On Tue, 17 Oct 2000, Stephen R. Figgins wrote:
Michal Wallace wrote: ...
I think it would be really cool if a computer could be programmed with a tree like this to teach people using the socratic method.
I have been thinking about this, while playing around with a palm program called CyberTracker. It is used for data entry. This particular database interface was designed for illiterate bushmen trackers. Equiped with palms, the bushmen have been producing lots of data on Rhinos in South Africa and other animals as well. More data than we had collected on the animals in the last hundred years was gathered in the first few weeks of this program.
I found http://www.cybertracker.co.za/ and a neat article at http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/computing/1998/981106124.asp but couldn't find anywhere to download it.. do you have a link?
Switch to North America, a group of trackers here are using a modified version of the program, not only to collect data, but to hone their skills. As they enter data, they learn the taxonomic system of the master tracker that tailored the interface, they also train their minds to look for things in a particular sequence, and with great detail. One learning tracker claimed it was like have a master tracker right there looking over his shoulder, pointing out what he should look at next.
This starts to flow into the notion that learning is all about patterning the brain. Working with this entry program with its words and icons does just that, running the mind through learning sequences, like a martial artist practicing their kata.
I bet there's all kinds of applications for this idea, and having access to this kind of expert system/mentor system on a palm pilot could make it even more powerful. You could use a palm mentoring system for: - sales - interviewing potential employees - troubleshooting all kinds of things - first aid - conflict resolution - one-on-one tutoring - lots of other stuff :) .. basically, anything where you want normal people to be able to use a certain skillset out in the field.. plus all the other thing that you could use a system like this for on the desktop. Also.. and this is kind of out there.. But if you've ever read any of those Mega-Memory books, they talk about ways to remember just about anything.. You could have a little program that taught people to remember decision-tree structures in general, and then walk them through memorizing an individual tree, so people could carry around this codified knowledge without necessarily fully understanding why or how it works..
What is the socratic method, but a set of questions that focus the mind on the topic at hand? It is a kind of taxonomy for mental inquiry. This isn't entirely new, we have used decision trees and flow charts in all kinds of diagnostics....
Sure. If I recall, there's an old debate as to whether or not socrates knows the answers to the questions he asks.. If he does, there's definitely a decision tree process going on there. Even if he doesn't, you could draw one in. On the other hand, when I think of a decision tree, I think of all the possibile things that an actor could do, and the decisions that lead to those outcomes. With a planned socratic dialog, you've already got the final destination in mind. The only decisions are about how to get there.
I am not sure exactly where to go with this yet, but I am intrigued by the overlap here between data collection, decision trees, socratic (maietic) teaching and the patterning of the mind. I am happy to discuss it further with you, Michal.
maietic? I think I'll map out my hypothetical recusion/fibonacci lesson as a graph and post a link to the edu-sig for comments.. Cheers, - Michal ------------------------------------------------------------------------ www.manifestation.com www.sabren.com www.linkwatcher.com www.zike.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------