Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Learning Style Preferences

INTP:
+ Big picture
+ Structure
+ Logic
+ Concepts
+ Model
+ Understanding
+ Simplicity in Complexity
+ Continual Practise
+ Detachment/Objective view
+ Intuitive
+ Perceptive
+ Different points of view/situations
+ Thought processes/Heuristics
+ Clarity of thought
+ Observe
+ Competence
+ Independant thought
+ Knowledge, Meaning
+ Innovative (doing more with what is available by reconfiguring things)
+ Freeform solutions
+ Abstract ideas applied to real life situations/problems.
+ Controlled freedom
+ Library
+ Able to see patterns, relationships between seemingly unconnected data

ENFP:
+ Global Learner (Top-Down approach)
  Learn through many different paths: observing, reading, listening, interacting, debugging, discover, research and explore. Brainstorming with others to develop new ideas.
+ Communication Skills, Seminars, Teaching, Mentoring
+ ideas person
+ Creativity and Insight into situations, problem solving and people.
===========================================================
Learning Style:
INTP:
INTPs learn best by reading, reflecting and conceptualizing.
To them, learning is an ongoing process throughout life, and a way of understanding the universe. They enjoy playing with ideas, experimenting with possibilities and thinking around their subject, and are often absorbed in thought.
They learn particularly well on their own or in small groups and prefer unstructured teaching in which they are free to explore ideas and experiment for themselves. They ask many questions and tend not to accept a teacher’s or a system’s authority at face value. Memorization of facts, sequential exercises and hands-on training are less useful to them than discussion, reflection, analysis and brainstorming. They prefer an intellectually stimulating atmosphere in which open debate or enquiry is encouraged, though they may need encouragement to communicate and explain their ideas in terms that other people can understand. They enjoy amassing knowledge and demonstrating their expertise or competence in their own field, but may need to learn to utilize their knowledge in practical ways.

As learners, INTPs:
·        ask searching questions
·        enjoy systems, theories, concepts and abstract patterns
·        are good at analyzing, conceptualising and theorizing
·        dislike structure, targets and routine
·        are stimulated by ideas and quick to grasp possibilities
·        may need to think about how they can use what they have learnt
·        may need to integrate their ideas into a whole, rather than go from subject to subject
·        are motivated to improve themselves and their understanding
·        may not be thorough and overlook facts and details

INTPs learn best when:
·        encountering new problems or opportunities from which to learn
·        encouraged to read, research and reflect on a subject
·        listening and observing, e.g. watching how other people do things, listening to a lecture or presentation, taking notes
·        allowed to give free reign to their creativity and inspiration
·        allowed to absorb ideas at their own pace and to digest them thoroughly before acting on them or making decisions
·        encouraged to excel and praised for a good job
·        given the opportunity to explore or question assumptions, presuppositions or methodologies
·        being presented with logical, coherent arguments

INTPs learn least well and may be demotivated when:
·        having to take centre stage or being put 'under the spotlight'
·        asked to repeat essentially the same activity over and over again
·        there is more focus on facts and figures than intellectual exploration
·        being taught by 'rote' (i.e. repetition), or when given specific instructions or rigid guidelines
·        involved in situations which require spur-of-the-moment action and decision-making
·        presented with too many distractions or alternatives

Sunday, November 07, 2010

Howto use Moodle for Creating a Learning Environment

[About]
What is Moodle?
About Moodle (details)
Moodle Demonstration Site
Moodle features course

[Howtos]
Writing Lessons using Moodle's Lesson-Module
Lesson-Module FAQ
Writing Books using Moodle's Book-Module

Books:
Using Moodle (online flash version)
Using Moodle (pdf version),
Using Moodle web-page,


Moodle E-Learning Course Development 
Moodle 1.9 Teaching Techniques
Moodle Teacher Handbook
Moodle 1.9 Multimedia
Using Lessons in Moodle: An Illustrated Guide 
Effective Use of Quizzes in Moodle

Howto Keep Your Brain Flexible, Strong and Active

Brain-Games to help keep it in shape by an expert in learning science click here

TODO:


Kawashima Brain Training Game
Eye-Q Speed Reading Trainer


[ProblemSolving]
Wikipedia on "How to Solve It by George Polya" (Pdf on
How To Solve It
, Scanned book"How to Solve It " from Scribd)
How to Solve It: Modern Heuristics
How to Develop a Mindset for Math | BetterExplained,
Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning (Volume I) by George Polya,
Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning: Volume II Patterns and Inference by George Polya,
Mathematical Discovery: On Understanding, Learning and Teaching,
The Language of Mathematics: Making the Invisible Visible by Keith Devlin



[Puzzles]
Puzzles for Programmers and Pros
Solve One Puzzle A Day


[Visual-Spatial]
Xultris (Tetris) for FireFox
Sudoku for FireFox
Sokoban for Windows
Rubiks Cube


[Auditory]
ming-a-ling for FireFox: "Passively" learn words and phrases of a foreign language while you browse the web.
TODO - Podcasts

[Kineaesthetic]
The Mathematical Mechanic: Using Physical Reasoning To Solve Problems
Mathematics and the Physical World,
Mathematics for the Nonmathematician,
Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach (Second Edition)

Teach Yourself Mathematics in an Intuitive, Interesting and Fun Way

The "Head First Series" on Mathematics is a great resource on learning mathematics from the basics.

