efficiency as a value

Don Cunningham (cunningh who-is-at indiana.edu)
Thu, 8 Jan 1998 16:14:21 -0500 (EST)

The incantation I hear most often from instructional designers
is that instruction must be "efficient and effective", as if
one implied the other. The presumed virtue of systematically
designed (and presumably teacher proof) instruction is that
it meets its objectives efficiently. There was even a term
popular in my graduate school days: lean programming as when
programmed instruction included only material demonstrably
related to the instructional goals.

Yes, I think this is a value, it assumes a certain industrial,
transmission view of instruction. In my own teaching i do a lot
of things that I consider inefficient: problem centered class
sessions - I could cover a lot more material by being didactic.
Email conferencing - gad, that's a never ending task that I
consider worthwhile considering the instructional values I espouse,
but efficient? I too allow revisions and regrading. That's a
lot of work that I don't really need to be doing.

I want my auto mechanic to be efficient. I'm not sure instruction
should always be efficient. Some things are hard work!

djc

Don Cunningham
School of Education
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405

Phone: 812-856-8540
Email: cunningh who-is-at indiana.edu
Homepage: http://php.indiana.edu/~cunningh