I will remark, in some horror and exasperation with the modern educational system, that I do not recall any math-book of my youth ever once explaining that the reason why you are always allowed to add 1 to both sides of an equation is that it is a kind of step which always produces true equations from true equations.
Would the average 9-year old be able to understand such a math book? (For that matter, would the average teacher of 9-year-olds?)
As I understand the article, the game primarily teaches how the rules can be used to solve for something and secondarily it teaches the rules. It doesn’t seem to teach at all why the rules are the way they are. That’s actually, IMHO, the biggest issue with the game.
My prediction to the first one is yes, if they are also taught the right prerequisites. My prediction to the latter is strongly no. They have too much at stake to change their ways that much.
Would the average 9-year old be able to understand such a math book? (For that matter, would the average teacher of 9-year-olds?)
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/06/dragonbox/all/ Well, Dragon Box suggests that a five year old can get at least the basic idea, so I’d deeply hope a 9 year old could grasp it more explicitly.
As I understand the article, the game primarily teaches how the rules can be used to solve for something and secondarily it teaches the rules. It doesn’t seem to teach at all why the rules are the way they are. That’s actually, IMHO, the biggest issue with the game.
Yes and no, respectively.
It seems like a fairly simple notion. So my prediction is yes.
My prediction to the first one is yes, if they are also taught the right prerequisites. My prediction to the latter is strongly no. They have too much at stake to change their ways that much.