Critical Reading
February 16, 2017 - Context of Education
Tonight lecturer Deanna Herst took us on a journey in critical reading. As maker and researcher I considered myself critical, but I found out that I am not that objective and critical at all. Especially when it comes to judging where the author is coming from and in which circle (or canon) it is participating. When it comes to the content of the source I am rather critical, but I often forget to cross check my insights with the intended meaning of the author. I am sometimes unaware of my background and mission when reading several sources. I am reading a lot of sources from the positive side of my topic. The enthousiastic innovators are inspiring me to design education differently. The sources that I considered critical are indeed critical sources, but all critical on how education is today and that it should change. In my selection of sources I need to find critical sources on the maker movement as a concept, which seems to be the answer to these request to change.
Tonight I learned how to read a source as an interpretation of the truth, instead the truth itself. It made me curious to find the other side of the debate on my topic. The critical reading technique will help me classify my sources, develop a critical reading attitude and helps me to relate my work to others.
My challenge for my own research is to dive into the ‘other side’ of the debate on learning by doing and life long learning.