My assignment was to read "What College Will Be Like in 2023" by Gabriel Kahn, create a blog, and answer the question: What do you think Sierra College will look like ten years from now and what will be the role of the online program?
As it happens, I have a son attending Sierra College and he had a friend over last night, so I asked these cyber experts what they thought of some of the key points in the article.
One of the points I found most interesting was the claim that "Having all the class material online also means some students could sail through a semester's worth of classes in a few weeks and then start again with new courses." The ability to finish some classes more quickly appealed to both students. There is a growing frustration with the length of time it takes to complete what was previously referred to as a "4 yr education", something that can now take 5-6 years. Any means of expediting the process saves both time and money.
Another point that appealed to these students was, "Students will be able to acquire knowledge globally, across different campuses...". This was no surprise since they already know they have access to free online courses from heavy hitters like MIT and Harvard through EdX.
The final point I thought would appeal to these students was, "No professor will need to assign the whole textbook...Each class will have its own tailored materials." The cost of textbooks can be prohibitive. Pair that with the frustrating fact that many professors require texts that contain more content than is relevant to a specific course and you have angry students. Customizing texts is a terrific idea that favors the students.
Colleges and universities are beginning to realize that their future students have a lot more options and are savvy consumers. They will need to adjust to this new market with competitive custom educational options. I do not think all of these major changes will take place at Sierra College within the next 9 years, nor do I think all courses are suited to online instruction. It will be interesting to see how the future unfolds.
Side note: Mayflies belong to the Order Ephemeroptera. The adults live for only a few minutes to a few days, depending on the species. They are nature's reminder that while it is important to think about the future, it is equally important to live in the moment.
