Riding the Wave of the Future
Five years ago I joined Concord, Kaplan’s online law school, as Dean and Professor after thirty years in the traditional law school world. Colleagues said that I was part of the “wave of the future.” Like surfing (and life in general), in the rethinking of higher education, timing matters. I trusted that I was preparing to meet a big wave just as it began to break, looking for that exciting, long, and satisfying ride. