Doesn't answering mathematics questions instead of just giving help cripple the students trying to learn?

Question

A lot of the people asking questions in the mathematics section (as well as some others) are simply trying to get answers to their homework, hoping someone explains everything step by step and gives an exact answer so they can just copy it down. If we do that for people, aren't we just crippling their learning process? They won't learn the material, which is the main goal of their homework and their education. This can have negative effects on them, such as failing exams or even entire math classes because they don't understand the material - they never learned it. Think about it... aren't we just crippling them? Don't you think we should gladly provide assistance and try to teach them and help them learn instead of giving the answer flat out?

Answer 1

This is one of the many avenues that students can use to get out of working though their homework -- of course the simplest avenue has always been copying from a friend in the class. However students using these ways to get out of doing their homework are bound to get burned on exams. It is posible that some students may be asking about take home or even in class exam questions (ahh the magic of wireless), but this seems unlikely, and I would hope that teachers would not permit wireless access during exams and would not give takehome exams unless they feel strongly about the trustworthiness of their students.

That having been said, I think there are a lot of positives of this forum for a student who does want to learn how to do problems. Asking about and getting solutions to one or two problems on a homework set can help with the other problems and with learning the material for a student who is stuck. Additionally even just having answers can be helpful for students to check their work.

Beyond the student who asked the question, other students can benefit to seeing solutions to problems related to their homework. Additionally answering questions of others can be a fun way for students (present or past) to sharpen their math skills.

So while I do agree with the asker's point that in some cases Yahoo! Answers can be abused by students looking to avoid doing their homework (and thus avoiding learning what their homework is meant to teach), I think it can also benefit students in a number of ways. Furthermore, I would assert that on the whole this forum provides a net benefit to the users (askers and answerers).

Answer 2

Yes, I agree if you just give the answer to a math question.

What we have to do is show the steps used to get an answer and that is how someone learns something - by learning the steps.

But learning the steps works better if you show what the correct answer is too, so the person knows he has done the steps correctly. Thus giving the answer does not "cripple" the questioner. He will have to answer similar equations from other questions in the homework book and later, on in-class and take-home tests.

Thus learning can only be done by memorizing and understanding the steps through repetition of similar equations. And if the question comes from a take-home test, the questioner is only crippling themselves if they just look at the answer and not how it was arrived at. Make sure the questioner knows this when you answer.

Answer 3

I always do my best to include good explanations so that the asker can understand the material and do it on their own. Sometimes I leave part of the work undone so that they can do it for themselves and prove to themselves that they can do it and they understand it. Also I give lots of links which explain things better than anything one can write here in this limited text editor with limited time and energy.
You do have a point, tho. Simply giving them the answers doesn't really help and it oculd hurt in the long run.

Answer 4

I completely agree with you. I feel that answering a lot of questions here is going to kill the thinking of people and when students get an easy way about their homework, they'll be helpless in more practical situations.

Answer 5

convinced, I frequently provide a t/u to each and anyone that solutions my question. continually. i do not provide any t/d's. In a fashion, a nil score speaks louder than a t/d, and it must be a quite crappy answer to get a no score from me. Like someone saying Bud is sweet beer. i assume that you'll qualify for the tremendous No remark.

Answer 6

I agree with you. I've taught remedial algebra as a graduate student at a state university. I was surprized to the extent that they just wanted to get through it, primarily by copying homework. I've expressed the opinion that people shouldn't just post their homework and have received nasty-grams back.

Answer 7

ahmmmm...we can be crippling them!!!but we should just give examples which are connected in the answers they are looking for. But it is stilll up to them what they want to do!if they will just look for answers and never mind of how it happens, or never put it in their minds.. By the way we are just here to help them on their way.. they better realize now what will happen if they just keep on leaning on us to solve their mathematical problems

Answer 8

You are so right. I wish people would not just jump in to do that, but they do. I wish people would try to explain what is hard for them about a problem and get just a hint in the right direction and solve it themselves. I try to just give nudges in the right direction. Some of the questions are just fun to do though.

Answer 9

I agree, but it's their life, they have to take responsibility for their own action. It's not our job to decide if they really need help or they are simply trying to get us to do their homework.

Answer 10

I try to give enough detail to teach them how to do it. I at least like to think i am helping. Sometimes I'm probably just fooling myself though.