Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Path: utzoo!decvax!bellcore!ulysses!ucbvax!ailist From: ailist@ucbvax.UUCP Newsgroups: mod.ai Subject: Re: Technology Review article Message-ID: <8602110348.2860@redwood.UUCP> Date: Tue, 11-Feb-86 06:48:30 EST Article-I.D.: redwood.8602110348.2860 Posted: Tue Feb 11 06:48:30 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 22-Feb-86 10:32:59 EST References: , Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 37 Approved: ailist@sri-ai.arpa From: ucdavis!lll-crg!amdcad!amd!hplabs!fortune!redwood!rpw3@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Rob Warnock) + | The [Technology Review] article was written by the Dreyfuss brothers, who ... | claim... that people do not learn to ride a bike by being told how to do it, | but by a trial and error method that isn't represented symbolically. + Hmmm... Something for these guys to look at is Seymour Papert's work in teaching such skills as bicycle riding, juggling, etc. by *verbal* and *written* means. That's not to say that some trial-and-error practice is not needed, but that there is a lot more that can be done analytically than is commonly assumed. Papert has spent a lot of time looking at how children learn certain physical skills, and has broken those skills down into basic actions, "subroutines", and so forth. After reading his book "Mindstorms", I picked up three apples and, following the directions in the book, taught myself to juggle (3 things, not 4-"n") with only a few minutes practice. Particularly useful were his warnings of which errors were associated with which levels of the subroutine hierarchy. (Oddly enough, most errors in the overall performance come not from the coordination of the three balls, but from not mastering the most basic skill, throwing- and-catching a single ball. The most serious mistake here is looking at the balls at any points in the trajectory *other* than at the very top.) So... there is at least SOME hint that the difference between "knowledge" and "skills" is not as vast as we normally assume, *if* the "skills" are analyzed properly with a view to learning. Rob Warnock Systems Architecture Consultant UUCP: {ihnp4,ucbvax!dual}!fortune!redwood!rpw3 DDD: (415)572-2607 USPS: 627 26th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94403