Dennis Nelson (NELSOND@ny-smtp.army.mil)
Wed, 12 May 1999 12:18:57 -0400
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 12:18:57 -0400 From: Dennis Nelson <NELSOND@ny-smtp.army.mil> Subject: Re: [ifets] New formal discussion announcement -Reply
List address to send message to everyone: ifets-discuss@LISTSERV.READADP.COM
Details of current discussion: http://ifets.gmd.de/discuss.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom A wrote, in part:
>>>is the body of knowledge . . . fixed, like the fundamental laws of
mathematics<<<
Yes: our labels, our perceptions, our opinions may changes, the body of
knowledge already exists and we truly discover (or already know)
pieces of it. Until what we think we know lines up with the actual
knowledge, our labels, perceptions and opinions change, not the original
body of knowledge.
>>>what does this mean for instructional design within the moderator's
context?<<<
This is critical for instructional design. The body of knowledge probably
is quite limited. Probably, the application also is quite limited. With our
short term, material focus, we may think otherwise. The words to
attempt to describe or convey meaning about that body to others
(assuming first that our knowledge is correct) is what is so pervasive or
overwhelming. Thus instructional design should be concerned first with
ensuring what is to be imparted truly is knowledge, and then using
pictures or other less wordy methods of helping the design-interpreter
uncover his/her own ways of applying the knowledge.
>>>Secondly, is the Socratic method valid in today's electronic
environment. If there is a body of knowledge, can "students" afford the
luxury of being "lead" <<<
How about Buber's "I & Thou" method. First, someone may attempt
to lead us. Even so, ultimately, ours is the responsibility for what we
do. In line with that point and Tom A.'s comments, pure "I & Thou" means
we interact with pure motive, attempting to learn what is to be learned
from each other rather than to assume we have something to impart to
the other. Thus we each keep responsibility for ourselves and help limit
screens, static, motivations and other hindrances to pure communication
and the results of that communication. Why should we assume we
should be in control, actually can control, or would best control the
outcome of an interaction? If we purely participate in interactions
seeking to be the best we can be to then permit others with us to be the
best they can be, the best results from our not attempting to control --
and be wrong.
>>>Third, an IT consultant once said that a few years ago he spent 40%
of his time learning and 60% working and today the learn side is 80%. Is
there some radical change that we need to make in how learning is
taking place before we reach 99%?<<<
I've often examined the daily "awake" activities of Americans in various
roles and positions in society. I concluded that about 99% of our efforts
stem from fixing what was done wrong or redoing what was done
wrong, or even new work that didn't exist but is now necessary
because something first was done wrong: sort of an extreme act and
then plan scenario. Also, looking at babies and animals, is not their work
sleeping, drinking, eating, procreating and elimination? Looking at
efficient, effective adults, does not their work lead to ever greater
productivity with ever diminishing effort? Given those concepts as a
basis, would not the elimination of corrective "work" through more real
"learning" eventually lead to a ration of 99% learning to 1% work, or even
a more dramatic ratio?
If the work someone is doing intentionally or otherwise is harmful,
wouldn't we want them to spend less time doing that work?
>>>I look forward to "listening" and learning here<<<
Me too.
Dennis R. Nelson
---------------------------------------------------------
Forum website: http://ifets.gmd.de/
Forum's contact person: kinshuk@ieee.org
Info on Join/Leave List: http://ifets.gmd.de/maillist.html
---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------
Forum website: http://ifets.gmd.de/
Forum's contact person: kinshuk@ieee.org
Info on Join/Leave List: http://ifets.gmd.de/maillist.html
---------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Wed 12 May 1999 - 19:47:10 MET DST