RE: Education (Was Re: Techwriting After the Boom)

[eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com]

John Posada wrote:

>>Instead of them learning Lingo, and hoping that they make the correlation
>>between Lingo and "every other programming language", why not directly teach
>>them the logic behind programming languages?

Please NO! Otherwise you get a rediculous class like one I took that explained
the principles behind CAD programs. Lots of interesting matrix transforms and
vector calculations, but uselesss if you wanted to USE a CAD program. Perhaps
useful if you wanted to design a CAD program, but hardly the realm of the
majority of engineering students.

Perhaps instead, teach a more universal language. Or, it should just be a main
point of the course to underline the common factors and logic using the specific
language as the hands-on demonstration of skills. For example, don't teach how
to do a loop in Fortran. Teach loop logic, how and when to use it, THEN how to
do a loop in Fortran. It's a question of emphasis.

Diane Evans wrote:
>>Mathematics is the science of making the "unseen" visible.  For example,
>>everyone knows that an object weighing many tons cannot float; yet
>>mathematics describes how it is possible for airplanes to fly.  Why does a
>>large building stand?  Why does an apple fall to the ground?  Why are my
>>eyes brown?  Calculus lets us explore and answer these questions.

Calculus let's you do nothing of the sort. Application of known calculus, fluid
dynamics, linear analysis, statics, and dynamics principles lets you explore and
answer these questions. Rote derivation of the base equations and principles of
any of these fields serves little other than to frustrate many otherwise
talented engineering students and create a barrier to entry into the proffesion.

My fluid dynamics courses for example were very hands on. With direct relation
of all equations and principles to real worlds phenomena. These were very useful
courses. Thermodynamics when taught as an applied course was also very useful.

Even though statics, dynamics, fluids, materials, etc all used equations derived
in calculus class, calculus class served me (and the majority of my fellow
students) no tangible or useful purpose. Six months of grueling and unforgiving
calculus class always boiled down to a simple half class review in the class in
which a formula applied. After one or two assignments, the application of the
formula would be clear. The derivation of the formula was pointless.

Linear analysis for example seemed to be a wonderful approach to calculate the
behaviour of mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems. But since we only
spent time on the derivations and LaPlace transforms to obtain the basic
formulae, I never got a feel for the subject nor the knowledge to apply it.

Eric L. Dunn



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