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From: goodloe@xenon.UUCP (Tony Goodloe)
Newsgroups: sci.math,sci.physics,comp.edu
Subject: Re: How to beat the high cost of text books!
Message-ID: <130@xenon.UUCP>
Date: 7 Dec 88 19:45:20 GMT
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, AL
Lines: 23

In article <14193@cisunx.UUCP>, jjc@cisunx.UUCP (Jeffrey James Bryan Carpenter) writes:
> In article <1049@l.cc.purdue.edu> cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes:
> >memorized the various types of manipulations.  I suggest that the liberal
> >use of crib sheets be allowed in mathematics examinations.  A formula can
> >always be looked up in the real world; a definition can be looked up; a
> >theorem can be looked up; the understanding of what these mean cannot be
> 
> I fully agree with this.  I could never understand why there was so
> much emphasis on memorizing formulas when it is the concepts and ways
> of applying the formulas that counts.

It is much easier for the prof to make and grade a test that is "plug-n-chug"
rather than thought-provoking. Also, some profs end up teaching a class
that they really don't understand. We had a professor, sort of a utility
professor, that taught digital design, emag, electronics, and
communications, and couldn't answer a question about any of it ...
unless he had HIS cheat  sheet in front of him. If you knew the
formulas, you could get a 100%. Teachers like that really piss me off.
They are just wasting my time and money.

> Jeffrey J. B. Carpenter, University of Pittsburgh, Computer Center

Tony Goodloe, Intergraph Corp.