nelliemuller said:

I am concerned about impostors claiming to be experts in certain fields. How can we assure free quality learning on the Internet? Can learning and instruction be monitored online? If so, how?

Andrew Brown said:

It depends on how little experts they are in a specific field or how you go about to getting your information.

I knew someone yesterday who was using a really old Ruby on Rails tutorial, so it wasn’t that their was reliable content on the Internet but how they came about finding the content and judging whether it was valid.

Wikipedia is a credible source because it policed by experts and can be validated by 1000x users.

Also Colbert saved the elephants.

I think I get what our saying, but you need to be more specific.

This discussion and many others started are too generalize. If your going to pose a question I’d recommended providing an example/scenario and a useful tip how you’d evaluate the question your asking.

nelliemuller said:

Andrew said: This discussion and many others started are too generalize. If your going to pose a question I’d recommended providing an example/scenario and a useful tip how you’d evaluate the question your asking.

Andrew,

Thank you for your feedback. I am glad you got the point. Yes, the question was meant to be general and open to interpretation.

Andrew Brown said:

The problem I have is that its too generalized, and it creates a weak discussion.

Give the following example

Weak Discussion

I’m concerned that people are causing world hunger, do you think they are?

• What people?
• Why are you concerned for these people?
• What do people have to do with world hunger?
• Do I think they are how:?
• How much effort are you putting into your question
• How much effort should I put into anwsering you?

Strong Dicussion

I read an article recently on the CNN web-site about how the Canadian Government is causing world hunger by hoarding all the maple syrup for only Canadians. They were able to do this by registering a patent on syrup and suded anyone who tired to use syrup. I find this a major concern because I think it will hurt Canada in the long run with fair trade. I think we should share with other countries and that it was a wrong choice by the Canadian Government to register such a ridiculous patent. What do you think?

Think of starting a dicussion as to climbing a wall.

The more generalized the discussion the smoother the wall. There’s nothing to grab onto so it makes it harder to climb. After each attempt you fail and it gets frustarting because you arent getting anywhere so you stop.

The more specific the dicussion the more climb rocks, bumps groves you add. Its easy to find something to grab onto and the better choices you make what you grab onto will put you in a easier position to climb, and if you think before where you climb next you’ll make it to the top.

nelliemuller said:

Andrew,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the thought process. I think the choice of asking specific or general questions may depend on whether you are a deductive or inductive thinker. Are you comfortable with going from the whole to its parts or from the parts to the whole? I believe in encouraging critical thinking. One way of getting people to use their critical skills is for them to ask questions or to add comments/disagree with the way questions are being asked. That’s great. The general question caused you to reflect and add your feedback. I am sure you realize that if you find a discussion question too general or unclear, you may ask for clarifications. However, specific questions may limit and stifle the creative process in some people. I love your comparison of our thought process to climbing a wall. Nonetheless, our thinking process may not be as technical as climbing a wall. In real life, we may have to create our bumps and groves because they may not be there for us to hold on to. That’s why life is such a challenge. It may provide us with nothing to hold onto. I view wide open spaces (general questions or smooth walls) as wonderful opportunities to make mistakes and learn. I don’t expect anyone to approach learning or understanding in the same way. I view learning as a unique personal experience. I enjoyed our discussions and hope to have many more.

Andrew Brown said:

“I am sure you realize that if you find a discussion question too general or unclear, you may ask for clarifications.”

I'll try that, because I'm still not sure what your getting at.

“Are you comfortable with going from the whole to its parts or from the parts to the whole?”

I don’t know what your asking. Would you provide a person in a scenario?

“However, specific questions may limit and stifle the creative process in some people. “

Would you classify or describe the “some people” your talking about and why they wouldn’t?

Is there only one kind of specific question or is their different ways ask specific question

Are all specific questions will result in the “some people” being “stifled or limited”?

lechuck said:

Wow, this discussion turned direction!

I agree with both of you in this matter… it really depends on the subject and your goal for the discussion. Being to general doesn’t offer the reader much, being to specific and you might be better off writing a lesson. There isn’t much to discuss if you are fortifying your position to the nail.

If you really want other users to participate in your discussions like this you need to be more engaging. You can still be general with your question, but tell us your opinion. Relate to to something you’ve recently experience. Why have you suddenly asked this question?

nelliemuller said:

Thank you for sharing your views on what engages you. It is important to know what others think.

hcraig said in response to:

That’s a good question to ask Nellie – not just with the internet, but everything in life. How do you learn to trust people, or companies? How can people offer enough proof?

On LearnHub we’ve given users the ability to build online an reputation through authority and lesson rankings, but since the site is new, many people are still building their authority. Many sites use similar techniques (ebay comes quickly to my mind. They try to offer protection by publicly posting each users rankings and positive/negative feedback, but that doesn’t guarantee anything does it?)

What makes you trust/distrust self-proclaimed authorities?

nelliemuller said:

Hello Heather,

I think ””impostor” is a harsh word. Quality control of information may be desirable on the Internet, but is it practical? for example, Wikieducator has asked me to add my expertise on a number of topics. I asked whether I was expected to provide research or scholarly-based information and the answer was no. In other words, there is a great deal of trust that the information I provide will be accurate. However, can I be trusted to provide accurate information? Who will check the information?