[Maths-Education] Re: ICT in mathematics

[Alexandre Borovik]

On 06/03/2011 07:12, Tandi Clausen-May wrote:

> How 'successful' any teaching is judged to be depends on how that 'success'
> is measured.
>
> The way in which learning is usually measured in our formal education system
> is with a test.

I am new to this discussion and perhaps I have to make an attempt at 
making my question a bit more precise: I asked "What is  "success" of 
mathematics teaching?"

I would suggest to define "success" first, and only then discuss how it 
could be measured. Physicists do not answer the question  "what is 
electric current" by saying "it is measured by an ammeter".

My observations and experience (admit tedly, in university mathematics 
teaching) suggest that the ease of use of Computer Aided Assessment 
encourages "teaching to test". Wouldn't you agree that "teaching to 
test" is a cancer of mathematical education?

Alexandre.

-- 
Professor Alexandre Borovik * University of Manchester
Web:       http://www.maths.manchester.ac.uk/~avb/
Wordpress: http://micromath.wordpress.com/
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