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Subject: Re: [OM]
From: Chris Barker <imagopus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2001 18:29:31 +0000
Cc: Gregg Iverson <golftooter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Sorry Gregg, but I have to take issue with you over this ;-). If the kids were "not very good at fractions" how would they be able to set up the spreadsheets? And if they could set them up, how would they troubleshoot problems, or recognise a good result from a bad?

Yes, computers (and Excel, one of my favourite programmes) are wonderful, but if you don't know what your inputs mean, there is little chance that you will spot a duff output. One of the problems of using calculators in maths is that kids don't have to exercise their mental arithmetic brain cells... the same surely applies proportionately to the use of computers.

A parallel argument is my use of Photoshop (Elements): I still don't fully understand the use of levels and histograms, so my effectiveness using trial and error is, I am sure, limited compared to someone who does understand...

Chris

At 21:09 -0500 21/11/01, Gregg Iverson wrote:

snip

Programmers do the same kind of productivity boosting by creating the software that make a business run. I can't imagine teaching without computers as my students in math and science are involving in writing and editing, graphics, spreadsheets, or using the Internet. Just today I had students who are not very good at fractions comparing stocks over the course of a week and predicting what their price should be on Friday. They used Excel to chart and graph each stock, then used formulas to figure the daily gain or loss and analyse patterns (if any were apparent). They could never have accomplished this without the software.

Gregg


--
<|_:-)_|>

C M I Barker
Cambridgeshire, England.

+44 (0)7092 251126
mailto:imagopus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
... a nascent photo library.

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