The Long and Winding Road of ID

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There were many good points made by both Merrill and Wilson about the future of ID.

I agree with Merrill on these points:

• If, as he states in his “argument”, companies are moving toward designers-by-assignment due to funding, it makes sense to modify the way a Masters student is trained. Instead of pure “design, it seems that one with a Masters in ID should be prepared not to design instruction but to mentor and guide the designers-by-design.
• Science is a portion of the “base” knowledge for ID students. Students are required to study and observe good teaching practices and discern from these observations what works and what doesn’t.

One drawback to the straight and narrow is rigidity. Looking at the chart 32.1, several terms leap out at me, including established and validate. The text referred to a limitation of the straight and narrow as “hardening of the arteries”, which I thought was an appropriate term.

I agree with Wilson on these points:

• Those in ID are working toward openness and sharing as well as following established goals for the field.
• In a “free market” of ideas, worthy concepts will be nurtured and flourish while those without merit will die on the vine.
• Chart 32.1-Under Methods of Sharing--Strait-Emphasis on established refereed outlets; Broad-Established refereed outlets PLUS Web-style self publishing and sharing, conference style forums on-line and face to face and water cooler conferences and communities of practice. I identify with methods of sharing through the broad and inclusive road. Why should sharing be limited to “established refereed outlets” as proposed by the straight and narrow? Many times, informal learning situations, such as those mentioned on the “broad” side of this issue, yield more practical information.

One drawback to the broad and narrow is what I term the “loosey goosey” factor---without a “core” set of stated values, it would be easy for this camp to implode.

Having said all this, it would be my wish to be able to travel the “hybrid” road. Adhering specifically to either The Strait and Narrow Road or The Broad and Inclusive Road is just too restricting to me....and I think, a little dangerous.