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Re: Not ready for it. (shorter)




5) Transactional learning paradigm (for the next century)

No need for "sages on stages" or for "stars in seminars".
Computer-mediated education will lead to an explosion of self-
crafted, ad hoc, and customized learning modules, where the
great historical divide between instructor and student will start
disappearing. Why should an instructor be both the authority
within a particular discipline and the organizer of all academic
content? Self-tutoring according to needs will dominate. The
true freedom of the mind will be possible after the dissolution
of structures.

Traditional book-based curriculum is passive by
its nature, while the new stages of digital scholarship are wide
open.


I strongly disagree with the above comment, for the obvious reasons; and for
the simple reason that "reading" is *not* necessarily passive activity;
particularly if done "right". That is reading a text should always be done
in an active manner, if one knows how to read. This is a skill most of my
students do not have.

I strongly disagree that the 5th paradigm should be promoted.
Active learning (problems, labs, discussions) are already essential
components of an ideal physics course. We should continue improving
its effectiveness in real courses within the existing paradigm. Those
who know should lead novices along well designed and tested paths.

Huzza Huzza!!!

Any comments from those who are active in the physics education
community? Do we need research to demonstrate that teaching
science without an organized structure, imposed and supervised
by experts, is impossible? Do have physics education data comparing
the effectiveness of the Internet versus the face-to-face teaching?

I have some anecdotal data; which deals with long distance "interactive"
teaching. It is limited, but our results haven't been promising when I
compare the same courses I've taught through traditional means and through
interactive TV means between three simultaneous sites. I won't say more
here as I don't have the time right now. But I don't believe that
interactive technology education, via internet or interactive long distance
classrooms can ever be better than standard modes; if for no other reason
than anything that is good about them can also be done in the standard
on-site classroom situtations. So I imagine that the best they can be is
equivalent.

We may need that kind of ammunition very soon.

Its probably too late; other stronger forces are at work here.

Joel