Wiggle Room
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) I like to set myself (and others) up for success and most resolutions fail. 2) Resolutions are too absolute—I prefer a little wiggle room.
That is why I just loved this bit from Bob Sutton’s Work Matters blog: Learn how to fight as if you are right and listen as if you are wrong: It helps you develop strong opinions that are weakly held. He also writes: “weak opinions are problematic because people aren’t inspired to develop the best arguments possible for them, or to put forth the energy required to test them….it is just as important, however, to not be too attached to what you believe because, otherwise, it undermines your ability to “see” and “hear” evidence that clashes with your opinions. This is what psychologists sometimes call the problem of “confirmation bias.”
This resonates with how I feel about educational technology. As someone who has been teaching online for a decade, I have had to fight hard to convince others that is a valid and effective means of education. I strongly believe in the process and eagerly embrace new technology. However, as a time-strapped, mildly burned-out faculty member, I have recently found myself employing the spaghetti technique of educational technology—throw a bunch at the wall and see what sticks. I am not alone in this, and it is a cop-out. It begs important questions such as: Is there a theoretical basis for what we are doing? Is there a body of quality research to support what we are doing, and if not, can we create it? What are the outcomes beyond course grades and student satisfaction? What is the long term impact on career and life-long learning? How does educational technology mesh with learning styles and the neuropsychology of learning? These are some of the topics I would like to explore over the next year.
Just as January 1 is an opportunity to look ahead, it also serves as a cue to reflect back over the years. I chuckled when I realized that this skepticism and need for wiggle room has long been a part of my personality. My 1972 baby blue VW bug had two bumper stickers. The first said “Question Authority.” The other said “Excess In Moderation.” Happy New Year.
