Here we go, our adventure into the digitalness of history….
I start my blog entry (late as it is) with a question and comment about Prof Kelly’s experiment written about in the JAHC. The questions: I wonder if there could be more reasons why students didn’t venture outside of the class website? Comment: I think sometimes students are conditioned to only use the sources that teachers give them. They are taught that using material supplemental to what has been given would be called “cheating.” Another, and probably more accurate reason students didn’t venture out into the wild web, is because they are lazy. In general, I would say most students want to do the bare minimum.
The other readings were an insightful look into what faces the teacher and learner in the age of digital media. It is good to see that most articles approach the concern of whether the student is actually learning in a better way, or if the new technology is just doing the same old thing in a new way.
Would the amount of initiative that a student has to venture outside the lines relate directly to workoad? In an effort to get everything done, and pursue all the requisite extracurricular activities we expect from students (for the all important college interview, and later to land that competitive job) we can hardly blame them for sometimes staying inside the lines. I think that sometimes they also are afraid to go outside, that the price might be too high. Maybe they think, “if I mess up, then it’ll kill my average.” There’s also the possibility they just don’t know, don’t want to know, and will never get it. Some will resist no matter what.
Comment by Michelle — September 26, 2006 @ 5:30 pm
I think that Ammon is correct about many students doing what is assigned, and no more. But that is not what the web theorists (think George Landow) told us would happen when we open up the world of knowledge to student exploration via hyperlinks.
Comment by Mills — September 26, 2006 @ 6:17 pm