Conflict of information
I teach one course in which I have multiple disagreements with the text provided by the school. I have found it useful to have citations ready when this pops up, and am usually able to point out in advance when something I am presenting varies from the text's version. It has complicated testing somewhat, however. Any thoughts?
Hi Kent,
As a teacher of rhetoric and composition, I can say that teaching these "disagreements" via short answer response might be the most valuable way to deal with the issue.
Sometimes, controversies/issues/techniques are not about what is "right," but whether the student can articulate the "global" or "full" picture of what's at stake, and understand the perspective of each school of thought.
I do believe this kind of teaching will translate over well into the workplace, where understanding different perspectives can be key for delivering optimal customer service.
Allen,
Great point. In one sense, there is only expert in the class, and that is the instructor. When textbook resources differ from the instructors opionion, another emphasis is the instructor is there to prepare their students for a job or career in a very specific area. In a way, both resources could be right: one from a factual point of view, from the instructor, from a "on-the-job" perspective.
Barry Westling
Text books do become the history of the subject,even before it is published.when there are contridictions with information we can use that opportunity to point out how the industry changes,as well as what remains the basic priciples in thier career,either way the conflict becomes disscussion of the subject,and with disscusion learning happens.
I have been teaching a computer orientation class and the textbook is basically outdated as soon as it's published with the pace of technology chages these days. I have also found it usefull to supplemnt the text with newer information from other sources. Mostly the internet of course.
But there is always room for interpretation, one suggestion would be to ask your students to research those topics you have a question about to see if they find different opinions on their own.
We teach the same books, sometimes with different editions. but make sure that everyone has a book in the classroom.
I think it is healthy to show the students that we as instructors have an opinion about the subject we are teaching. However, we should be cautious not to "criticize" the book to the point the students will loose confidence in the book.
We pick out the textbooks as a group in the Business Department; and we live with what we get; we make it work; we teach in a private small college and we do a great deal of teaching beyond the textbook we bring in life experiences.
