tom abeles (tabeles@tmn.com)
Wed, 09 Dec 1998 15:59:03 -0600
Date: Wed, 09 Dec 1998 15:59:03 -0600 From: tom abeles <tabeles@tmn.com> Subject: Re: [ifets] Trial and Error learning
George Free wrote:
>
> On Wed, 9 Dec 1998, Mary Harrsch wrote:
>
> >
> > I personnally think the value of "error" in the learning process is not
> > recognized for the vast potential it has in instruction today.
>
> I agree. You may be interested to know that Roger Schank makes error and
> failure central to his pedagogical approach. For example, at
>
> http://www.ils.nwu.edu/~e_for_e/nodes/NODE-46-pg.html
>
> he writes:
>
> "Because we cannot do what we want perfectly the first time we attempt
> something new, failure is critical in the learning process. .....
--------------------------------------------------
I personally think failure is over rated and while I don't deny that
failure can be a learning experience, it is peerhaps the right to fail
toa point that is important and not necessarily the failure itself
As my calculus teacher used to say, "there is only one way through Robin
Hood's barn and an infinite number of wrong ways."
In class, students have learned this. They want to know what is on the
test. Why should they waste time learning a bunch of stuff, just in
case, when the anwer is somewhere in the opposite direction. When
something goes wrong with the car and we know that it is the electrical
system why learn about the fuel system-
we currently live in a time critical society where just in time learning
may be as critical as just in time parts for manufacturing. Why do we
want to learn fabout areas which are not critical for our needs- just in
case for the future and because its good for you?
If someone does something and doesn't fail, I beleive it is erronious to
assume that they already know it or didn't push their limit. What they
were able to do is develop the skills not to do it but to confront
problems in a manner that a solution becomes evident- the problem
solving process.
When we want heart surgery, we don't want to know that this doctor is
not afraid to fail, rather we want to know that the doctor has a good
track record and over what types of surgery- now kids in school should
have permission to fail, to a point.
There is a real problem in education when the child gets partial credit
for trying- great 90%, 90%, 70% credit- if that person then says hey,
that's how the system works, what happens when they go to work for a
company which demands 99.99% reliability
In the Us schools we graduate from high school and even from college
students who can write- well the writing is at 70% level and think, well
at the 70% level......and industry spends billions of dollars- that's
with a B to re-engineer people who figured out that they could fail
their way througfh the system
There is a difference when one has a bright, articulatle person with
basic skills and a sense of qualilty and giving them permission to fail
and giving the same permission to someone whose sense of quality is
significantly lower
it has to do with commitment, expectations, responsibility and the
environment-
thoughts?
tom abeles
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