At the First Westchester Conference on Science, Math, and Technology Education -- McClintock revisits digitized library of the future
On 3 February 1994 Robert McClintock, Director of the Institute for Learning Technologies at Teachers College, Columbia University, described the digital library of the future to the Association of Teachers in Independent Schools. Almost three years later, at the First Westchester Conference on Science, Math, and Technology Education (see accompanying story) McClintock revisited the same topic. In his earlier talk (reported on page 11 of our Spring 1994 issue) McClintock talked about the possibilities from having all research materials available to everybody, all the time. In revisiting the subject, he observed that wiring classrooms to the Internet has already been stated as national policy (see related article, this issue). What are some of the consequences of this, he asked?
The first books, he noted, were few in number but cost a lot to produce but little to distribute. Today's mass-produced books cost relatively little to produce but a lot to distribute. But electronic information reduces both production and transmission costs -- and it doesn't deteriorate. We must rethink our pedagogy to overcome the previous constraint of information contained in textbooks, he observed.
For example, from www.perseus.tufts.edu/ one can access all the resources for studying Ancient Greek civilization -- in both the original and in translation. There is a similar amount of astronomical data available -- now -- to everyone. We used to teach students skills to do research in the future, McClintock went on, but the present availability of resources means that we teach students skills to do research now.
Moreover, McClintock added, the universal availability of resources allows us to grapple with more difficult questions over sustained periods of time. And in spite of concern about shorter attention spans, he claims to have seen this sustained research occur.
The tools of research are the tools of everyday education, he concluded. Furthermore, he suggested, they may be more flexible than textbooks in accommodating different learning styles. We need, therefore, to stop seeing the classroom as a boundary for education but rather connect it to the resources which lie outside. "Digitized rare books and Dead Sea Scrolls are now available to everyone. Let them be opened to see what happens."
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