Assessment of our modular electronic text

In this assignment, you will reflect on the future of the textbook, and write a short, collaborative document.

We have discussed the future of the textbook and looked at a modular biology e-text from Nature Publishing, the Merlot collection of teaching modules and the Kahn Academy. Some of you have experience using e-books from other publishers.

Study the presentation that describes our modular course and electronic text, and answer this question:

What are they key advantages and disadvantages of the modular electronic text we have used in this class as compared to a standard textbook or an electronic version of a textbook?

Write the first draft early -- new ideas will come to you as you write and afterwards. Write with a partner -- be sure to get someone to review your draft and give you feedback. Discuss the topic with them and you will get new ideas. (Your partner does not have to be someone in this class).

When your answer is complete, post it as a comment on the topic module on our course (first link below) and print a copy to turn in. On the copy you turn in, add the name of your writing partner and their relationship to you -- classmate, professor, father, etc.

Link to topic module on our course.
Link to topic module on modular teaching material.

Clay Shirky: How social media can make history

The purpose of this assignment is to help you assess your understanding of the points Clay Shirky was making in his talk How social media can make history, to examine your study strategy, and to extend the points he made.

Understanding the talk

1. Shirky describes four pre-Internet revolutions in communication technology, what were they and what new media did they enable?
2. At what point in its evolution does Shirky think a new technology can become revolutionary and cause significant social change?
3. Which media are good for broadcast to a large audience?  Which are good for conversations?
4. Shirky describes three significant differences between the Internet and previous communication media.  What were they?
5. Shirky contrasts the Chinese government's handling of criticism of officials at the time of the Sichuan Province earthquake with then-Senator Obama's handling of criticism when he reversed his stand on the FISA vote.  What was the difference he cited?
6. What point was Shirky illustrating with this image?

    7.  What point was Shirky making with this series of three images?

Study strategy

1. As you watched the talk, did you take notes?  Did you pause and replay as you watched?  If so, how many times?
2. Did you replay parts of the talk in answering questions 1-7 on this assignment?  If so, for how many of the questions?
3. Did you read any of the comments on the talk Web site?  Did you add a comment?
4. Did you follow up with any other searches about Clay Shirky or topics he raised?

Extension

1. How would Shirky describe the invention of paper and ink for writing?  Was it revolutionary?
2. Shirky is concerned with social impact of media.  To date, what do you consider the most socially important impact of the Internet?  Why?
3. Shirky states that tools become socially important only after they become ubiquitous and are taken for granted.  Classroom black and white boards are ubiquitous in that sense.  Which new educational technologies are now becoming ubiquitous?  How will they change education?