While this topic predates the hoopla surrounding the idea of an education bubble, you might be able to see that there is plenty to share…regarding criticism of how our higher education system is working (sic).
There are some interesting questions to consider regarding this topic…
· Why have college education costs risen so high, and why these changes in the last several decades…but not earlier?
· While there is an argument to be made that the core of a liberal arts curriculum is (at best) a Victorian conceit (it actually has tendrils going back much further…to the previous turn of the millennium!), is it wise to just throw all of this out? This is an implication in much of the criticism of higher education (at least with regard to the humanities…).
· Should there be a movement to try to pry away the control over certification which these organizations wield (to keep power)?
· As with some of my K-12 perspectives, is there a real need to reevaluate all of these ideas from the ground up?
What’s the Future of Higher Education?
http://bigthink.com/ideas/37989
What’s the Big Idea?
With tuition spiraling upwards as the cost of learning paradoxically plummets, higher education is on an unsustainable course.
Why Is This Groundbreaking?
The modern university has, to a great extent, remained unchanged for 1000 years, despite massive changes in the way information is gathered, stored, and communicated. Founded upon the basic principles of heredity, authority, and scarcity of knowledge, the university is almost this "religious, sacred totem" that we as a society have carried with us, says Big Think expert Anya Kamenetz, author of the books "Generation Debt" and "DIY U."
But this model may no longer be serving us anymore. With student debt reaching all-time highs and colleges failing in their mission to educate, many, including investor Peter Thiel, have forecasted a massive correction in the higher education bubble. New educational models must reflect the fact that information is now free (or at least cheap) for all. And as we mentioned in a previous post, hosts of education startups are already trying to recreate the experience of college virtually, for a fraction of the cost.
1. The age-old liberal arts model may not ready you for the workforce like it did in the past. "We’ve gone for too long with the single vision of what the university should be and everything else has been condemned as being second rate," says Kamenetz. "We need to get away from that idea where there are seven liberal arts and that’s all that there are." Design, entrepreneurship, and computer science could emerge as new models for a 21st century liberal arts, she believes.
2. The spoon-feeding paradigm of learning is dying. If you are going to pursue a higher education degree—and take on the debt associated with it—be prepared to take an active approach to your education, which means forging your own connections and seeking internships and opportunities. Now more than ever "being a good student is not the same kind of cultivation of qualities that’s going to make you a successful adult," she says.
3. There are so many resources for learners outside the classroom, which means you might be able to simulate much of a college education on your own—if you’re willing to put in the effort.
