Innovations in Higher Education? Hah!
College leaders need to move beyond talking about transformation before it’s too late
http://chronicle.com/article/Innovations-in-Higher/131424/
Time to clear out the dead wood! I would like to think it will be radical and quick, but something makes me think it will be a generation or more in the implementation. While transformation in education is likely inevitable, the timing is not. First society will have to accept any alternative education system, which means the accreditation systems will likely be last to undergo any change, which naturally means that the organisations vested in the status-quo will have less incentive to adapt. Clearly some schools will adapt faster (some are already beginning radical changes, but there will be a shake-out period where society (re?)discovers what works) and not all major Universities will bite the dust, but I foresee a huge shake-out where 90+% of existing organisations will be driven out of business. Much like the author describes the media transformation we have been witnessing (meaning the rise of satellite, Internet, etc. has been ‘killing’ conventional media) there will be a repeat in our higher education (and, I firmly believe, but expect it to take a couple more generations (sigh), also in our primary schools). Conventional lecture is dead, but the corpse will continue to twitch, groan and make rude noises for decades to come.
I have a sad feeling, though, that just as it came way too late for me, it will come too late for my boy. He has already learned to hate school and is only in 2nd grade!
“Education” has become nothing but a buzzword. We all know that education improves productivity and success-rate. Consequently, we are determined that everyone receives “education.” Paper is cheap. Give us 100K or so and we’ll give you a piece. You can admire it while standing in the unemployment line.