Subject: [IFETS-Discuss] Betz on Naysayers and Clark; Morrison's exception
gralston@in.net
Date: Thu 22 Jun 2000 - 01:37:59 MEST
From: gralston@in.net Subject: [IFETS-Discuss] Betz on Naysayers and Clark; Morrison's exception Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 16:37:59 -0700
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I am impressed with M. Betz comments about "Clark's premise" and
Naysayers in particular: "We educational technologists no longer need to
be deferential about the merits of technology. If we take a timid
stance, then the "nay-sayers" ...have a disingenuous impact."
G. Morrison counters "Betz claims that technology does make a
difference. [but] Where is the proof?"
This typical rejoinder has been deeply troubling for me for a very long
time. "Where's the proof" conundrum is largely (solely?) based on
academics taking in each others laundry, as in "...Do Legacy Economists
Recycle Faulty Statistics?" Educom Review, May/June 1998
<http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/review/reviewArticles/33336.html>
Most tellingly G. Morrison says "Clark's argument are scholarly and
based on published articles in refereed journals, not on second handed
comments that are not backed by data and carefully designed studies."
That is not so. Let's look at James Layton's review of "The No
Significant Difference Phenomenon" (Thomas L. Russell, 1999; ISBN
09668936-9-3 [?]) Educational Technology & Society 2 (3) 1999
<http://ifets.ieee.org/periodical/vol_3_99/book_review_russell.html>
Russell is quoted as "I did not use any scientific sampling method but
...listed [only those] found that showed no significant difference... ."
Clark's foreword states the work is "...one of the few rational sources
of information about an otherwise irrational and commercialized
issue..."
I would hope that some scholars are not so easily confused and can
distinguish between marketing hype and pedagogical utility, see "The Art
and Science of Education: Pedagogy includes Technology" The Technology
Source, November 1998 <http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/letters/1998-11.asp>
The scholars (naysayers?) implied argument is that using educational
technology must result in a "pedagogical deficit", but they have elected
not to do original research to support their hypothesis. They rely on
each other's statements that "surveys of the literature do (or do not)
show" the claimed results.
To be sarcastic, must we "prove" that chalk and slate, paper and pen,
the printed page, and so on are more effective teaching tools than the
immediately preceding media? Might Victor Hugo now opine about thought
transformed by technology as "In its printed form, thought is more
imperishable than ever; it is volatile, irresistible, and
indestructible. It pervades the air ...Now she [virtual text] is a flock
of birds, flies abroad to all the four winds of heaven, and occupies at
once all the points of air and of space..." "It Pervades the Air",
Technology Source, May 1998
<http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/commentary/1998-05.asp>
Likewise, a noted educator acknowledges that the results of an
experimental "virtual class" (Gerald Schutte's) is 20% higher than the
traditional group; but insists that is invalid because the virtual class
had "more opportunity" than that in a "real classroom" having tables,
chairs, chalkboard. Can this pass for scholarly discernment? "The Ten
Year Mindset" Technology Source, July 1998
<http://horizon.unc.edu/ts/letters/1998-07.asp#ralston>
Perhaps the Web is so fundamentally threatening to some because it is
already challenging the grievous limitations of the traditional
gatekeepers' "refereed" scholarly journals.
(Speaking of "Ed Tech", guys, what's wrong with providing the <links> to
your citations? Must we assume the most arcane be the most familiar?)
Glenn Ralston
Environmedia
<gralston@in.net>
<http://home.earthlink.net/~gralston/index.html>
<http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/bios/Ralston.asp>
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