Re: Stone article

Dewey Dykstra, Jr. (dykstrad who-is-at varney.idbsu.edu)
Wed, 1 May 1996 08:17:52 -0700

Robin writes:
> I agree with your recommendation for caution, but would be interested
>in hearing more about how you would characterize differences in child
>and adult learning, if any.

While there are many similarities, it seems to me, at least in principle,
there is one point which my own direct experience confirms. Having gotten
both 6th graders and college students to essentially similar points of
reflection on the role of forces and what motions they cause, it appears to
be the case that college students are more likely to extrapolate from
experience _by reasoning_ to conclusions about what should be the
explanation of constant velocity in terms of forces. The 6th graders seem
to need to test possible hypotheses they have generated before drawing
conclusions.

The fact that not all college students seem to be able to as easily make
this rational extrapolation suggests that they, too, would benefit from
greater access to making their own experimental tests of their hypotheses.
But, then if _they_ had the experiences I'm talking about as 6th graders,
then would they be better at logically extrapolating from experience at
college age? Hmmm...

Too bad such experiences are not part of their experience in general.

Dewey

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Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)385-3105
Professor of Physics Dept: (208)385-3775
Department of Physics/SN318 Fax: (208)385-4330
Boise State University dykstrad who-is-at varney.idbsu.edu
1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper
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