Maybe I am just old and set in my ways, but the arguments rejecting traditional education practices (listening/watching presentations and reading books) puzzle me. I enjoy both ways of becoming acquainted with new things. Partly, I am confused with the approach some take to making the point these are inferior methods.
First, there is the guy who recommends abandoning the use of textbooks. He made his case by writing a book – Ditch the Textbook. If you wanted to explain your thinking on the superiority of ways to convey new ideas that are superior to a book, wouldn’t you make this case in a way other than by writing a book.
I listen to a lot of podcasts when we spend long periods of time in the car or when I exercise. I found a similar anomaly with this method of presentation – educators who drone on about the problems with lectures. While some of these sessions are entertaining, they are seldom very efficient in offering information explaining the limitations of the instructor-dominated presentation and the topic only makes sense if the presentation is intended to demonstrate the limitations of one or two people talking at you.
I think those who reject the lecture or the textbook have a strange understanding of how learning happens. Both lectures and textbooks tend to offer organized and efficient exposure to ideas. I read and listen to some things for entertainment, but I also read and listen to some things because I expect to be exposed to ideas from experts. I don’t expect exposure to be the end of the learning process and I don’t know a lecturer or textbook author who assumes listening or reading was the end of the learning process. I am looking for an efficient way to start the process of learning. I find myself irritated by presenters who decide I should be involved in social interactions or reflection experiences as a component of their presentation. I would rather the presenter allow me the opportunity to take ideas and process these ideas as I want. Peer discussion sometimes is helpful, but I want to start the process exposed to someone with something to offer and then to make my own decision whether discussion with other novices would be helpful.
Maybe the difference here is a matter of motivation. I read and watch/listen to things I am motivated to learn. Perhaps I would prefer less efficient and externally controlled approaches if I would be put in situations in which I was asked to learn things that I must know, but don’t find interesting. I don’t think so.