Dialectical Learning In Information Systems

Abstract

The classical dialectical (study partner) learning method of Greek and Hellenistic antiquity remains the traditional learning method of Jewish religious and cultural studies, and enjoys widespread informal use by students in some American universities. The cognitive advantages of dialectical study have led to its adoption as a powerful, general cognitive methodology, for example in Extreme Programming (Beck 1999.) This article describes the authors experience with formally assigned dialectical study in a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in Information Systems at California State University, Los Angeles.