http://irascibleprofessor.com/comments-09-20-09.htm
Sincerely,
Dr. Mark H. Shapiro
Editor and Publisher
The Irascible Professor
http://irascibleprofessor.com
>http://irascibleprofessor.com/comments-09-20-09.htm
This is assuming that the present "outcomes" are the ones
to be aimed for. Few of those who come out with those
outcomes are able to think about a precise problem, be it
climate, medicine, economics, or anything else. The only
type of thinking encouraged is political, with no regard
for the limitations due to nature.
We can do more mathematics in elementary school than the
present college graduates have, but not by concentrating
on skills. We CAN teach the concepts to children, and they
will then know what numbers mean and how they work, which
those now graduating high school, and many from college,
do not have more than an intuitive idea, and this even goes
for mathematics majors. This can then be used to make them
scientifically literate, which our current leaders are not.
--
This address is for information only. I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hru...@stat.purdue.edu Phone: (765)494-6054 FAX: (765)494-0558