Would You Help a High School Student?

How do you restrain the students from searching for CR4 and logging on themselves. Once they know of the site, the chickens will be out of the coop anyway. For a short period of time, funneling all questions through the teacher/moderator could work, but if I were one of the students and had the drive to seek answers I would bypass the control ("Yes, I can" attitude) and take flight on my own. Isn't this the whole idea anyway? That along with teaching the concept of the scientific method.

You can't restrain them, as I pointed out in earlier posts. Anyone trying to cheat in DAG's class would be fairly obvious. As for other students elsewhere, I've given some opinion on that lower down. How DAG teaches scientific methodology is up to him, as is the extent to which he can get his students to follow any ground rules. Bypassing DAG's class question would be like trying to steal books from the library. If a student has a totally separate question that's reasonable to ask, and frames it in the right way, they'd probably get a helpful response (as happens). The flip-side is that they'd also get slaughtered for asking stupid questions (as happens). DAG isn't intending to give his students a list of questions for them to answer, he wants to engage in on particular project/topic at a time (my interpretation).

That's the right idea...I'm hoping that as my students study different things and work on particular projects they will be in a situation to engage in discussion with "experts" on the subject matter (just like we do).

You have the right idea Kris! Good Answer!

Glad it hit the spot .

Hopefully Chris Leonard will provide some sort of policy decision when all opinions seem to have been aired. Your idea has great potential benefit for all, so several Kudu to you for the way in which you've posted it

I feel like I am repeating myself so this is the last time I will bring this up.

Any system set in place can be bypassed by students. Sure teachers can encourage them to use the systems, but nothing will stop them from going home and creating their own account.

I think maybe a teachers group, a students group, and individual class groups would be easiest to add to the site, as the infrastructure is already there. Anything else would be overly complicating a simple problem.

I don't know about everyone else but when I read a post before I read it (and sometimes after) I check out who is posting what groups they belong to and their posts/good answers. If I see the student or teacher group I will answer the question (if I can) differently.

Even before I consider posting on any question I would ask myself is this question something a professional would ask? Is it too simple? If so I would point the person to the subjects they should look into.

In the off case that a professional is asking a simple question they either forgot or is perhaps outside of their field then the same will apply. They should look it up too.

Perhaps an entire forum (or blog… I don't know why the name changed…) for the students to attempt and keep the questions off the other forums. It won't be possible to keep it all off the other forums though.

As I said before this will require a lot of effort (and patience) from the members, teachers need to inform and encourage the students to follow the set out guide lines and respect the site. Most importantly it requires the student's voluntary commitment to make this work.

I still think it is well worth the effort. Just not something that can be policed or enforced.

I agree coceptually.

so many times to our liking a silly question comes up (it may be silly for us but need not be for the person who has posted).

To give an example, today only, i have forgotten which post, , a question came up, and it not only have to be re-worded but some works hade to be changed for the google to properly point.

If the question is from an engineer/ technocrat, this wrong wording is not acceptable, But say for a highschool student, the wording could be natural.

Once it is raised in the main forums, we usually assume the OP has some knowledge about the subject, and then the question irritates us (at least a few of us including me).

But if it is in the Highschool blog then we will treat the answering differently (and i do enjoy teaching greenhorns but not those who are supposed to know but are lazy and wants their homework done here)

So if Dag and his student (through authorised, user name) post, we answer, guests in that forum - we leave it to our discretion (and mood at the moment)

And once we know the thread is for highschool there may not be much sarcasm (levity may be sometimes but I doubt it - hey we are old enough to be somewhere between their father and grandfather - tears for our old age)

I've been teaching a kids class every month anyway......so......hey, good idea.........I'm in!

Post from Sleepy

I am in. I have given first year students MSc classes in company time, a few hours a week. I was able to find willing volunteers to help, and with a University backing, great fun; all of the guys went on to become excellent engineers.

Sleepy

Done right it is a great idea DAG.

Young minds are full of energy. If you can motivate them by all means motivate them in a positive direction. But in the infinite wisdom of my Mom it is up to the adults to apply the brakes when needed.

Personally the most helpful skills I would have liked to learned first was critical thinking, root cause problem solving, and systematic approach to learning.

My time behind the wire taught me that frustration leads to anger. Deal with the frustration before it becomes anger.

If you have an issue you need some possible insight about don't hesitate to ask me.

Brad

"My time behind the wire" Does this mean what I think it means? its a bit cryptic. I am thinking a wartime prison camp for that type of expression.. If so... dang. that sucks.

Yes wrongfully and illegally convicted, still fighting it. Don't have a angry feeling about it. But before I dealt with my frustration I would have needed to be left in.

Wartime yes, I believe in the US constitution that I was taught in school. Not in effect unless you know how to invoke your rights. Still figuring this out but the government is allowed to lie per the US Supreme court rulings. The US Peace time flag has vertical stripes not horizontal (war flag) but it was so little used it has been forgotten.

Maybe when I get this cleared up (been winning so now the court has refused to rule on my case) I'll see if CR4 will let me open a politics- office and more blog then when some one rants on politics you can tell them to take your political rant there. Many engineering issues have political causes and or political ramifications that could be dealt with if understood.

Brad

Dear DAG dt:01/03/2009

I was under the impression ,that your students are ready with the gun of quiries.It is understood that you are consolidating opinions of contributers to this education plan.I am a technology teacher in a polytechnic institute.what is observed of students is, they are taught lessons in a mechanical fashion,mug up and reproduce in tests/exams get scores for academic records.Real educatioin, as you rightly suggest should help them to face,analyse,tackle and come up with true scientific solutions.Your initiatives show your commitment as an effective coach.Little importance is given in application/practical skills development,mainly for want of time,resouce persons/skilled trainers.Let the new generations be put in the culture of standing on their own legs instead of munching ready made stuffs.Sharing experience with others is the ideal way of grooming innovative skills and understanding applicabilities of education.Best wishes.My boys too are driven hard to beg /seek tips from experts in their project work endeavours, which fetches me best results.On the process of learning ,get and consult more gurus and feel by oneself.

S..Udhayamarthandan

A very good strategy for you to consider would be to teach the students how to search the website for related subject matter BEFORE posting a question- something you could control easily with the strategy you have outlined. One of the biggest aggravations for me is wading through all the repeat questions that have been answered in previous threads...

Does CR4 notifies the user (or show a link) to the database when a Entering a new question(topic)?

That could also be helpfull

No, but you could check first, like this ;

No wonder nobody uses it, the font is too smal

_{I'd hate to spoil their fun by giving tips}

Back to the original question.

So has anything been decided by the people who run these forums? Or are you still thinking about the best way to do this?

To all posters,

I am the professor for the course that DAG is taking that requires this type of project. I simply want to thank all of you for spending your time to add ideas and question some concerns. It is people like you who can be part of the village that is needed to educate students today.

Thanks,

Mary Ann Coe, D.Ed

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