Seymour Papert
Well, let me be clear. I’m not saying that turtle is the only way to do it. Yeah. Turtle is a way to achieve certain goals that I liked and found rich. And there are many must, many other ways of getting the same results. So when I talk about what we get from turtles, TURTLE stands for something more general.
But having said that, your question is, what’s the difference between learning with a turtle and learning to solve equations with X and Y written on a piece of paper? And I would emphasize at least two differences. One is that we can use the turtle to make something complex that’s interesting for the child.
Is the child using logo? And turtles and micro worlds can be making something very interesting. And especially interesting to that child. For one child, it might be a art for another child, it might be it make a game or explaining something. It’s part of a purposeful activity, and that’s a huge difference.
The second difference you might say is more cognitive. Theoretical, psychological, and that is, it has to do with the fact you can identify with the turtle. You can play turtle and move with the turtle. And I think that I, doing mathematics, put myself inside the mathematical system.
And I think all mathematicians have written about the psychology of their thinking. One way or another. Anthropomorphize that is mathematics for them is not something just outside there on the piece of paper. It’s something that has more of a relationship. To themselves.
Einstein said he thinks by feeling his movement and kinesthetically. And unless he can feel kid that probably kinesthetically, he can’t really think about it. Yeah. So with that kind of purpose. I look for ways in which we can make what I call a transitional object that is something that stands between the purely formal marks that you put on paper and the purely and the personal. Yeah. And I, so I think the turtle is a step stepping stone for making it easier for a child to get inside the mathematics.