Learning Aloud

Today, Will Richardson offers a post examining blogs as textbook and what the learner must do for the blogs to fill that role. To be fair, it is really more complicated than a contrast between the information sources. It is probably more “read a book” vs. “integrate what one picks up by reviewing blogs”. The entry considers several issues – how many blogs can you handle, how to you pick the blogs, and how to process/save what you pick up.

I find myself caught in a dilemma I wonder if Will has considered. I write a book that among other topics advocates that students can learn by authoring multimedia content. So, I support the “learn by authoring” concept. I assume there must be some input to the thought process that generates the products students create. Blogs, personal experiences, etc. could certainly provide this input. Will and I are in agreement so far.

The phrase “blogs as book” is a little more of a challenge. I wonder if Will considers his unique position in making such statements? Does he feel a little strange suggesting that blogs can be the equivalent of or superior to a book? If this is true, how does he justify selling a book? Why not just encourage educators to explore blogs, wikis, podcasts, etc. (and attempt to store an account of what you have learned) instead of suggesting they purchase a book about blogs, wikis, and podcasts?

I have my own answer to this issue. I will leave it to you to evaluate whether or not the argument is self serving. I review both books and online resources. I think one gets a very different perspective especially with books vs. blogs. I believe this as a reader and I believe this as an author. Although important, the difference for me is not the review process, editors, and all of that quality control stuff. It is the difference in depth and integration. I think it is important to see if someone can tie the pieces together and I think there is much more of that in a book than in a blog. I understand that my own learning requires that I tie ideas together for myself, but I want to test this macrostructure against that created by someone else. A book is more and less at the same time – it is a one shot effort to show how many issues and topics fit together that as an author I am not allowed to patch up tomorrow.

I have a version of this discussion each semester when I begin my classes. It goes something like this.

“Yes, you must purchase and read the book.”

“Yes, if you read the book, you must still come to class.”

“Yes, the book and I sometimes talk about the same things.”

“Why would you want to just listen to what I and the other students in this class have to say? Think of what you pay for that experience. For just $75 more, you have the opportunity to read what an expert has to say and compare all of these sources.”

Never sure exactly how well this logic goes over, but it does make me feel better.