Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!rutgers!bellcore!geppetto!duncan
From: duncan@geppetto.ctt.bellcore.com (Scott Duncan)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Student preparedness
Message-ID: <12873@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Date: 22 Dec 88 11:26:16 GMT
References: <4893@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <6435@killer.DALLAS.TX.US> <1988Dec16.153701.8316@cs.rochester.edu> <97@microsoft.UUCP> <502@mccc.UUCP> <9238@ihlpb.ATT.COM> <4992@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <9249@ihlpb.ATT.COM>
Sender: news@bellcore.bellcore.com
Reply-To: duncan@ctt.bellcore.com (Scott Duncan)
Organization: Computer Technology Transfer, Bellcore
Lines: 29

In article <9249@ihlpb.ATT.COM> nevin1@ihlpb.UUCP (55528-Liber,N.J.) writes:
>In article <4992@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> dykimber@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Daniel Yaron Kimberg) writes:
>>In article <9238@ihlpb.ATT.COM> nevin1@ihlpb.UUCP (55528-Liber,N.J.) writes:

	[discussion of videotaped instruction, lecturing vs 'teaching', and
	 answering questions]

If we agree that there are few good lecturers and question answerers around, I
suggest that the viedotape technology may be one way to address the problem.  A
good videotape could substitute for lecturing very nicely and would alleviate a
good deal of the effort many instructors face in preparing such lectures.  The
tape could be accompanied by a person present to pause the tape and answer the
questions which may arise.

I have watched some TV educational shows.  Some have been very boring, but
others have been taught by people who were VERY good.  Indeed the possibilities
with a good videotape are impressive, bringing to bear much valuable A-V tech-
nology that an individual teacher would be hard-pressed to do live.

Perhaps it is time American education take advantage of the excellence around
us by capturing more of it on film/video.  Much needs to be conveyed by lec-
ture, so why not use the best lecture technology available and concentrate the
effort on improving the question-answering ability and classroom technique of
those who do teach?

Speaking only for myself, of course, I am...
Scott P. Duncan (duncan@ctt.bellcore.com OR ...!bellcore!ctt!duncan)
                (Bellcore, 444 Hoes Lane  RRC 1H-210, Piscataway, NJ  08854)
                (201-699-3910 (w)   201-463-3683 (h))