I used mechanical help when I was in elementary/ middle school. I was never good at math so my mom enrolled me to Kumon, which is a supplemental math program. Kumon used mechanical help and I can remember repeating over similar problems for an entire session. No one ever sat down for an extended period of time and explained how to work through the math problems. This mechanical help was actually not useful to me and I did not progress well. I was never able to fully understand how or why I was getting an answer. At that time I used to believe that I didn't have the "mathematical behavior/mind", nevertheless, I've come to realize that I was just never taught to understand the math and I was always being taught how to get the right answer.
Marlene, I have done Kumon for eight years, and then became an employee of the program for three years as a grader so it was interesting to see both sides of the system. What a coincidence! I actually have never thought of Kumon as a way of mechanical help; my teacher was very helpful and definitely never moved me to the next level unless I was positive I knew the material so I'm sorry your experience was challenging! I can totally understand however what that could've been like, since I remember that had happened maybe once when I was told to just move on if I didn't understand the problems, which was frustrating. I guess mechanical help doesn't have to involve just technology or a box where you put answers in...it can be like a method hidden behind a curriculum based program like Kumon and not just standardized testing. Great insight, thanks!
That sounds really frustrating Marlene. It's too bad that the instructors focused on the solutions rather than on the learning process. I know other people, including myself, who have struggled to understand mathematical concepts in classrooms where the teacher was mostly focused on getting correct answers. I think this is a harmful approach to teaching because it fails to create understanding.
After giving this question some thought throughout the day, I came to the conclusion that I can’t think of any real time that I used mechanical help. Using the example of math, I was in small classes with attentive teachers who would sit down and help each student understand the process that was being used to solve the problems at hand. I took to math pretty well and excelled throughout school. I do remember filling in worksheets with dotted line prompts, such as the IPI program, at some point but I do not remember if they were particularly helpful because of the instruction that I had already received with some of the concepts of mathematics. I do think that if we consider new technology since the time of Skinner, computers are the mechanical help of today’s students, and I’m that I will be using it somewhere in my studies.
Hey Armondo! I don't really have a comment other than I think it's really great that you seemed to have a positive learning experience while in primary school. However,I do have a question for you. Do you think that current day mechanical is beneficial to student's learning? Do you think that computer programs and ipads are substantial teaching tools?
I used mechanical help in a chemistry class last fall quarter. Although it was supposed to help students understand the process of solving chemical equations, it failed to give an in-depth explanation of the material. It taught me certain patterns, but I never really understood how they worked. I ended up spending more time trying to find the exact answers to the questions rather than focusing on the learning process. As a result, this program often felt like busy work, and most of our class felt the same way.
Hello Rachel! That class must have been more difficult than necessary. It seemed like you had to put so much focus on getting answers and you didn't get to concentrate on learning concepts or the process of how/why you got the answers you did.
I can completely relate to this Rachel! During freshman year, I had to write all my Chem class homework answers on a program called WebAssign (which is probably Alecs now) but was so frustrated because it was bad enough many of the students waited till the last minute to finish it, since it was technically timed! I remember a group of us every week stressing out due to the time limit, and how the system only focused on correct answers instead of teaching us why the solution was correct. I think now, the Alecs system explains to you what you did wrong and gives you another chance at it; this is a great improvement to the system and probably a a result of complaints from students not learning the material, failing the exams, but doing well on the homework.
Hi there Rachel. Your post brought up more specific thoughts about which schools of thought would benefit more from the use of mechanical help such as chemistry, biology, technology, etc. rather than mathematics, english, philosophy, etc. Trying to understand the processes in the later subjects, in my opinion, would require more human guidance and experience. I was also thinking that in my major, environmental science, the use of mechanical help (with todays technology) was necessary to learn GIS (a computer based program). Thanks for your post, it guided my thoughts about this subject in a different direction.
I remember in 4th grade we had to take this standardized math exam. I sat in front of a computer and the test was timed; it allowed me to write my answers in a small box at the bottom of the page. If I got the question correct, the questions would get harder to challenge me. If I got the question wrong, then the questions would get easier to balance out my level of proficiency and skill. When we were finished, the results were printed out immediately in another room. Unfortunately the teacher didn't really go over the material or try and focus on the common mistakes that the students made as a class; I always thought it was because she believed since it was a standardized test and we weren't really learning the material in class as part of the curriculum, then it wasn't necessary to teach it as in-depth as she could have. The test was necessary for assessment however, which didn't help me in the long run of learning whatever was on it.
Hi Dawn. I have to admit I never had this experience when coming through the school system. I admit that it has been a long time since I was in 4th grade, and back then there was not as much technology to be used, or shall I say was utilized, in our classes. I'm not sure if it would make a difference, but my parents chose to send me to private school where the classes were very small and the interaction between the students and the teachers was emphasized. I did spend one year in public school and did have a different experience where the teachers concentrated more on us being able to produce the right answers than understand the process on how we got them. Just my experience. Thanks for post, it was very insightful.
Hi Dawn, I can relate to this experience. I used a similar program several times in high school. I think it is helpful that such programs ask harder or easier questions to balance out your level of mastery. However, they fail to help you understand the process behind finding the right answer. I find that it is also more difficult to remember the material in the long run.
Hi Group this is Marlene.
