Author: Compynerd255
Posted: 09 Nov 2012 01:52:03 pm (GMT -5)
Okay, so I'll admit that saying that it can't be taught at all is completely wrong - some people can definitely earn it, and others might have the ability but need to have it unlocked. I will, however, mention two things that support this:
► This same professor was also the chief reader for the AP Computer Science exam, and because he also set the record of failing the most kids that year, he was given spreadsheets of the raw scores on diskette. When he ran correlations between multiple-choice questions and other MC and free response questions, he found that while most of the questions weren't correlated (not even questions of the same topic) five multiple choice questions were strongly correlated to at least a dozen other questions, even questions that had absolutely nothing in common as far as subject matter was concerned. And this is the question with the greatest correlation coefficient (note: this is in Pascal):
Code:
► Also, I can speak from experience here. I possess this algorithmic thinking, but my little brother does not. I have worked with him on multiple projects in Game Maker, working with simple algorithims as well as object inheritance to simplify code. However, when he comes up with stuff on his own, he does not innovate or research how to get tools to work together, but assembles his very limited knowledge like a set of kludgy tools (e.g. instead of using Change Sprite and indexed sprites, he uses four different objects for each direction his character can fact, which is very bad). It is clear that he thinks of Game Maker like he thinks of Photoshop - just another set of tools for doing something.
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Posted: 09 Nov 2012 01:52:03 pm (GMT -5)
| elfprince13 wrote: |
| Compynerd, what you just said is completely wrong, but still manages to stab at the heart of what is wrong with secondary math education. Which is to say, it isn't designed to be a math education, it is designed to be a primer for engineering calculus (a problem dating back to the space race and the Cold War). Computer science is fundamentally mathematics. |
| KermMaritan wrote: |
| I very much disagree that people can't be taught "algorithmic thinking," to simulate programs (either written or imagined) in their heads. I think you need a reasonable amount of intelligence and some spatial and mathematical reasoning skills, but I believe it's something that can be taught. |
Okay, so I'll admit that saying that it can't be taught at all is completely wrong - some people can definitely earn it, and others might have the ability but need to have it unlocked. I will, however, mention two things that support this:
► This same professor was also the chief reader for the AP Computer Science exam, and because he also set the record of failing the most kids that year, he was given spreadsheets of the raw scores on diskette. When he ran correlations between multiple-choice questions and other MC and free response questions, he found that while most of the questions weren't correlated (not even questions of the same topic) five multiple choice questions were strongly correlated to at least a dozen other questions, even questions that had absolutely nothing in common as far as subject matter was concerned. And this is the question with the greatest correlation coefficient (note: this is in Pascal):
Code:
23. Given that b is a boolean variable, what does this statement do?
b := (b = false);
A. It generates a compile-time error.
B. It generates a run-time error.
C. It sets b to false no matter what b was originally.
D. It always changes the value of b.
E. It changes the value of b if and only if b was true beforehand.► Also, I can speak from experience here. I possess this algorithmic thinking, but my little brother does not. I have worked with him on multiple projects in Game Maker, working with simple algorithims as well as object inheritance to simplify code. However, when he comes up with stuff on his own, he does not innovate or research how to get tools to work together, but assembles his very limited knowledge like a set of kludgy tools (e.g. instead of using Change Sprite and indexed sprites, he uses four different objects for each direction his character can fact, which is very bad). It is clear that he thinks of Game Maker like he thinks of Photoshop - just another set of tools for doing something.
_________________
Visit Betafreak Games: http://www.betafreak.com
Help Me Pay for College:
- Sign up for Fastweb through my referal link!
