Thanks, Leslie.
At almost the same moment as that posting to CASLL, I read this on
the Edupage list:
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YORK U. PROFESSORS JUST SAY NO TO TECHNOLOGY
In what may be a first, Toronto's York University professors have
negotiated a new contract that ensures that they will not be forced
to use technology in the classroom if they don't want to. The
contract stipulates that decisions to use technology "shall be
consistent with the pedagogic and academic judgments and principles
of the faculty member employee as to the appropriateness of the use
of technology in the circumstances... Normally, a faculty member
will not be required to convert a course without his or her
agreement." The faculty union that spearheaded the negotiation says
that the issue revolves around protecting the autonomy of
professors: "When you put your course on a Web site, you are
essentially giving up control of the course," says a professor who
points out that redesigning a course to fit the constraints of a Web
site constructed to someone else's specifications can interfere with
a professor's plan for the course. (Chronicle of Higher Education, 3
Oct 97)
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If I hadn't read Leslie's message I _still_ wouldn't know what was
really at stake. Funny how we all seem to slip into code when what
we're really talking about is what my parents used to call a
"speedup" when they tried to pull it on the assembly line.
-- Russ
__|~_
Russell A. Hunt __|~_)_ __)_|~_ Aquinas Chair
St. Thomas University )_ __)_|_)__ __) PHONE: (506) 452-0424
Fredericton, New Brunswick | )____) | FAX: (506) 450-9615
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~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.StThomasU.ca/hunt/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
