Module 02: Epistemological Foundations

In A Seismic Shift in Epistemology Dede draws a distinction between a new Web 2.0 and a classical way of communicating knowledge. While he emphasizes the stark contrast between of both ways of learning, he asserts that both views have important offerings to learning. His position on bias in textbooks shows the importance of websites like Wikipedia. In the end he recommends finding a common ground between both ways of gaining knowledge as both offer benefits.

In Epistemology, introduction Heylighen offers a brief history of epistemological traditions from Greek philosophers to more recent ideas like memetics. At the end of the article he warns against choosing one criteria on which to base our thinking. Because knowledge is such so broad, we need to view it from many different perspectives.

I suppose it is a human reaction to pick sides. I know as I read the ideas put forth in our text and readings I am quick to decide which idea I like the “best” or find to be the most “valid.” However, I am learning that the best philosophy when reading a wide variety of thoughts is to try my best to make personal connections with all theories. After all, the people who founded these thoughts did so after taking much into consideration. Furthermore, they stood the test of time and consensus to make it into text books and into this course.

I also have a better respect for Wikipedia after reading A Seismic Shift in Epistemology. I really connected with the point Dede makes about cultural bias in textbooks. Adding “dimensions of human experience” into knowledge provides a consensus that, used in conjunction with more classical methods of obtaining information, can provide a powerful source of information. In the future I plan to cross reference a site like Wikipedia when researching to gain another perspective on what I am studying. As mentioned before another influence on my actions in the reading is to make connections with all theories from my personal experience. I feel this will help me not only understand others ideas better, but also might help in altering behaviors that are contradictory to valid theories.

My interactions with our text has proven to be most valuable this week. In the past I feel I gave behaviorism a bit of a “cold shoulder.” Yet, after reading in depth about Skinner’s ideas I feel I can approach some situations in classroom management and in educational technology with a clearer mind. Maybe it is because I have a two-year-old in the house now (with potty training just around the corner) but the weight of ideas like shaping have become much stronger to me than in the past. When considered next to more constructivist viewpoints both sides of the spectrum seem to have much to offer to instruction.