They're brought out editions on Statistics, Algebra and there's even a Manga Guide to Calculus (though this needs to be imported from US)!!!

The Teaching Company (TTC) have some good videos on learning mathematics (and other subjects too).

Problem Solving approaches to attack a problem from multiple angles

How to Solve It by George Polya
Wikipedia on "How to Solve It by George Polya",
Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning (Volume I) by George Polya,
Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning: Volume II Patterns and Inference by George Polya,

How to Solve It: Modern Heuristics by Michaelwicz and Fogel,

Teaching and Learning

Mathematical Discovery: On Understanding, Learning and Teaching by George Polya,
Teaching Math with Moodle 1.9 (open source free software and book)

Interview of Polya on Mathematical Abilities : http://tme.coe.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/v21n1_Editorial_KilpatrickPolya.pdf

"Mathematician's Mind - The Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field" by Jacques Hadamard : http://www.inp.nsk.su/~silagadz/Hadamard_Essay.pdf (later this essay was reissued as the book)

Learning and Understanding Math Intuitively

The Mathematical Mechanic: Using Physical Reasoning To Solve Problems
Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach (Second Edition) by Morris Kline
Mathematics and the Physical World by Morris Kline,
Mathematics for the Non-mathematician,
The Language of Mathematics: Making the Invisible Visible by Keith Devlin
chycho (with Video Series on Mathematics freely available as a torrent)
How to Lie with Statistics



Head First Series:

  1. Head First 2D Geometry,
  2. Head First Algebra,
  3. Head First Statistics,
  4. Manga Guide to Calculus,
  5. Mathematica Cookbook,
  6. Statistics Hacks, Statistics in a Nutshell

Links

How to Develop a Mindset for Math | BetterExplained,
Excellent article on Math Notation (Semiotics),
(Cut-The-Knot.org) Interactive Mathematics Miscellany and Puzzles, Index,
According to the Rules (Rete AI algorithm in easy english)

Math Better Explained : Downloadable ebook with slides ($$)
Blog on Setting up Moodle for Mathematics
Teach College Math Resources (presentations etc) 


========

George Polya’s 10 commandments for teachers:

1. Be interested in your subject. Convince the kids that mathematics is amusing.
 
2. Know your subject.

3. Know about the ways of learning: The best way to learn anything is to discover it by yourself.

4. Try to read the faces of your students, try to see their expectations and difficulties, put yourself in their place.

5. Give them not only information, but “know-how”, attitudes of mind, the habit of methodical work.

6. Let them learn guessing.

7. Let them learn proving.

8. Look out for such features of the problem at hand as may be useful in solving the problems to come – try to disclose the general pattern that lies behind the present concrete situation.

9. Do not give away your whole secret at once—let the students guess before you tell it—let them find out by themselves as much as feasible.

10. Suggest it, do not force it down your throats.


==============

Fun Maths:

Arvind Gupta Math Toys and Books,
"e": The Story of a Number,
An Imaginary Tale: The Story of "i"


The Teaching Company (Videos/Audios) on Learning Different Subjects:

[Mathematics]
  • TTC - Joy of Mathematics
  • TTC - High School Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Chemistry
  • TTC - Calculus Made Clear
  • TTC - Understanding Calculus - Problems, Solutions and Tips
  • TTC - Physics in Your Life
  • TTC - Meaning From Data - Statistics Made Clear
  • TTC -  An Introduction to Number Theory
  • TTC - What Are The Chances - Probability Made Clear
  • TTC - Understanding Complexity
  • TTC - Great Scientific Ideas That Changed the World
  • TTC - Zero to Infinity - A History of NumbersTTC - Albert Einstein
[Thinking & Communication]
  • TTC - How to become a Superstar Student 
  • TTC - The Art and Craft of Mathematical Problem Solving
  • TTC - The Art of Critical Decision Making
  • TTC - Tools of Thinking - Understanding the World Through Experience and Reason 
  • TTC - Joy of Thinking
  • TTC - Argumentation - The Study of Effective Reasoning
  • TTC - Building Great Sentences
  • TTC - Psychology of Human Behaviour 
 [Other]
  • TTC - Understanding Genetics
  • TTC - Understanding the Brain
  • TTC -  Eckhart Tolle - In the Presence of a Great Mystery
  • TTC - Nutrition Made Clear
  • TTC - Biology And Human Behaviour
  • TTC - Understanding the Fundamentals of Music
  • TTC -  Art of Teaching (Audio)
  • TTC - Questions of Value