Arguing with the Textbook

Do you ever find yourself arguing with an author?  (Here’s another reason to use eText: I don’t have to deface a book to keep track of my one-way conversation.)  My vanity was gratified when I was able to persuade the authors of Teaching Online: A Practical Guide, Susan Ko & Steve Rossen, to come around to my way of thinking within the first chapter.  Here’s the tongue-in-cheek animated version.  (Text approximation below for those who prefer to scan quickly)

At first the text seemed to propose the notion that teaching online was just like teaching in a face-to-face classroom only with more geographical freedom and fewer non-verbal communication clues.  “The same instructional strategy you’ve learned for a live classroom … applies online.” they declared rather dogmatically.  Instead of Sage-on-the-stage the teacher had to rely on text alone and now became “sage-on-the-page.” This required a departure from any use of sarcasm or humour since the disarming smile was not effective as an emoticon. (Page 12)  (Jim muses to himself with a pitying headshake, Have they never heard of emoting in text?)

After I protested vigorously (via numerous electronic margin notes) that there were much richer possibilities to online learning than this narrow view, the authors began to admit a broader vision for online teaching, conceding on page 13 that the online teacher is not limited to being “the expert from whom all knowledge flows.” They swung so far from the sage-on-the-page as to declare on page 14 (to the satisfaction of at least 13 other like-minded readers who hilighted this sentence in the Kindle version), “You will fashion tasks and exercises that emphasize student collaboration and de-emphasize the traditional role of the instructor as the central figure in the pedagogical play.” (Jim pats himself on the back for having won the argument, then abandons the tongue-in-cheek narrative to take up a couple of other points.)

When thinking of the richness of resources available on the web (p 14), online instructors should not only think in terms of resources for the student to consume (video, audio, Slideshares and Prezis), but also consider resources to create.  DS106 is an outstanding example of teaching students to create evidence of their learning using web resources.  Alan Levine’s “50 ways to tell a story” is another example.*

Two other points from chapter one caught my attention.  The authors failed to mention that one of the best ways to prepare for online teaching is to participate as an online student.
As for the question, “Do online discussions favour the introvert?” I don’t have a conclusion, but find the anecdotal evidence very interesting.

*(Jim apologizes for using jargon and invites anyone unfamiliar with, or agnostic toward, the term “ds106” to investigate this innovative open on-line course at http://ds106.us.  Jim blushes when asked if he is a “ds106-4-life”-er, and admits sheepishly that although he started with great enthusiasm, he now lurks and admires the ds106 enthusiasts from a wistful distance.)

 Acknowledgments:
Textbook references are taken from Ko, Susan; Rossen, Steve (2010-03-03). Teaching Online: A Practical Guide, Third Edition. Taylor & Francis. Kindle Edition.
Animation made with Xtranormal.com – the automated text-to-speech movie maker.