp
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Thomas Moss Campus Tidewater Community College
Room 3222, 300 Granby St., Norfolk, VA
email tc.tharm@tc.cc.va.us
homepage http://www.tc.cc.va.us/faculty/tctharm/index.htm
757-822-1327
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