It's nice to see some folks coming out of the closet and admitting that
P2P can have educational (I'm not sure what "legitimate" means) uses. =)
So-called "web-based instruction" (which is perhaps the most stupid term
known to man, since so little of it happens over http) was supposed to
be the big thing that revolutionized distance education. I would say
that mostly it has not. Many universities have jumped on the "web-based
instruction" bandwagon to one degree or another. However, I would also
say that none of them are doing web-based instruction very well. Hence
the lack of Ross Perot's "giant sucking sound" as students exit
classrooms headed for WBI.
But it really doesn't matter. Because "P2P-based instruction" (which is
not nearly so stupid a term, since even us Ph.D.'s are still learners,
meaning that we are all peers) is about to overtake it. As we re-think
and re-architect, I hope we apply the lessons beat over our heads by
WBI. P2P + learning objects *does* have the potential to revolutionize,
if P2P doesn't get killed before it has its chance.
Ding, dong, web-based instruction is dead! Long Live P2P!
David
Christian Allègre wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I missed much of the thread yesterday, as I was at U. Laval in Quebec
> City for a conference on Pedagogic applications of IT. I was expected
> to talk on "How shall we learn tomorrow?" I talked about XML, P2P, the
> need for new OSes, and learning objects (thanks to David Wiley for
> planting this seed ;-)
>
> Mentionning Napster, I explained the problem that Computer & telecom
> services face day to day, but urged them "not to throw the baby with
> the bath water", because students are exploring important new
> communications systems. Then, with such examples as OpenCola, Groove
> and a few other nice apps, I explored the working and imagined the
> advantages of P2P applications for learning and teaching, if we accept
> that education is now entering a new transactional paradigm.
>
> The 105 professors who were attending were very interested in P2P
> applications, "Bellheads versus netheads" architectures and the whole
> convergence of CS and Telecom. They understood readily that
> innovation, freedom and learning is greater when intelligence is at
> the edges of the network, whether we think in terms of a liberal or
> vocational education. P2P was new to many of them, but now they will
> pay attention, they said.
>
> BTW, The Menard-Isenberg study is also at :
> http://www.tmdenton.com/netheads3.htm
>
> and RISQ is Quebec's Higher Education & Research Network.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Christian
>
> --
> ___________________________________________________________
> Christian ALLEGRE, Ph.D. Tel.:(514) 845-7181
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> ___________________________________________________________
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