Study Time
“Who makes these clocks?!†Note: I feel like I’ve seen a similar idea executed before, so if anyone has the reference, I’d be glad to hear it.
Author: jeremy
Heuristics Lead to Rigour
As you learn more ideas in mathematics, it’s easy to start feeling like certain ideas are “below†you. This often comes in the form of saying that ideas are “trivialâ€, as if they shouldn’t take up any of your time. This can be exacerbated further in mathematics by the idea of rigour. Once we learn that not all proofs are equal, it can be tempting to say, “Okay, I get this proof, but that’s not…
Study Time
“Who makes these clocks?!†Note: I feel like I’ve seen a similar idea executed before, so if anyone has the reference, I’d be glad to hear it.
Knowledge From Repetition
When I’m sitting in class and listening to the professor, I get frustrated when they go over a concept once and then continue on as if everything is clear. I think to myself, “Do they really expect us to understand a concept from just one example?†And yet, I realize that I do the same thing when I’m working with a student. This is a bit disconcerting, and it reminds me that teaching is a…
Smudge
I wonder how much the astronomy community pays for having these really nice artistic renditions of astronomy when they want to promot the actual photographs.
Idea Quality
Don’t be afraid to be wrong in class or meetings. It’s not a mark of your intelligence, despite what it feels like.
I Could Be Wrong
As a physics student, I’m taught over and over again that science is about checking to see where we have made incorrect assumptions. The goal of science is to correct our assumptions about the world, and find better descriptions for what is going on. Of course, this is a distilled version of the goal of science (and I imagine some would disagree), but my point is that science aims to perform a consistency check on…
Delegation
Autopilot
Probably the top reason why I hate tests. The environment is so artificial and unlike what research is like. At this point, I just shake my head in sadness.
Where Does It Belong In The Web?
If you look at a typical mathematics class, you will find that they follow a similar rhythm. First, students are presented with a definition. A few examples of how that definition applies might be given, and then the rest of the class is spent proving results based on this definition. It’s a familiar recipe, and it works well for transmitting information. If you asked students to give a presentation on the topic, I would predict…
