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346 points obscurette | 4 comments | | HN request time: 0.742s | source
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Fin_Code ◴[] No.42116404[source]
What is missing in edtech is a concept of progress and partial correctness and guess work. The primary input in edtech is multiple choice. This is selected so a person does not need to evaluate the answer making it cheaper. But leads to kids guessing. Starting a blank line to write a response is what really kicks the brain in. There is no easy way out.

We could replicate the same blank page and grayscale human response to questions. But then we have not made a cheap factory that reduces costs. Its the typical fast, good, cheap conundrum. Everyone keeps picking cheap and getting mad when it does not work.

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scott_w ◴[] No.42116554[source]
> But leads to kids guessing.

Or, almost as bad, kids learning to approximate the answer. I aced too many multiple-choice physics exams in my GCSEs because the multiple choice was A) 1,000,000 B) 1,000 C) 100 D) 10. Without knowing the formula I was able to eyeball which numbers looked obviously wrong and just select the closest.

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1. whatshisface ◴[] No.42116575[source]
That's closer to real life physics than knowing formulas is!
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2. Ekaros ◴[] No.42116812[source]
You probably want to get units correct too. Say Newtons vs Kelvins vs Amperes... Still able to estimate right size is in general skill that should be taught.
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3. scott_w ◴[] No.42119978[source]
I don’t even think they taught that much, I’m pretty sure I learnt about Newtons in mechanics (A-level maths course), Kelvin from reading Wikipedia and Amps I think I knew because my dad worked in motor repairs. My knowledge is old now, pre-2008 before the Gove reforms.
4. scott_w ◴[] No.42119989[source]
Perhaps but it’s set me up for awful work habits over the past 15 years!