ReplyDeleteI used mechanical help when I was in elementary/ middle school. I was never good at math so my mom enrolled me to Kumon, which is a supplemental math program. Kumon used mechanical help and I can remember repeating over similar problems for an entire session. No one ever sat down for an extended period of time and explained how to work through the math problems. This mechanical help was actually not useful to me and I did not progress well. I was never able to fully understand how or why I was getting an answer. At that time I used to believe that I didn't have the "mathematical behavior/mind", nevertheless, I've come to realize that I was just never taught to understand the math and I was always being taught how to get the right answer.
Marlene, I have done Kumon for eight years, and then became an employee of the program for three years as a grader so it was interesting to see both sides of the system. What a coincidence! I actually have never thought of Kumon as a way of mechanical help; my teacher was very helpful and definitely never moved me to the next level unless I was positive I knew the material so I'm sorry your experience was challenging! I can totally understand however what that could've been like, since I remember that had happened maybe once when I was told to just move on if I didn't understand the problems, which was frustrating. I guess mechanical help doesn't have to involve just technology or a box where you put answers in...it can be like a method hidden behind a curriculum based program like Kumon and not just standardized testing. Great insight, thanks!
DeleteThat sounds really frustrating Marlene. It's too bad that the instructors focused on the solutions rather than on the learning process. I know other people, including myself, who have struggled to understand mathematical concepts in classrooms where the teacher was mostly focused on getting correct answers. I think this is a harmful approach to teaching because it fails to create understanding.
DeleteAfter giving this question some thought throughout the day, I came to the conclusion that I can’t think of any real time that I used mechanical help. Using the example of math, I was in small classes with attentive teachers who would sit down and help each student understand the process that was being used to solve the problems at hand. I took to math pretty well and excelled throughout school. I do remember filling in worksheets with dotted line prompts, such as the IPI program, at some point but I do not remember if they were particularly helpful because of the instruction that I had already received with some of the concepts of mathematics. I do think that if we consider new technology since the time of Skinner, computers are the mechanical help of today’s students, and I’m that I will be using it somewhere in my studies.
ReplyDeleteHey Armondo! I don't really have a comment other than I think it's really great that you seemed to have a positive learning experience while in primary school. However,I do have a question for you. Do you think that current day mechanical is beneficial to student's learning? Do you think that computer programs and ipads are substantial teaching tools?
DeleteI used mechanical help in a chemistry class last fall quarter. Although it was supposed to help students understand the process of solving chemical equations, it failed to give an in-depth explanation of the material. It taught me certain patterns, but I never really understood how they worked. I ended up spending more time trying to find the exact answers to the questions rather than focusing on the learning process. As a result, this program often felt like busy work, and most of our class felt the same way.
ReplyDeleteHello Rachel! That class must have been more difficult than necessary. It seemed like you had to put so much focus on getting answers and you didn't get to concentrate on learning concepts or the process of how/why you got the answers you did.
DeleteI can completely relate to this Rachel! During freshman year, I had to write all my Chem class homework answers on a program called WebAssign (which is probably Alecs now) but was so frustrated because it was bad enough many of the students waited till the last minute to finish it, since it was technically timed! I remember a group of us every week stressing out due to the time limit, and how the system only focused on correct answers instead of teaching us why the solution was correct.
DeleteI think now, the Alecs system explains to you what you did wrong and gives you another chance at it; this is a great improvement to the system and probably a a result of complaints from students not learning the material, failing the exams, but doing well on the homework.
Hi there Rachel. Your post brought up more specific thoughts about which schools of thought would benefit more from the use of mechanical help such as chemistry, biology, technology, etc. rather than mathematics, english, philosophy, etc. Trying to understand the processes in the later subjects, in my opinion, would require more human guidance and experience. I was also thinking that in my major, environmental science, the use of mechanical help (with todays technology) was necessary to learn GIS (a computer based program). Thanks for your post, it guided my thoughts about this subject in a different direction.
DeleteI remember in 4th grade we had to take this standardized math exam. I sat in front of a computer and the test was timed; it allowed me to write my answers in a small box at the bottom of the page. If I got the question correct, the questions would get harder to challenge me. If I got the question wrong, then the questions would get easier to balance out my level of proficiency and skill. When we were finished, the results were printed out immediately in another room. Unfortunately the teacher didn't really go over the material or try and focus on the common mistakes that the students made as a class; I always thought it was because she believed since it was a standardized test and we weren't really learning the material in class as part of the curriculum, then it wasn't necessary to teach it as in-depth as she could have. The test was necessary for assessment however, which didn't help me in the long run of learning whatever was on it.
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn. I have to admit I never had this experience when coming through the school system. I admit that it has been a long time since I was in 4th grade, and back then there was not as much technology to be used, or shall I say was utilized, in our classes. I'm not sure if it would make a difference, but my parents chose to send me to private school where the classes were very small and the interaction between the students and the teachers was emphasized. I did spend one year in public school and did have a different experience where the teachers concentrated more on us being able to produce the right answers than understand the process on how we got them. Just my experience. Thanks for post, it was very insightful.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn, I can relate to this experience. I used a similar program several times in high school. I think it is helpful that such programs ask harder or easier questions to balance out your level of mastery. However, they fail to help you understand the process behind finding the right answer. I find that it is also more difficult to remember the material in the long run.
ReplyDelete