Comments on: Is a Book at a Distance?

By: lowell

lowell — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:49:02 +0000

Ah. Now you’re talking about two different uses of a text. That’s another issue. Literature is a text but in a different way than, say, Kearsley.

By: Kim Dearing

Kim Dearing — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:44:30 +0000

So, do you think that some of it boils down to semantics? I don’t think I ever really thought I was “teaching” Shakespeare if we put it in this terminology. However, I would say that I help students make sense of text, etc. Can any of us be teachers if we rely, at least in part, on someone else’s work? I’d always thought of it more in terms of… Julius Caesar was the Ford, but I was behind the wheel.

By: lowell

lowell — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 20:15:07 +0000

First, you always were at a distance from your students. The only thing that’s changed is that you know it now.

Second, the role of teacher has its own week, but this is a good time to start thinking about it.

By: Tippi Thompson

Tippi Thompson — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 19:41:54 +0000

So, just where exactly does the term teacher come into play? I agree with everything you have said so far. I never thought of things in this way until now, but I definitley get it. So, with that said, why are we not called ‘Facilitators’?

I guess I’m having trouble with my identity now. If we are always at at distance from our students and the author of some chosen book is the actual teacher where do we take our place?

By: Joe McConda

Joe McConda — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 15:21:43 +0000

I understand what you’re saying. Yes, all education is distance education. The real key is to get the student to want to be a learner. That motivation is hard to achieve whether there is face to face communication or not. There are too many other things grabbing the attention of the student (especially k-12).

By: Gloria Newsome

Gloria Newsome — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:27:30 +0000

I see what you are saying and I must have understood the discussion differently before. I understood you to say in the other discussions on this that “All education, Distance or not” was just “Education” I did not get the message as being “all education is Distance Education” my bad!!! I see that words and in what context they are taken by the reader can make a difference in what they say.

Another way to see how communication can help or hinder the education process.

I hope you see what I was thinking…

By: Pros and Cons of Distance Education « Remonzer’s Weblog

Pros and Cons of Distance Education « Remonzer’s Weblog — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 22:52:26 +0000

[...] Pros and Cons of Distance Education September 8, 2007 Filed under: Uncategorized — remonzer @ 10:52 pm If we start with the premise that all education is at a distance (see http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2007/09/08/is-a-book-at-a-distance/), then in commenting on pros and cons of distance education we are the best modes and devices for lesson delivery. [...]

By: dancingnancy533

dancingnancy533 — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 21:36:29 +0000

I suppose with this new insight into textbooks, all teachers do not teach by themselves. The textbook they assign every year to their students was written by one or more authors on the content for their subject. So, between the authors and the teachers they are collaboratively teaching the subject to the students. Every resource that the teacher uses outside of the textbook, computer programs, journals, videos, etc., are also collaborating with the teacher. I never really considered the resources that I used with my teaching to assume my role for the duration the student was engaged with them. It makes sense.

A learner can still learn at a distant. We all learn when we have our chat time together, in the many blogs that we read, and from other educators we meet in online communities. I still think body language holds some value in making a point, but it is not the end of the world if the students can’t see the body language. Presentation of the content can still be just as effective in our ways than just face-to-face conversations.