4 ms·

I suspect most people will find Qwiki cool for the novelty, but when it comes down to brass tacks and actually trying to learn something, I think Wikipedia's go

I suspect most people will find Qwiki cool for the novelty, but when it comes down to brass tacks and actually trying to learn something, I think Wikipedia's going to win out for everyone over the age of 13.

phlux 16y ago
But that is still valuable! Imagine a curated syllabus using Qwiki for K-5th grade topics that can be shown to children ALL OVER THE WORLD and effectively provide a basic level of education to every single kid on the planet. Pipe a data feed to some location, build a syllabus of information and let may kids get a ton of information. Sure, the depth that you would want them to have will require more affort - but there is nothing wrong with that. I just dont think that too many people are looking at technologies like Qwiki with much vision. They are still thinking in the past. Edit: Also - imagine if there was a "depth slider" on a qwiki - you could have it give a cursory overview of what algebra is, slide it to the right - and have it give more info and some examples - further still and you get actual lessons - further still and you get lectures from OpenCourseware etc..etc...
- alnayyir 16y ago
  People in the third world can't afford the bandwidth to watch videos like this, especially when it's so anemic on actual information.
  - phlux 16y ago
    Like I said - you're thinking in the past. Have some vision. We can pipe that content via satellite, dump it to a DVD even if needed. It is "anemic" on information becuase THEY JUST FREAKING LAUNCHED. Wait 5 years.
    - alnayyir 16y ago
      >Like I said - you're thinking in the past. Have some vision. I was recently told that by someone trying to convince me the future of education was schools buying Android tablets with no actual prompt or reason for doing so. Let alone a budget justification to the BoE. Good luck. >We can pipe that content via satellite, dump it to a DVD even if needed. Do you have any idea how much satellite connections cost relative to third world incomes? I don't think you understand what third world living is like. We're talking about people with no reliable access to electricity, dirty water at best, that live in slums, and can't afford to even pay for an internet cafe. It's not something that time is going to solve, either. The quality of life of the third world has gotten worse over the past 40-60 years and more of the world's poor lives in filthy slums than at any other time in history. Urbanization has actually served to ghettoize and disenfranchise the third world, as they can't even grow the food necessary for subsistence, let alone growth. But no, I lack vision and clearly these people need a fucking flash widget telling them about Natalie Portman. >It is "anemic" on information No it's anemic on information because video and audio aren't nearly as information dense or economical as text. AV is an affectation designed to be a sweetener in education, not an actual vehicle that can improve anything. >Wait 5 years. You're a fool. What the world needs is another agricultural innovator like Norman Borlaug, not a yuppie wet dream that does nothing for billions of starving brown people. Education that focuses on food production and not a "service economy" would go much further towards enabling them to help themselves rather than being dependent on the desires of the West for luxury. A lot of the problems in Africa stem from that they've literally forgotten how to properly grow food. But no, I lack vision. Of course all their problems are going to disappear in 5 years and they'll have macbooks and be sipping coffee in a Starbucks while they download their qwiki lessons on Calculus. Because, you know, you can learn calculus so much easier from a synth voice saying d/dx(x^2)=2x out loud.
      - phlux 16y ago
        Pedantic much, christ - I in no way was inferring that the qwiki would or should supersede food production. Get off your high horse - youre an asshole. To say that you lack vision because you are focused on all the reasons why something doesnt work is acurate. Additionally, I fully agree with you about agricultural innovators being needed - but simply because there are still many many other issues, entirely unrelated to my point, you dismiss the value of what this could also be used for. You must fucking hate yourself every day you go home to your comfy pad and open the fridge and gorge on ben and jerry's ice cream because millions upon millions of starving brown people dont have access to such delicacies from the warmth, safety and comfort of your living room. I guess we should all just give up on anything else as a possibility. We can spend trillions of dollars on wars, which BTW are predominately run, managed and monitored by satellite coverage, yet youre telling me I am a fool for suggesting that we could deliver pre-packaged video to Africa (your choice of location) is trivial. I am a fool for telling you that the current incarnation of Qwiki doesn't have the depth of text which you suggest - yet I never once discounted any other medium in any of my posts. Also, Mr. Internet Asshole, in which K to 5th grade syllabus have you seen calculus lessons? Jesus, take a step back from your ego for one second.

