Intro -- Maarten Sierhuis LO5141

Maarten Sierhuis (sierhuis@nynexst.com)
Fri, 26 Jan 1996 10:32:49 -0500

subject: Learning to Model

This paragraph is to introduce myself on this listserver: My name is
Maarten Sierhuis, as is obvious from the subject line, and I don't claim
to have any indepth knowledge about learning and learning organizations. I
have of course my own views on the matter, but they are not backed-up by
any relevant experience in this field. What am I curious about? Well, that
should be self evident from the questions I ask in this message. The thing
I can add is that I do have some indepth knowledge about modeling
paradigms, techniques, and languages in the field of computer science,
knowledge technology, and business modeling.

I am starting some research in which I am interested to investigate the
problems in having a group of workers use a modeling paradigm (such as
data flow modeling, object oriented modeling, or business process
modeling) to create models. The experience we have had is that it is very
difficult to 1) teach people the modeling paradigm (language +
techniques), and 2) after they have learned the language and techniques,
have them applied it appropriately.

Dave Birren wrote something that I feel has some relevance in this. Here
is what he wrote:

>From: BIRRED@dnr.state.wi.us (Dave Birren, MB-5, 608-267-2442)
>Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 09:35 CST
>Subject: Semantics and learning LO5112
>
>One of the greatest impediments to learning that I have observed - in
>schools and all kinds of organizations - is the use of jargon. That
>includes acronyms, abbreviations, technical terminology, foreign words
>with highly context-specific meanings, and creating new verbs out of
>nouns.
>
>The usual thought process, if slowed down to a microscopic crawl, might go
>like this:
> I have a vague sense of what this means.
> I'm too lazy to be more specific, or general, as the situation
> warrants, or even concern myself with it.
> The person I'm speaking with uses the same language.
> Therefore the other person will understand what I'm saying.
>
>Little, if any, thought is given to whether the other person has the
>background, education, experience, or intelligence to understand the
>jargon.

I have been trying to find relevant literature in which these problems are
addressed. Does anybody have any good pointers to relevant literature? It
would be great if it is in the field of problems with modeling systems,
but relevant literature from other scientific fields is also very much
appreciated.

Please, e-mail me directly, as well as posting it on the listserver (see
e-mail address at bottom).

Thanks in advance ...

Doei ... MXS

PS. To avoid getting bombarded w/ questions about what 'doei' means:
'Doei' is a Dutch slang word used mostly in the mid-west (Rotterdam)
part of the country. The word means 'Take care', 'See you latter', etc.
I always use it in ending my e-mails, and it is a habbit. It has
become somewhat my e-mail signature.

--
Maarten Sierhuis                       NYNEX Science & Technology, Inc.
Member of Technical Staff              Research & Development
                                       Work Systems Design group
E-mail: sierhuis@nynexst.com           400 Westchester Avenue
voice: (914) 644-2352                  White Plains, NY 10604
fax:   (914) 761-4496                  USA