Hank [BS/MSEE,
MSM $$$, Ph.D. Mgmt] teaches Further Discussion
We had a lively discussion in class yesterday based on Rebecca’s questions about video versus dead-tree books as a media for learning. I submit to you that, while dead-tree books are not “dead,” use of emerging digital-based media, such as the Wiki we are using in this class provides a superior learning environment for many reasons: (I use Wiki and digital-based media in the same context herein.)
- Those who learn best by going over and over a topic can still do so
- Those who like to underline/high lite text can still do so by printing off a copy of the section of the Wiki they are using
- Those who are more visual can migrate more to the pictures and videos embedded in the Wiki
- There are concepts for which no amount of text will suffice - Hobbit for example, exemplifies the “picture is worth a thousand words” saying.
- It supports easier updating, modification, and additions by author(s)
- While our Wiki is “closed,” it could be opened for interface with its readers (scary thought perhaps?)
- Being an independent Wiki removes same for possible bias and influence on the part of publishers and/or universities. Our Wiki runs on a web portal I own and pay for, “because I can
” ) making it an even better source for students - Potentially, use of digital media brings information to people who would otherwise not be able to afford same. This blog and the Wiki we are using is open to the world - think about it, while you view the Hobbit clip below :
I agree with all the points that Hank has set out. However, if there was one thing that I would question, it would be the fact that if I was a person who enjoyed to underline/highlight (which I am). I would need to print every page out using a printer and paper provided in the wiki. Printing all those pages out, is spending $$$ and printer ink and paper together are not exactly cheap either. Thus, that is the only concern/argument I would have against the points that Hank has set out. Other than that, I concur.
Actually, the coursework at least, for MIT is open source. http://ocw.mit.edu/index.html
I feel like in class we were arguing different points. I got up because I felt that physical copies of books will some day be gone. However, text documents will always be around, even if video becomes much better. Instead of book I just think everyone will be carrying around small tablet PC’s with every book you need, wireless internet, touch screen, and super long battery life. So that should be ok for you people that insist on highlighting.
I think that as e-paper continues to develop as a technology, there will soon be no reason to have dead-tree textbooks (or newspapers, for that matter). In the not-so-distant future, students will be able to connect their e-paper textbook to a full-strength computer the size of a Palm Pilot, and pull up whatever page they’re trying to read in whichever course they choose. A huge benefit to this is that while these will still feel like textbooks, they can be updated without massive reprintings, and can incorporate multimedia into teaching. Eventually, e-paper will be developed so it has a touch-screen interface, and then the experience will be even more like a truly interactive textbook.
Regarding to what Alex was saying how printing off every page is still expensive. For students at Purdue the following print quotas are applied:
Faculty/Instructor: 1,000 pages at $.04 per black and white page
Staff: 1,000 pages at $.04 per black and white page
Graduate Students: 1,000 pages at $.04 per black and white page
Undergraduate Students: 500 pages at $.04 per black and white page
With this data much of the printing you would do for class Purdue would be paying for making it still considerably cheaper than a text book. Unlike you I would not print everything off and feel I can still make the 500 page quota.
I agree with Matt’s analysis that someday we’ll just have tablet PC type devices which hold our books and which allow us to personalize them (highlighting, underlining, etc.). I think wikis are perfect for courses because you can provide updated examples (even if the principles of physics don’t change, certainly the applications could and the examples a prof could give can always be more updated. One thing I appreciate about our ENTR class is that the examples are all updated, which makes them seem more credible and easier to relate to.
I think that having the course readings online allows for more versatility. Students have the option to print and highlight if they want or to simply read it off line. Even though we do only get a 500 page print quota, each sheet after that is only 4 cents. So if you happen to go 500 pages over the limit, that is still only a 20 dollar fine, which is far less than the cost of a text book.
I think Natalie makes a good point with her point regarding the printing quota. If a student thinks he or she can only learn with text then simply print out the wiki. Students need to be open to the idea of breaking away from what they are used to. Even though some students are most comfortable with a textbook, life does not come with one. We will eventually be forced to act in the digital world once we establish our careers or become entrepreneurs.
Look people are approaching this problem in a completely different way. The majority of the cost of a textbook is not the printing costs. I am no textbook expert but there is overhead like the cost of writing a book and publishing it and shipping the books etc.
For example checkout McGraw-Hill companies. Obviously a big publisher worldwide.
http://finance.google.com/finance?q=MHP
The operating profit last year was 22.68% and the net profit was 14.10%. Yes, these firms are making a good margin but it is not the 150% profit margins people imagine. Compare the 14% profit margins to other companies and you get a list of roughly 1500 companies, names include Citigroup, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Time Warner, 3M just to name a few.
However, I still do this day have not heard a complain about Post-it Notes’ prices being too high or price of Mountain Dew or even price of Viagra being too unreasonable.
