In continuing on in Malcolm Gladwell's book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, he asserts that we often get confused between advantages and disadvantages. He illustrates this idea by acknowledging a difficult educational situation at Shepaug Valley Middle School regarding ever decreasing class sizes.
Gladwell remarks that we tend to have this perception that smaller class sizes translates into greater student understanding, content engagement, and overall academic success. However, he offers up data that contradicts this preconceived notion. The research actually proves that the difference in academic performance between students in a larger class sized environment and students in a smaller class sized environment is not all that different.
He uses this example to prove his idea that advantages are not always what we think they are. He even goes on to say that a smaller classroom size may actually be detrimental to learning.
Although I may disagree with certain pieces of his example, I do agree with the idea that he was trying to communicate through this example. There are certain things that we deem as an advantage, that may not actually be an advantage. Whether it is rooted in pattern, or tradition, or habit, we tend to have certain perspectives about things that will and will not work. In turn, this gives teachers an inability to try new things because they have a certain idea about the strategies and supports they have used for years will work in the classroom.
For me, I connect this to how teachers may view integrating technology into the classroom. Many teachers look at hard copy texts and see that there are so many advantages for students to have the book in front of them rather than on a computer screen. With book in hand, they can turn the pages and put sticky notes in them and more effectively annotate the text. To them, this is an advantage. Perhaps this is a limiting view of what an advantage is. I think that we should not fear e-books or online pdf texts because we only see the disadvantages.
This part of the book has inspired me to look at different perspectives that I have as to what constitutes as an advantage and a disadvantage. Gladwell encourages his readers to think outside the box and begin to search for new meaning and understanding of "advantages."
Gladwell remarks that we tend to have this perception that smaller class sizes translates into greater student understanding, content engagement, and overall academic success. However, he offers up data that contradicts this preconceived notion. The research actually proves that the difference in academic performance between students in a larger class sized environment and students in a smaller class sized environment is not all that different.
He uses this example to prove his idea that advantages are not always what we think they are. He even goes on to say that a smaller classroom size may actually be detrimental to learning.
Although I may disagree with certain pieces of his example, I do agree with the idea that he was trying to communicate through this example. There are certain things that we deem as an advantage, that may not actually be an advantage. Whether it is rooted in pattern, or tradition, or habit, we tend to have certain perspectives about things that will and will not work. In turn, this gives teachers an inability to try new things because they have a certain idea about the strategies and supports they have used for years will work in the classroom.
For me, I connect this to how teachers may view integrating technology into the classroom. Many teachers look at hard copy texts and see that there are so many advantages for students to have the book in front of them rather than on a computer screen. With book in hand, they can turn the pages and put sticky notes in them and more effectively annotate the text. To them, this is an advantage. Perhaps this is a limiting view of what an advantage is. I think that we should not fear e-books or online pdf texts because we only see the disadvantages.
This part of the book has inspired me to look at different perspectives that I have as to what constitutes as an advantage and a disadvantage. Gladwell encourages his readers to think outside the box and begin to search for new meaning and understanding of "advantages."