Chapter 5 and all of the confusion that it entailed

This chapter explored the idea of Mindtools and how models can enhance student learning. Presenting knowledge through any of the model types would require a deep understanding of the concept a student is attempting to display. Mindtools are relatively difficult to create because they require attention to detail, which is something that many students are not willing to offer a concept. Some concepts were familiar, such as the idea of a database. Databases have been around, on paper at least, since I was a child so it was interesting to read about it as a Mindtool. At the end of the day, however, it is just that: an organizational system that copies the natural grouping tendencies displayed by the human brain. Humans like things systematic, organized, and accessible. This is why it was relevant that this chapter discussed humans doing the jobs that we have as of late assigned to computers: defining how things should be organized. Things like databases only work if humans set the parameters that they are comfortable with; for example a database that access information based on client's last names will work for one human but would be a poor organizational tool for another. Humans should use computer's and their capabilities, but they should still be in control so that computers are meeting their needs and not the other way around.

Chapter 5 left me with a few questions, but most of them were not directly related to the concept of Mindtools. Rather, I was left wondering if learning about "systems" was something I missed along the way, because even the system that was made by middle school students as a sample system organizer (of the cardiovascular system) left me feeling as though I had missed something in school. What were the bars below the images? All of the little icons confused me in the systems section of the organizers.

Otherwise, the four types of models described made sense. They all seemed like effective ways for students to demonstrate mastery of knowledge, concepts and the like. My particular favorite was the idea that a student could create a master series. The student has to create the questions that model how the human mind thinks through a problem to solve it. The example in the book related to moles, a chemistry concept that I never fully understood in high school. Had I been forced to create the steps to correctly identify and solve a molar problem I'm sure that I would have had a lasting understanding of when and how to use the procedure.