People think just because the information is online it is going to be FREE. I do not for see this trend to continue because eventually everything returns to its “normal” price in society. For example Napster in 1998 to Itunes today. When the textbooks make that transition to online there is going to be a price to pay. And people will pay this because the book is written by somebody who deserves the compensation.
I don’t want to be taught high level physics by bunch of people whose credentials I cannot verify. Would you?
We would be mistaken to present the future of learning through physical books and digital content as either one or the other but not both. Wikis will become more commonplace, but books will not be relegated to museums. Electronics still have some severe limitations that books overcome. Books are cheaper, more portable, never run out of power, easier on the eye than a screen, and enjoy widespread use. The limitations of electronics are continually being reduced, but there is a limit. E-paper technology will be a great help in narrowing the gap.
Wikis will replace textbooks in many classes. That will by and large be a good thing. The argument that it will save money for students who will not have to buy a textbook is limited. It will save on printing costs and the profits taken by publishers. But the cost of developing the material will remain. The professor will still have to build the wiki, so the cost of the textbook will be built into the cost of the course. If professors from different universities collaborate, they will be able to reduce the cost further. The argument that a wiki is less reliable is bogus. The wiki should not be publicly editable, although perhaps there should be a mechanism whereby students can make comments on the material, which other students can read and the professors might incorporate into future versions of the wiki.
One word of caution: a wiki will never replace the necessity for good teachers. One reason we like the wiki in ENTR200 so much is because Hank is an excellent teacher. Unfortunately, most professors at Purdue are not teachers of Hank’s caliber. Horrible teachers will probably write horrible wikis, just like they write horrible textbooks. Just copying the textbook material and pasting it into a wiki will not improve anything. For a wiki to work, all extraneous material must be removed. The wiki must be written in an engaging manner. The wiki works in ENTR200 because it complements Hank’s teaching. The wiki is not meant to replace teaching. The same should be true for textbooks. When I buy a textbook, I usually do not know the credentials of the author. I don’t need to, because I am being taught by the professor, with the textbook merely as a learning aid. If I were going to be taught by the textbook, I would pay for the best textbook, and wouldn’t bother paying tuition. If every teacher were like Hank, I wouldn’t complain about tuition costs. It would be worth every dollar.
When I was sitting in the class, I had one page that popped into my head. My mother and I were having a conversation a few weekends ago about the 4th dimension. (Yes, I know it’s dorky.) Visualizing the concept was hard to describe in words, so we looked it up on Wikipedia. Check out the below link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Dimension
That is exactly what an online Wiki will do. It will not only provide a text explanation, but also show diagrams, videos, etc. to clarify it to everyone. People who learn visually will no longer be stuck to the static world of textbooks.
All I can say is it is about time to change and incorporate this.
The WIKI Revolution Wont Be Televised
P.S “I Love WIKI” t-shirts for $20/each. It’s the new movement!
I think Natalie made a good point in that even going over 20 dollars worth in print quota is much better than paying for a text book. I would agree with Hank in all his points but I actually prefer to have books sometimes. I know that I could print off pages to look at at a later time but doing this for every class, assuming all classes progress to Wiki status, would get sort of costly. Also, this would be much harder to keep in order such as a book is kept. Although I agree integrating the internet for courses is a great idea I personally see some potential problems at least for myself. Maybe it would only take time to get used to but I would have a hard time at first.
To address the highlighting/ underlining issue: I am one of those people who
always underlines my notes and goes back and rereads and re-highlights. However
I have been okay with not doing that for this class. Instead I take notes off of
the assigned material. (I could print out the info, but I want to save my printing
quota.) What I am trying to say here is all this is about adaptation. I
adapted my strategy for comprehending an assignment. Our society has
adapted from writing papers free handed to using a type-writer to now using a
computer. Similarly, I believe now we are in the process of adapting to online
books. Change does happen and we can either snub change or try to change with it.
I think our society just needs to learn to be accepting even if they are opposed to it at
first! This could be the most difficult task in changing anything.
In summary: ADAPTATION is key!
Dead tree books still have applicability in subjects like math and physics, and I really can’t imagine those subjects
really needing wiki or much video accompanyment. However, other subjects like history could serve to benifit from
new technology and video being used in addition to dead tree. I like the idea of supplementing dead tree with wikis
and new technology if it cannot be totally replaced at this time.
Personally, viewing a computer screen for long periods of time gives me headaches. I love the fact that I can print off text section by section and watch the video whenever I want to; however, technology has proven time and time again to not be 100% reliable when you need it most. In no way am I denying that wikis will become the standard, i’m only asking that you keep the reliability of “Dead Tree” materials in mind.
Carpe Diem
-J.A.
I think for some classes dead tree books are a must. In my major its always good to have a hard copy of what you read, and the diagrams it shows. Sometimes it would be nice to have the diagrams(moving) on a wiki text b/c I would understand what is going on, at a much faster pace. But for other classes, not knocking anyones major, wiki is the way to go!
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