Professor Elam

Tuesday Sept 23 2014

Some of the WSJ articles will come up but others will not unless you subscribe. Here is an excellent article on How We Should Be Teaching Math.  the author is an engineering teacher. She observes that concerptual understanding, watching the prof work a problem, only gets you so far. As I say in class, the only way you  now the answer it to be able to work in out on a blank sheet of paper. 

Here is her conclusion

Understanding is key. But not superficial, light-bulb moment of understanding. In STEM, true and deep understanding comes with the mastery gained through practice.

This leads me to another observation. We will on line exam.s There is nothing to prevent you from having your textbook open and attempting to find the answers on the quiz during an exam taken in the comfort of your home or apartment. But that is not learning, that is not content mastery. And eventually if you desire to take a certified exam, that is what will be required, content mastery. 

A multiple choice test is fine as a test of accomplishment. A certification exam may require you to answer 100 questions in less than three hours. Each question may require two or three calculations. Individuals who can perform under such pressure pass the exam. 

That kind of exam however is near useless in terms of a learning experience. An incorrect answer on an exam simply tells me you got the answer wrong. It does not tell me WHY you got the answer wrong. The only way for me to learn that is by written answers so I can observe how you solve the problem. 

Do not kid yourself, taking exams with the textbook open proves nothing about your achieving content mastery.