Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:4630] Underscore Stephen Downes' Comments from Digest 535
From: MILLER,GARY R (HP-Corvallis,ex1) (gary_r_miller@hp.com)
Date: Sat 22 Mar 2003 - 21:31:48 MET
From: "MILLER,GARY R (HP-Corvallis,ex1)" <gary_r_miller@hp.com> Subject: [IFETS-DISCUSSION:4630] Underscore Stephen Downes' Comments from Digest 535 Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2003 08:31:48 +1200
Stephen Downes states:
[- Not all learning is like learning to be a mechanic
- Not all people studying auto mechanics want to set up a garage
In a formal program of study, as is assumed in this counterexample,
a formal curriculum is required. But not everyone wants a formal
program of study. Sometimes people just want to know enough to tinker.]
In addition, not everyone needs all the information at the same time. I
would hope anyone doing mechanic work would have some structured curriculum
to understand basic theory and mechanical principles. After that, I don't
care if they can perform transmission work if I have my car in for a brake
job. IMHO, what is most needed is a well organized index of the information
available, with the base line information structured in a way that brings
the novice to a given level of expertise, and the more specific information
organized in a way that people can find what they need when they need it.
I have found this approach most effective in my own learning curve in using
software applications. I took a basic and intermediate level MS Excel
course to understand how to do basic operations and understand what Excel
could do. After that, when I needed to do something I didn't know how to
do, I went to the help index, and if that didn't work, I called someone who
knows Excel better than I. To often we spend effort teaching material to
people who have no immediate application, and when they do need it, they
don't remember it anyway. I'm a big fan of "Just-in-Time" education and
technology can help us achieve that.
-Gary
---------------------------------------------------------
List address to send message to everyone:
ifets-discussion@catfish.valdosta.edu
Details of current discussion: http://ifets.ieee.org/discussions/discuss.html
Forum website: http://ifets.ieee.org/
Forum's contact person: kinshuk@massey.ac.nz
Info on Join/Leave List: http://ifets.ieee.org/maillist.html
---------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a24 : Sat 22 Mar 2003 - 21:37:19 MET