[Edu-sig] Algebra 2

[Matt K]

Anna, is what you describe programming (as in Python) or using graphing
software (as in Maple/Matlab)? I am not certain which you are referring to
by reading your email.

I think the difference is significant - the latter converts an equation to a
graph, the former might show students the generalisation of an algorithm.

The downside you describe won't be an issue these days (at least in my
school) - Python is so powerful that kids will start playing around with it
out of my control - plus they always see what the kids who are older than
them are doing.



On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 12:08 AM, Anna Ravenscroft <annaraven at gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> 2008/10/7 Matt K <matt.kameron at gmail.com>
>>
>>
>> (3) *A practical question* - can any *high/middle-school *teachers give
>> me clear pros/cons of using programming as a tool to teach algebra? I'm
>> rewriting the Year 8 maths program for next year (13-14 year olds) and am
>> considering trialling using Python. The students are the school are very
>> tech-savvy and I wouldn't aim to teach them anything more than formulas
>> really... formulas, basic IO and some ifs. Maybe (maybe) could do a basic
>> for i in range(20) loop, but nothing more than that.
>>
>
> Not a teacher now, but...
>
> My first experience programming was doing quadratic equations on
> punchcards. I loved it. It allowed me to learn much more about the equations
> than if I had to only do them by hand. (Note that I thought quadratic
> equations were pretty kewl and used to do them for fun while babysitting...)
> I still find myself turning to the computer to run an equation and see what
> it really does when the physical mechanics of doing it by hand isn't in the
> way...
>
> Unfortunately, I was left with the impression that you could *only* do
> equations unless you went on to become a wizard. So there is a downside,
> imho, to teaching programming only as part of the math classes. I wish I'd
> had some in other classes (literature, for example) to help me realize I
> could use programming more widely.
>
> (Hope this was coherent; still working on my first cuppa joe.)
>
> --
> cordially,
> Anna
> --
> Walking through the water. Trying to get across.
> Just like everybody else.
>
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