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Old 10-05-2009, 01:51 PM   #16
N0NJY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogue_ronin View Post
I think when you say "everybody should be...on the same page" you mean that everyone should have the same opportunities for excellence, truth and knowledge. But it sounds to me a bit authoritarian. And it can be used that way.
Same opportunities = Exactly the same information

In my view, if I am teaching from a text book that contains (for instance, something I know a good deal about) electronics and it teaches the material along with the mathematics involved, as well as examples of how physics works - that is one thing.

Another instructor teaching a similar class, minus the Math, physics or some of the root chemistry involved in the production of transistors (making up all semiconductors as an example) is NOT on equal foot with me in that respect.

He or she is not giving his students a full picture of what "electronics" actually happens to be.

Too many times throughout my time as a teacher I saw this very same thing using the SAME text books with two (or more) different teachers on a subject. Not imparting 1) knowledge of the material or 2) imparting further knowledge by teaching a student how to think and research for themselves.

While I personally have NO problem with open source materials (Linux is a perfect example of this) and there are certainly improvements the context of my question above was in relation to who would be "responsible in the long run" for determining content".

If it is the government - then I am against this. If it will NOT be politically motivated to give education, then I'm for it.

Quote:
Of course, if it's really open source, anyone who improves it must share it. So the best editions will bubble to the top, and anyone can use the resulting texts. No hoarding and hiding it behind "copyright" and lawsuits.
"The best editions will bubble to the top" if not suppressed by those who are modifying the text.

You and I both know there have been numerous attempts at banning books. Even Mark Tawin's own novels have suffered from this censorship.

The scientific community (generally on the left) has attempted to ban, or reduce the impact of, for instance the Bible.

While the religious community (generally on the right) has attempted to minimize the impact of Darwin's theories.

There is no "meeting of the minds" in the middle on that subject and honestly, will likely never be. The fact is human beings are biased and will remain so - and truthfully, each of are biased and will resist outside change until we die.


Quote:
Right now, two states (Texas and California), dominate which textbooks are used in the US, because of their size and the number of books they purchase. Texas is a crazy place where they try to insert religion and conservative movement ideology into the texts.
I am pretty much non-religious. I'm a scientist first, and a Conservative second. But, I don't introduce religion into something simply because science is science, based on known facts. Religion is based on faith alone. You can't mix the two, or you get skewed answers.

(and honestly, who is say "God" DID NOT create the Universe? Anyone who claims He didn't is certainly making a statement without a basis in fact....)


Quote:
The rest of the country is therefore limited (not completely, but greatly) in what is available to it. Publishers are largely corporations, so you know that doing the right thing is irrelevant -- they just want the money. Having truly open source textbooks might mitigate this. (And it also might mitigate the horrible, monopolistic pricing practices in universities.)

m a r
Totally an ineffectual argument, when you start saying "They make money so they do not know what is right".

That's what's wrong with the world today I think. Too many people want to listen to Marx and various other anti-capitalists (or make things up) and come back with a put down based on that sort of nonsense.

You shouldn't fall for such beliefs because it's not good either for a discussion, nor is it based on facts.

Personally, I have to ask, if "big corporations" aren't doing the publishing - who is going to publish the books?

And do you really think that this will force E-readers in the class room in a timely manner?

Oh - and who makes those readers? Oh, I forgot, "Big Corporations"....
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