06-13-2007, 08:52 PM
F#, Indian math education, and good programming
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->It reminded me very much of a conversation that I had a few months ago. The person I was speaking with was a programmer visiting the U.S. from India. This gentleman and I had gotten to know each other fairly well, and he has been programming for quite some time, probably around as long as I have. He and I got onto the topic of education. It is a well-known fact that India, China, and a number of other countries are beating the U.S. in math scores. So I asked him how they teach math in India. He was almost baffled by the question, as if there was more than one way to learn math and this was the first time someone had let him know. âFrom a book, with examples on the blackboard, how else?â I queried him about the use of calculators and computers, two tools quite common in U.S. math education. He explained to me that calculators are forbidden in their version of high school and that, in colleges, the calculators allowed are basic models (think add, subtract, multiply, divide, exponents, square root, log 10, and natural log), and their usage even then is frowned upon to the point where using a calculator will be the cause of ridicule and humiliation. This sure sounded like a far cry from the educational environment in the U.S., where 7th grade students are now being required to own TI-85âs, a calculator thatâs probably more powerful than the guidance system on a cruise missile.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->This is why the conversation with my Indian friend has me so worried. It seems to me that the schools in India, China, and many other countries are laying extremely high quality general education foundations for their students. I look at the âmathâ that my brother and sister learned (I am much older than they are), and I do not want to subject my child to the same kind of disastrous âeducationâ (I am officially not a parent yet, but he is on his way in a few more days or weeks!). I love to see the best brought out in people. A mathematical foundation built upon computers and advanced calculators simply does not provide the basis to build a good programmer on.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Added: If you read the thread, you will gather how people are perceiving India as a country and its recent growth and rise. Interesting, as fear, hatred, appreciation all need to be factored while considering the future.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->It reminded me very much of a conversation that I had a few months ago. The person I was speaking with was a programmer visiting the U.S. from India. This gentleman and I had gotten to know each other fairly well, and he has been programming for quite some time, probably around as long as I have. He and I got onto the topic of education. It is a well-known fact that India, China, and a number of other countries are beating the U.S. in math scores. So I asked him how they teach math in India. He was almost baffled by the question, as if there was more than one way to learn math and this was the first time someone had let him know. âFrom a book, with examples on the blackboard, how else?â I queried him about the use of calculators and computers, two tools quite common in U.S. math education. He explained to me that calculators are forbidden in their version of high school and that, in colleges, the calculators allowed are basic models (think add, subtract, multiply, divide, exponents, square root, log 10, and natural log), and their usage even then is frowned upon to the point where using a calculator will be the cause of ridicule and humiliation. This sure sounded like a far cry from the educational environment in the U.S., where 7th grade students are now being required to own TI-85âs, a calculator thatâs probably more powerful than the guidance system on a cruise missile.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->This is why the conversation with my Indian friend has me so worried. It seems to me that the schools in India, China, and many other countries are laying extremely high quality general education foundations for their students. I look at the âmathâ that my brother and sister learned (I am much older than they are), and I do not want to subject my child to the same kind of disastrous âeducationâ (I am officially not a parent yet, but he is on his way in a few more days or weeks!). I love to see the best brought out in people. A mathematical foundation built upon computers and advanced calculators simply does not provide the basis to build a good programmer on.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Added: If you read the thread, you will gather how people are perceiving India as a country and its recent growth and rise. Interesting, as fear, hatred, appreciation all need to be factored while considering the future.