TABLE OF CONTENTS |
FRONT PAGE
| NEXT ARTICLE |
PREVIOUS ARTICLE |
UNC HOMEPAGE
The lecture tour -- in which a noted academic visits other universities
giving talks -- is a relic of an earlier age, an age before people could talk
to each other across continents or a fax machine could put a scholarly paper on
the other side of the world in a few minutes.
But the lecture tour hearkens back not only to geographical distance, but
also to a hierarchical model of learning: You learned by listening to a master,
and you waited years if necessary for the opportunity.
It's a model of learning many of today's academicians are uncomfortable
with. No matter what their expertise, they are as anxious to hear from their
colleagues as to be heard. Knowledge in academic fields proliferates at a rate
unimaginable a generation ago, and constant communication with peers is
necessary to keep abreast of one's profession.
Dentistry Professor Miles Crenshaw's biomineralization web discussion
forum exemplifies this state of affairs.
Biomineralization refers to the organic formation of tissues such as
bones, teeth and pearls.
Crenshaw is an internationally known expert on a phase of
biomineralization, the nucleation of apatite crystals -- the initial formation
of the crystals that ultimately become bones and teeth.
Last May, Crenshaw gave guest lectures at six European universities. In
July and August, he spoke at several Japanese universities at the behest of the
Japanese Ministry of Education and Science.
In his lectures, he had labeled certain accepted concepts in the field as
"misinformation." Naturally, Crenshaw found himself deluged with e-mailed
questions on his return to Chapel Hill.
Being a conscientious teacher and colleague, Crenshaw gave these questions
from other continents as much attention as he would a problem puzzling someone
in his own lab.
"I found that I was spending an inordinate amount of time answering these
requests," Crenshaw recalled.
"I always included references to back up my statements," he noted, "as
well as any references purported to support the misconceptions and [others']
analysis of my experiments."
He thought a web discussion forum -- accessible to anyone with an Internet
connection-- might be a more efficient way to handle these exchanges.
Colleagues could read responses he had already posted to questions and
comments.
Furthermore, it's part of the nature of a discussion forum that anyone can
respond to a query -- which meant Crenshaw no longer bore the sole burden of
answering others' questions.
The result is a happy medium between laborious responses by letter and the
immediate give-and-take of a seminar.
Crenshaw appreciates the built-in convenience of a web discussion forum:
It's not like talking on the phone or face-to-face; you can wait until you're
ready to answer.
"One has time to check given references and carefully consider any
response," Crenshaw said.
But he has one misgiving about the web forum, one natural to a longtime
(and conscientious) teacher: "I cannot see the faces of the subscribers to
judge the level of comprehension."
And there sometimes isn't as much give-and-take as Crenshaw wishes --
because academic hierarchies still exist, even in cyberspace.
"Unfortunately, many of the people with whom I had the e-mail exchanges
hold very junior positions and are reluctant to enter comments in the
forum.
"I still handle secondary questions from these people by e-mail, but that
requires only a few minutes a day," he said.
On the whole, the biomineralization discussion forum seems a lively place.
Crenshaw said a number of people post comments.
Which is just the way he wants it. It's perfectly in keeping with the
spirit of a man who ends all of his e-mails with the Mark Twain quote, "If both
of us agree, then one of us is unnecessary."
Sponsored by the Technology in Context Consortium
Writer: Kevin O'Kelly
TABLE OF CONTENTS |
FRONT PAGE
| NEXT ARTICLE |
PREVIOUS ARTICLE |
UNC HOMEPAGE