On Thursday 27 Aug 2009 9:31:32 pm Hilaire Fernandes wrote:
I am not sure car vs bug was an issue.
Hilare,
The "car" is not meant to be used in isolation but is part of a sequence of learning activities starting with experiencing Magnitude and Angles through bodily movements and then trying to develop on these ideas through an intermediate object. The 'car' object is natural for children in developed world. Children in cultures who see a car (if at all) only at a distance may not relate to it as a personal transitional object.
See the the initial part of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTd3N5Oj2jk ----/begin Papert [1:37] : The essential point about the turtle is its role as a transitional object. That is, transitional between the body, self and the abstract mathematical ideas. The turtle, you can identify with it. You can move your body in order to guess how you can command the turtle. So it is related to you, your body, your movement and it is also related to mathematical ideas." ------- Teacher [4:13]: The great thing is it provides a mathematical environment for the children. While the children are working around the turtle, if you listen to what they are talking about, it's all mathematical. Verbalization in Mathematics is very important and I think that half of the problems with Mathematical teaching is that students don't communicate mathematically, talk about mathematics and experience mathematical problems... ---/end
Subbu