One of the issues facing technology advocates is the increased focus on “scientifically based research.” Who can be opposed to good science? A presentation by Lynn Schrum and Kelly Glassett (paper online) provides a nice summary of this issue for the educational technologist. The paper argues for more complex (mixed model) approaches to topics that fall within this domain.
I apologize for my recent reduction in post frequency. I had intended to finish up the conference with a series of comments. I found myself spending a couple of days in the San Francisco airport trying to escape from the west coast. What are the odds two planes from two airlines would have equipment problems? My wife, flying to Mexico to complete a trip she intended to take a year ago during her bout with cancer, also was delayed because of mechanical problems. I guess I am glad these problems are found on the ground rather than once aloft.
I tend to follow the work of certain people so I scan the conference schedule to see if these individuals are giving a presentation. I noticed that Helen Barrett was presenting and we follow her work on the use of electronic portfolios. Dr. Barrett is presently working on the REFLECT initiative. She is attempting to determine how electronic portfolios can be used in high schools. The REFLECT site contains resources for those interested in electronic portfolios. REFLECT is supported by TaskStream.
We are also finding some time to take advantage of what is unique to San Francisco.
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.
Google has added a new tool to its collection of online resources. Google Page Creator is a template-based web authoring tool. A web author interacts with the tool using a browser much in the way one would interact with a blog tool. Google hosts the site (you are allowed 100 mb of content at present). Obtaining permission to use the site is developing in a similar fashion to that used to gain access to Gmail – you submit your name and wait. I was allowed to use the tool after a wait of less than two weeks.
Google Page Creator is still under development and evaluation so it would be dangerous to predict exactly where Google intends to go with this tool. Unlike other Google tools that include ads, it is unclear to me how this service will be supported. Perhaps it is another tool intended to draw users into the overall Google web of services (some of which generate revenue through ads).
I think online web authoring tools have educational potential. Tools such as this offer some multimedia authoring benefits beyond blog tools and are easier to use than dedicated, desktop-based authoring software.
The way Google tends to do things, these tools will represent a significant challenge for competitors. I like the new iWeb tool that came as part of iLife06. However, I had to pay for iLife and I pay for my .mac account. The cost is not high, but if Page Creator will eventually be available to all comers, schools may find Creator an attractive opportunity.
WashingtonPost.com summarizes a recent analysis by Comscore indicating a new direction in Internet interests. The trend is moving toward social experiences – blogs, Myspace – and local information service. While general traffic increased by approx. 4%, interest in blogger.com grew by more than 500%.
This past week the New York Times (registration may be required) reported data indicating that African-Americans are using the Internet at an increasing rate and closing what has been described as the digitial divide. The article draws on data from a recent Pew Survey.
Guess what – I am a fan of Apple Computer. I suffer with some of the heavy handed administrative mentality that seems to typify many of the large tech companies, but I love the role of creative underdog. My big fear is this company will forget its roots and become like other companies that have grown quickly to dominate markets and then focused on domination rather than quality and creativity.
Anyway – this seems to be Apple’s 30th (yes, we were using the products from the beginning). This may sound strange, but the role of technology in culture/society is the one issue with which I feel a historical connection. Actually, 9/11 has changed this sense of experiencing the impact of history as it happens, but that is a much less pleasant and unproductive topic. The San Francisco Chronicle has a podcast series with many of the key players in Apple’s history. I remember driving to Fargo to meet Guy Kawasaki at an Apple User’s Group meeting. Listen to his podcast and you get a sense of the enthusiasm people with his way of thinking can generate.
Ironically, there is no interview with Steve. Perhaps they are saving him for the grand finale. 🙂
