[B-Greek] Tools and Learning

Barry nebarry at verizon.net
Sun Feb 3 08:19:55 EST 2008


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hugh Donohoe Jr." <justusjcmylord at yahoo.com>
To: "blist greek" <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 12:45 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] Plural Participle in Psalm 68:32


> Barry,
>
> I couldn't agree more. I noticed early on in undergrad
> that using BibleWorks was slowing down my learning. I
> remember my professors warning us not to use computer
> programs. They were right. I noticed when I used
> lexicons and really thought through the vocab and
> syntax my understanding grew much more rapidly. I
> loaned the program to a friend until I had read 600
> Oxford pages of text. I now employ it in the auxiliary
> role not as a crutch. I only mentioned Bibleworks
> previously in case that was the cause of the original
> question.

[rantmode]

I am glad we are so wholeheartedly in agreement: any tool works best when 
used from a matrix of true learning.  Sometime ago I remember having a 
discussion with someone who argued vehemently that even a reading knowledge 
of the languages was superfluous with all the technology at our disposal. 
It's just a more sophisticated version of people who think they have 
understood a text from the original when all they have done is checked a 
concordance and referenced an interlinear.  It's just not the same, and more 
often than not simply results in error.  It reminds me of the University of 
Pennsylvania professor (Dennis LeTurk) who argues that teaching fractions is 
no longer necessary in the age of calculators and computers.  He's right --  
if we wish to raise a generation of the "math challenged."  Remember when 
the Pentium was first released, and the more math savvy realized that it was 
making mistakes in calculations above a certain number?  It works in 
practically any field: if the person attempting to use the tools does so 
from the context of really having learned at least the basics, the tools may 
be used much more effectively.

[/rantmode]

N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Professor, WRTS
http://www.wittenbergreformed.org
Classics Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net

and me:

http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry
http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog 




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