The Future of Higher Education

As a parent of a recent college grad and 3 more to come before long - I am very interested in what is happening at the college level.  As a high school teacher - we try to prepare students to head off to college and be successful - but I don't think that most of us (high school teachers) really have a handle on what is happening in college (other than the fact that we went to college - some of us more years ago than we care to admit).  This past summer, I got the chance to join the WOU project and realized that there is a disconnect between what we say at the high school and what is really happening at the college level.


Recently I have been reading a book called College (Un)Bound. I am intrigued by some of the topics discussed in the book.  One chapter discusses the use of personalized technology.  Just as Netflix, Amazon and Google collect data points on your interests - some software the colleges are using will collect data point to personalize education.

Knewton - ASU (as well as other schools) are using a personalized tutor software to allow students in certain courses to work at their pace and spend more time on lessons and concepts that they don't understand.  If they do understand a concept - they can move on quicker.  Students also collect points and earn badges.

Learning Catalytics - At Harvard - students log in to their account when they enter a class (using their laptop or mobile device).  Based on a series of questions posed electronically by the professor, students are then paired up based on right and wrong answers and who might actually learn something from their classmates.  The software may even keep track of which learning pairs are more effective.

Naviance - Students using this software can get good advice on colleges, majors, and suggested careers based on choices in middle and high school.  Students and parents still get to make a choice - but information is available to help in this process.  The college admission process (as we know it now) might be totally different in the future because of software like Naviance.

The book also talks about the use of online course, hybrid course and the advantages of computerized academic counseling.  I know that some don't like some of these ideas - but the reading on this is intriguing.

The final idea I want to share is the idea that colleges are discussing getting rid of courses, majors, minors and radically re-organizing the college experience.  Roger Schank advocates refocusing college into 2 sections.  The first section would be the first 2 years.  During this time,  students would focus on the "twelve cognitive processes that underlie learning."   Then, using those skills, students would study specific subjects.  Others have suggested something similar.

A fact:  (found on page 149 in College Unbound)

• The Ten jobs most in demand in 2010 did not exist in 2004

I am excited to see what the future of higher education will look like.  I just hope that when we ask (at the high school level) if we are preparing students for college - that we are looking at the reality of what they really need - not the vision of what we went through school with.

Still learnin' -- and lovin' it.

15 Technologies That Were Supposed to Change Education

I spend most of my time looking at current technology and trying to think ahead to how we can change our classroom.  I just read an article about 15 technologies that were supposed to change education.  Interesting.

I think some of these have had an influence - just not to the extent the original writers thought they would.

#3 -- Social Studies teachers still use film to show some of the history they are teaching.
#5 and #15 - Look a lot like Skype, Video Conference or other other line education options.

I think we may actually be on verge of seeing some of this finally come true.

Although some fear technology taking over education - I still see a hard-working teacher behind any of these.  I don't see the teacher being replaced.  Students still need mentors, guides, and educators.

When I was in college, I worked as part of a crew to film some of our professors giving lectures.  These video tapes would be sent to students that were doing "distance learning".  Maybe they were student teaching away from campus, but needed to finish a history course - they could get these video tapes in the mail, watch them, read their text, take notes, etc as if they were on campus.  Then take the mid-term and final and complete the course.  Some of these tapes were also sent out to high schools to be used in advanced history classes.

I remember when I did my student teaching - some predictions that we made about what education might look like in the future.  Some have already come true.  With where technology is going - we are on the verge of finally being able to do some of the predictions.

Enjoy the read.

Still learnin' and lovin' it.