We just received copies of the fifth edition of our book.
Perhaps you are surprised that I am an author. My wife and I have had a college textbook published by Houghton-Mifflin for many years. I try not to promote our commercial efforts here because such a focus would annoy me if I encountered it elsewhere. However, I obviously believe both in the benefits of books and blogs. I also think about the difference between what I consider commercial and open source contributions. Perhaps comments on these contrasts may be of some value.
I see unique value in college textbooks representing the perspective and priorities of an author (or authors). I could be convinced that this position may not have equal validity in all disciplines. Educational practice and the preparation of teachers for educational practice is influenced by so many factors that perspective and priorities must be understood. I would argue that this would not be an area in which one could draw on the unique expertise of many individuals with identifiable areas of expertise to arrive at “truth”. What I hope we offer is a well formulated position with identifiable priorities. Each individual must create such an understanding and set of priorities, but consideration of well formed positions structured by knowledgeable others (authors, teachers) provides a place to start. What might be implications of this position? It might mean I would consider an open source wiki textbook if I taught a course on the basics of php programming, but not teaching methods.
Some blog authors I follow appear to like the term “microcontent”. My interpretation is that they see blogs as a social environment within which individuals interact, learn from each other, and create knowledge around specific ideas. The brief interactions that tend to have a narrow focus and are richly cross-linked would seem consistent with this interpretation. Perhaps my argument is that there is also a place for “macrocontent”. If as individuals all we do is collect specifics and fail to organize these ideas within larger structures, we continue to ignore the distinction between information and knowledge. While you cannot and should not accept my knowledge as your own, I may have accomplished something if I can get you to say – “I understand your reasoning, but I disagree” or “I see that what you recommend may work there, but it would not work here.”
For me, in contrast to many others, the books came long before the blog. My rationale for blogging is somewhat self serving and is captured in the title of this blog. My approach to blogging is often a social exercise not requiring person to person communication – I react to someone who did not ask for my opinion without really expecting a reply. I write blog entries because blogging forces me to explore things and ideas. The entries are typically an external representation of what I learned or what I thought. There is value to me in having this collection of information. I feel no need to make things hang together – my opinions change from day to day. Sometimes I simply write for fun. Think about one idea for a few minutes today. Think about another idea for a few minutes tomorrow. For me, these elements are connecting or challenging a personal knowledge structure. For you, these ideas are probably just so much more microcontent.
Way too much deep thinking for tonight. Tomorrow, I fly to San Francisco for the American Educational Research Association. Cindy and I missed the conference and our friends last year because Cindy was in chemo. It will be great to connect again.
