After publishing my last blog post I realized that I might be confronted by the following challenge: Bob, if you don't like to collaborate then go ahead and write this paper on "Browser Comparisons" by yourself.
As I think about that potential challenge I recognize a larger issue... one that I find extremely important; namely, the pros and cons of assigned topics.
I am finding it VERY valuable for me to now be in the position of "student." I have always argued against assigned paper topics because I believe that students do their best work when they are intrinsically motivated by a genuine interest in a topic. Frankly, I am not genuinely interested in comparing five different browsers on the 21 criteria that we have been assigned. Thus, I am resisting this assignment. And, as I think about it even more, it is the assignment topic - not the collaboration - that I am resisting. If I were given the opportunity to collaborate on a topic that I was genuinely interested in... that would be exciting!
So, this experience of being a student, is reminding me of how important it is to give my students as much control of how they want to spend there time as possible. I realize, of course , that there are limits to how much freedom of choice I can give them. Their choices must be within the domain of the course that they are taking.
I will try to discipline myself to study the five browsers and complete the comparison worksheet.
Lauren and Beth, In the spirit of collaboration, could we each take approximately 7 of the 21 criteria ... rather than all three of us looking at all 21?
You're right Bob, occasionally when assignments are out of our comfort zone and we cannot see the relevance it makes it much harder to tackle and find relevance
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