wiley.ed.usu.edu – The Wrath of Kaa: A Letter to the Editors of The Register :: David Wiley has written an open letter to the editors of the Register taking them to task on their criticism of Wikipedia as an example of an open education project. It is too bad that the Register is taking such an elitist stance on such issues, since an honest and forthright dialog about Wikipedia and other open educational projects could be beneficial. Consider, however, this stunning piece of criticism:
We’ll be asking the Chancellors of Oxford and Cambridge why they don’t “Get It!” and exactly when they plan to close down their institutions very shortly, we promise. With such a mortal challenge to their legitimacy, they must be planning for that day already.
As one of those whom the Register would consider to be wiki-twiddlers, I don’t expect the chancellors of Oxford and Cambridge to “Get It!” since both institutions are bastions of providing an elite education to the chosen few, and not where I would expect to find those who support the best education as a universal right. Thankfully, David Wiley points out that there are people with the appropriate academic background who not only “Get It!”, but are also doing something about it.
Feel like there’s no authority, training, or experience among the people who want to give information away and change education? How about OpenCourseWare? How about the Open Learning Initiative? How about Connexions? How about the seven or eight similar projects at other universities around the US? How about the Chinese Open Resources for Education consortium of over twenty Chinese universities? How about the Universia consortium of over 700 South American universities? Any authority, training, or experience here? Credentialed, certified, authoritative, PhD-hooded professors who actually understand that education is a fundamental human right ARE giving away their materials. For free. DON’T try to act like they aren’t just because a couple of people at Wikipedia who are trying to do the same are less articulate or less credentialed.
(As a side note, I don’t think the Wikipedia people are idiots, though some of them may recently have been acting like they are. No, I believe the Wikipedia people are well-meaning people who are just doing their best. What else do you want from them? Should we censor them because they don’t hold terminal degrees? Should a Masters be good enough? Could a Bachelors degree suffice? Would an Associates degree cut the mustard? Does a high school diploma qualify someone to provide the best answer they can? Perhaps we should disband all middle school sports programs while we’re at it, cause by and large those kids are just pathetic… I honestly thank God that such “expertise-based censorship” doesn’t exist….)
Nicely put. Sadly, there are many who wish to preserve the best education as a privilege for the elite. Let us always remember the words of the Wizard of Oz – I can’t give you a brain, but I can give you a degree. ;^)