phlux 16y ago

But that is still valuable! Imagine a curated syllabus using Qwiki for K-5th grade topics that can be shown to children ALL OVER THE WORLD and effectively provide a basic level of education to every single kid on the planet. Pipe a data feed to some location, build a syllabus of information and let may kids get a ton of information. Sure, the depth that you would want them to have will require more affort - but there is nothing wrong with that. I just dont think that too many people are looking at technologies like Qwiki with much vision. They are still thinking in the past. Edit: Also - imagine if there was a "depth slider" on a qwiki - you could have it give a cursory overview of what algebra is, slide it to the right - and have it give more info and some examples - further still and you get actual lessons - further still and you get lectures from OpenCourseware etc..etc...

alnayyir 16y ago
People in the third world can't afford the bandwidth to watch videos like this, especially when it's so anemic on actual information.
- phlux 16y ago
  Like I said - you're thinking in the past. Have some vision. We can pipe that content via satellite, dump it to a DVD even if needed. It is "anemic" on information becuase THEY JUST FREAKING LAUNCHED. Wait 5 years.
  - alnayyir 16y ago
    >Like I said - you're thinking in the past. Have some vision. I was recently told that by someone trying to convince me the future of education was schools buying Android tablets with no actual prompt or reason for doing so. Let alone a budget justification to the BoE. Good luck. >We can pipe that content via satellite, dump it to a DVD even if needed. Do you have any idea how much satellite connections cost relative to third world incomes? I don't think you understand what third world living is like. We're talking about people with no reliable access to electricity, dirty water at best, that live in slums, and can't afford to even pay for an internet cafe. It's not something that time is going to solve, either. The quality of life of the third world has gotten worse over the past 40-60 years and more of the world's poor lives in filthy slums than at any other time in history. Urbanization has actually served to ghettoize and disenfranchise the third world, as they can't even grow the food necessary for subsistence, let alone growth. But no, I lack vision and clearly these people need a fucking flash widget telling them about Natalie Portman. >It is "anemic" on information No it's anemic on information because video and audio aren't nearly as information dense or economical as text. AV is an affectation designed to be a sweetener in education, not an actual vehicle that can improve anything. >Wait 5 years. You're a fool. What the world needs is another agricultural innovator like Norman Borlaug, not a yuppie wet dream that does nothing for billions of starving brown people. Education that focuses on food production and not a "service economy" would go much further towards enabling them to help themselves rather than being dependent on the desires of the West for luxury. A lot of the problems in Africa stem from that they've literally forgotten how to properly grow food. But no, I lack vision. Of course all their problems are going to disappear in 5 years and they'll have macbooks and be sipping coffee in a Starbucks while they download their qwiki lessons on Calculus. Because, you know, you can learn calculus so much easier from a synth voice saying d/dx(x^2)=2x out loud.
    - phlux 16y ago
      Pedantic much, christ - I in no way was inferring that the qwiki would or should supersede food production. Get off your high horse - youre an asshole. To say that you lack vision because you are focused on all the reasons why something doesnt work is acurate. Additionally, I fully agree with you about agricultural innovators being needed - but simply because there are still many many other issues, entirely unrelated to my point, you dismiss the value of what this could also be used for. You must fucking hate yourself every day you go home to your comfy pad and open the fridge and gorge on ben and jerry's ice cream because millions upon millions of starving brown people dont have access to such delicacies from the warmth, safety and comfort of your living room. I guess we should all just give up on anything else as a possibility. We can spend trillions of dollars on wars, which BTW are predominately run, managed and monitored by satellite coverage, yet youre telling me I am a fool for suggesting that we could deliver pre-packaged video to Africa (your choice of location) is trivial. I am a fool for telling you that the current incarnation of Qwiki doesn't have the depth of text which you suggest - yet I never once discounted any other medium in any of my posts. Also, Mr. Internet Asshole, in which K to 5th grade syllabus have you seen calculus lessons? Jesus, take a step back from your ego for one second.