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Re: Math Forum and the math-teach discussion
Posted:
Jul 22, 2007 12:04 PM
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> Ideally, in my mind, this forum would only be open to
> people open to changing their mind on occasion (not
> that they have to - just be open to the possibility).
> That is about as possible as the Pope converting to
> Islam tomorrow, so I am fresh out of ideas. I am
> curious to see what develops.
>
> Jim
Let me propose a different model: math-teach is used by
various networks (invisible colleges, schools of thought)
to compare notes and keep in touch with peers.
Given it's a shared resource, math-teach also gives
these same schools the ability to lurk in on each
other, perhaps getting involved in cross-talk, maybe
religious warrior in flavor, maybe more diplomatic
and ecumenical.
But however that may be, there's no prerequisite that
anyone declare themselves especially vulnerable to mind
changing.
You could expect the opposite: die-hards becoming even
more die-hard, with a few defections we probably never
hear about (unless the side switchers choose to be vocal
about it).
Is what I just described a complete waste of bandwidth,
even if no one changes position? No. Because the schools
are keeping in touch, keeping tabs. The informational
feedback is happening. Like, I post to gnu math teachers,
most of them committed, unlikely to want to return to the
"bad old days" of everyday algebra. But given they
sleuth here for posts, they also get to look in on some
of the raging debates of our day. That's informative.
Another description of this is the "around the water
cooler" model (design pattern). We're from very different
floors of the building, have different job descriptions
and perspectives, but we meet here at the water cooler
to swap amongst ourselves, including with peers from
distant hallways (or not, if a "list mom" shows up, and
shoos us all away).
Kirby
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