Hi Sylvia
Thanks for responding & you raise an important point. You said, "it's not just "access" and "dissemination" we need to think about; adaptation or recreation of information is also important."
Allow me a little aside: are you familiar with the DIKW model? For the uninitiated, the model claims that there are 4 levels of material with which our brains can work: data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. As we move up the levels, the material becomes more and more contextual. (Wikipedia describes DIKW in a so-so manner here.)
So while I believe in the open sharing of data (as do most scientists), & the open sharing of information at the very least as it pertains to information that supports basic, essential education, I believe that the sharing of contextualized knowledge is something that must be done more carefully & with an awareness of the 'other'. And I honestly don't think that wisdom can be 'pushed' across boundaries at all: one only benefits from the wisdom of another by free will.
Nevertheless, if another group needs the information or education or knowledge in order to meet basic human needs, I don't think we have any moral right to withhold it. Not even to protect what we consider 'cultural' reasons. If someone desperately needs medical information in order to save lives, what right do we have to say, 'just wait until we assess the cultural impact for you.' ??
I do appreciate (as I think you are cautioning) that if we impose our education, our constructed knowledge on other cultures, we are guilty of colonization. This is indeed a serious risk. That's why I think it's important to keep a focus on the free sharing of information while supporting & encouraging cultural adaptation so that the information becomes culturally appropriate, useful knowledge.
Gina
Hi Gina,
I hadn't seen the DIKW model before but I've engaged in some fairly long-winded discussions in George Siemen's current course about Connectivism and the nature of knowledge and knowing. Some of participants explain the difference between information and knowledge in similar terms but I haven't seen it as clearly defined (probably missed it cuz it was a huge discussion - easy to get lost).
It seems to be a very useful way to consider information in context. I'm still not sure if I agree with the way they define wisdom - seems less than what I consider wisdom but then I think wisdom is rare.
I realize that you and the other educators who presented at the ETUG sessions are aware of the cultural implications of what you share but I think I was reacting to the story of the man who wanted to take nursing videotapes home to use in his schools. What I would wish we could do in a situation like that is sit down with him and find out what he really needs and perhaps give him the tools and assistance to create his own.
Sylvia
I hadn't seen the DIKW model before but I've engaged in some fairly long-winded discussions in George Siemen's current course about Connectivism and the nature of knowledge and knowing. Some of participants explain the difference between information and knowledge in similar terms but I haven't seen it as clearly defined (probably missed it cuz it was a huge discussion - easy to get lost).
It seems to be a very useful way to consider information in context. I'm still not sure if I agree with the way they define wisdom - seems less than what I consider wisdom but then I think wisdom is rare.
I realize that you and the other educators who presented at the ETUG sessions are aware of the cultural implications of what you share but I think I was reacting to the story of the man who wanted to take nursing videotapes home to use in his schools. What I would wish we could do in a situation like that is sit down with him and find out what he really needs and perhaps give him the tools and assistance to create his own.
Sylvia