September 17, 2004
Re: Kaa's law and Wikipedia
StigmergicWeb » Blog Archive » David Wiley defends open education projects
3 somewhat related points here:
1.
>>I don't expect the chancellors of Oxford and Cambridge to "Get It!" since both institutions are bastions of providing an elite education to the chosen few, and not where I would expect to find those who support the best education as a universal right. <<
Do elite universities actually provide an elite education? What elite universities often offer is an opportunity to make connections for those who are already in the elite class, a credential that lowers the barrier for their entry into business and politics, and the quality of the instruction is a tertiary concern in many cases.
2.
As for David’s original post, I agree with what he is arguing when combating the relatively shallow approach taken by the article in the Register. There are far more extensive programs that are moving forward to advance the state of open education than just the Wikipedia and it is likely many of these initiatives will have a more far-reaching impact.
That being said, there are always those who want to say that this technology or that initiative completely changes the world as we know it and anyone who is a part of the status quo should begin building their fallout shelters immediately. Is Wikipedia, or any other opensource technology, going to lead to the downfall of the current university system? Of course not. Might we see changes in the way people learn and share information? I certainly hope so. Any real change in worldview, however, occurs over at least one generation and maybe more (even if some get there mentally sooner than others).
3.
In thinking about Kaa's law, it is important to ask the question of whether those participating, regardless of the value, are a part of the process. If the group of sufficient size is society at large, are the "idiots" the ones causing problems in "our" systems or are they the ones choosing not to participate at all?
Posted by Rovy at September 17, 2004 9:33 AM