In message <4db5c3a7.1040...@lindisun.demon.co.uk>
Tony Moss <t...@lindisun.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I'm entirely in agreement with Jack Aubert about analemmatic dials for
> teaching purposes (having made or contributed to four of them myself).
> They are great fun and children love them but I'm not sure that they
> understand very much at all about how or why they work. So where is the
> potential for learning in that?
>
> Tony Moss
Thanks again, Tony, for responding to my comments - and I look forward to
seeing the 'modifications' you mentioned, if it gets through the filter,
(which is why I had to reduce the size of your "Multi-dial" photograph).
You may need to ask for some 'specialist' advice - but please check the
website link I had given before, for the actual curriculum requirements.
I would probably suggest making any 'Teaching Sundial' able to cope with
every possible location - including Longitude, plus Southern Hemisphere.
Although I shouldn't really say this, (but check with any other teachers
that you know) - unfortunately these days it is more about "ticking the
curriculum boxes", to say that we have covered the subject in question.
Whether the children have actually 'learned' anything (or even properly
understood the concept), is largely irrelevant - just so long as we can
demonstrate (to "OFSTED" inspectors) that the curriculum is implemented.
No doubt it is this underlying bureaucracy which has led to a reduction
in educational standards, over the years - as the children do not really
get the time (or opportunity) to learn anything "from first principles".
We are therefore turning-out a generation of people who might know WHAT,
but not WHY, things work - even though the level of 'what' they know is
debatable, and they may not actually be able to "think for themselves".
It is no wonder that employers (or even Universities) are amazed at how
a lot of young people leaving school do not seem to have basic skills.
Sincerely,
Martina Addiscott.
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