It's certainly a fascinating approach to a very frustrating problem.
I've shown this paper to staff and students in the course I'm in at the moment. (Java and VB.Net for a start) The teachers, especially, are rivetted by the idea that some intrinsic capability might be identifiable, not only for screening or aptitude testing purposes, but for improved teaching technique, and to give the students who are really, really strugging a dignified 'out'.
I believe that the students I have opportunity to observe fit neatly into the categores that are described in that paper. There are some quite bright people in that class who just don't 'get' what seem to others to be pretty simple concepts. I've even tried explaining, and although it helps a bit, they seem to get tangled up again pretty rapidly. Their distress at falling ever further behind is disturbing to behold.
If there is an inherent capability/incapability thing involved, I have to question whether it's entirely fair to insist that in order to pass an IT course which can lead to work in non-programming fields, everyone has to pass programming. Perhaps an overview might suffice in some cases? Hrm.
no subject
I've shown this paper to staff and students in the course I'm in at the moment. (Java and VB.Net for a start) The teachers, especially, are rivetted by the idea that some intrinsic capability might be identifiable, not only for screening or aptitude testing purposes, but for improved teaching technique, and to give the students who are really, really strugging a dignified 'out'.
I believe that the students I have opportunity to observe fit neatly into the categores that are described in that paper. There are some quite bright people in that class who just don't 'get' what seem to others to be pretty simple concepts. I've even tried explaining, and although it helps a bit, they seem to get tangled up again pretty rapidly. Their distress at falling ever further behind is disturbing to behold.
If there is an inherent capability/incapability thing involved, I have to question whether it's entirely fair to insist that in order to pass an IT course which can lead to work in non-programming fields, everyone has to pass programming. Perhaps an overview might suffice in some cases? Hrm.