On 7/11/05 7:23 PM, "David Vandervort" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> --- Richard Forno <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Bill puts page limit on California textbooks >> >> By JIM SANDERS >> Sacramento Bee >> May 26, 2005 >> > http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=TEXTBOOKS-05-26-05&cat=AN >> >> SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The California Assembly is >> betting that kids learn more >> with small books. >> >> Lawmakers voted Thursday to ban school districts >> from purchasing textbooks >> longer than 200 pages. >> > > ROTFLMAO. > > The actual result of this will be that instead of > buying 1 history book for the year, they'll have to > buy volumes 1, 2 and 3. Costs will go up, learning (or > the lack thereof) will not change. > > <snip> > >> The workplace increasingly demands more than the >> ability to read page 435 of >> some manual. It requires expertise in using the >> Internet to research and >> solve problems, according to Goldberg. >> > > Is that all textbooks are? Just "some manual" realting > to some job? > > Anyway, in my department - IT - we frequently go on > line to research issues. Throughout most of the rest > of the building, employees are NOT ALLOWED to go > online. > >> "Our textbooks are not going to be able to meet that >> standard," said >> Goldberg, a former high school teacher. "I think >> it's time for us to begin >> to approach the problem in a different way." >> >> AB 756 would force publishers to condense key ideas, >> basic problems and >> basic knowledge into 200 pages, then to provide a >> rich appendix with Web >> sites where students can go for more information. >> > > LOOPHOLE ALERT! I've seen textbooks with an online > supplement that you have to pay to get at. Even > without additional charges, some kind of registration > is usually required. > > Is it a good thing to require by law a system where > children will be typing personal information out onto > commercial websites? > > Is learning to fill out web forms indiscriminately > really an improvement to education? > >> AB 756 was approved by a vote of 42-28, with most >> Republicans opposing the >> measure. It now goes to the Senate. >> >> Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken no position on >> the bill. >> >> The text of AB 756 says it could reduce the cost and >> weight of textbooks. > > I've already pointed out 2 ways that this is not so. > I'll bet there are more. > > <snip> > >> The Association of American Publishers opposes the >> bill, saying the >> arbitrary 200-page limit could force publishers to >> produce multiple volumes >> to cover the state's content standards. >> > > Didn't I say that? > > <snip> > >> Penny Kastanis, executive director of the California >> School Library >> Association, said the Internet is vitally important, >> but not always >> accurate. >> > > Not to mention that websites come and go. This gives > publishers 3 choices: they can maintain their own > additional content on the web (probably requiring some > kind of payment from end users, so they can afford to > do this) or they can carefully vet all links for > suitability, again requiring some form of revenue to > support that effort, or they can just shovel links out > indiscriminately and hope for the best. > > None of these seems to me like a really good option. > >> Books still are valuable, she said. >> >> "What we're finding more and more is that people are >> saying, 'Who needs an >> encyclopedia? Who needs an almanac? Just go to the >> Internet, it's all >> there.' Well, it's not all there." >> > > There's a difference between a text book and a mere > reference book, or should be. The Internet is great > for reference. For learning from nothing, especially > for people without much experience, it may be > overwhelming, disorganized and misleading. > >> Goldberg said homework can be drawn from the >> 200-page textbooks. Students >> using campus computers can be referred to accurate >> Web sites. > > You hope. That's the biggest problem with this bill > (and lots of others). The people who wrote it have a > picture in their minds of the way they want it to be > followed. The likelihood that that picture will > translate to the real world is zero. Cost, laziness > and sheer human cussedness will get in the way. > >> Problems >> aren't insurmountable. >> >> "(AB 756) says don't give students a predigested >> version of what U.S. >> history is, let them explore the Smithsonian and the >> Library of Congress," >> Goldberg said. >> >> "It's time for California to be the leader that it >> always has been." >> You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.
