On 5/23/07, Dr. Steve Eskow <drseskow@cox.net> wrote:
Nancy, and all, does "multiple media" mean that a university education need no longer require the ability to cope with complex texts?
Of course not. I don't think the aim of any competent instructor is to eliminate other media or prevent students from becoming competent with them. I can understand how one could reach such an erroneous conclusion but it remains erroneous. Two thoughts strike me as this conversation continues: 1. The discussion bears some similarity to discussions related to disabilities and accommodations made for students with disabilities. Is it better to give students with ADHD additional time to take their exams or require them to finish "on time" (in fairness to the other students, to help them develop coping skills, etc.)? Similarly, do we embrace multiple media to help students grasp concepts or do we stick with the familiar media that we expect they will encounter throughout their life? 2. Although I respect for the work, relate to it in many ways, and I truly appreciate the doors it has opened and many of the changes it has engendered, sometimes I have to wonder about how much damage Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory has done in education... Kevin