Content development
is a serious business today. A number of entrepreneurs and investors have put
their heart and soul (leave alone their finances) in content development both
in K-12 sector and at the university levels. There are success stories and
equal number of heart-breaks!
I recall a lecture
I delivered to a group of authors, editors and publishers in 2004 at Oxford and
Bath on the topic “New Age Publishing”, wherein I laid emphasis on the urgency
for new modes of content design and delivery. Articulation and encapsulation of
knowledge in digestible and usable formats is the call of the day. Content has
been packed and repacked several times in different words but new vision and
strategies of articulation appears to be taking a back seat.
Linear progressions
of content designs will soon get marginalized against inter-disciplinary,
multi-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary models which would help the learner
to examine a concept both in the immediate as well as in the universe of its
existence and operation. Staple models with no strength of pedagogy will not
have adequate shelf value in the knowledge markets.
Even the innovative
models of knowledge encapsulation that are introduced, will have limited suitability
among the consumers given the fact there is a continuous demand (whether it is
needed or not) for newer possibilities among the education brand leaders.
This would indeed
mean that both the authors and editors need to enlarge their vision of the
content delivery processes and enable extended learning and introspective
questioning. Standard exemplifications of concepts beaten by tradition would
need relevance to the immediate context and hence examples and illustrations
have to be appropriate, relevant to existing reality and good enough to relate
with a meaning available in the current learning environment.
Most designs in
content development do not take stock of different styles of learning and hence
visual, auditory and kinesthetic experiences are not adequately supported even
though technology can support this idea to a large extent. In many cases there
is no reliable authentication of the content of pedagogy by an expert system.
The pressure on delivery of products puts the content developers to compromise
with a number of pedagogical requirements in its design.
The challenge of
getting competent authors who can deliver a reasonable valid and credible
content is a current issue. It really means that a lot of time has to be spent
on planning the design and frequent cordial non-egoistic participative meetings
and discussions between the editor and authors. Rather the idea of “prosumers”
(producer + consumer) model might be a new line of approach.
The content design
with a sensitive pedagogy and its delivery pattern impacts the learners and
classroom teaching immensely. The objective should be to initiate debate, analysis,
critical thinking, and appreciation among other things. It should facilitate an
“immersive experience” for learning.
The challenge
before the content developers is the message from the marketing departments that
“all that is new need not necessarily sell.” (To certain extent it may be true) Therefore,
they are conditioned to provide what the market needs rather than providing
leadership products that would influence the learning experiences. The schools
and colleges, on the other hand want stereotypes which do not require any
additional work on their side. While the content base remains the same and is
regulated by the curricula and the syllabi, the design could be prompting inquiry
and supportive of developing multiple intelligence.
On-line delivery of
content for customized needs independent of ‘formal contents’ packaged for
institutional needs is likely to be an emerging market (it already exists in a
limited form). Content marketing strategies have not evolved much and possibly
they need some ‘out of box’ thinking.
Another challenge
in content development is the staple ‘questioning models” embedded in the
content packages. The variety, originality, context and inter-disciplinary
questions which help in integrated thinking appear to be absent. For decades,
we hang on to the ‘verbal’ modes of questions with absence of visual inputs. “Newness”
in conceptualizing and designing questions is required. One of the tragedies in
the question modeling is ‘right answer syndrome” where we expect the same
answer from every child giving least consideration to perceptions and
consequent reasons.
“Error analysis” is
a significant part of the learning process. In our systems errors are treated
contemptuously or they are transferred to the ‘trash bin’ without even
considering “why and how” of the error. Exercising on error-analysis doesn’t
appear anywhere in concept development processes.
Questions can be
raised relating to contemporary issues contextualizing them to the core of the
content. Open ended questions which facilitate lateral thinking and
possibilities will help in exploration and research.
Extensive and Intensive
learning opportunities exist for content developers to meet the emerging
markets!
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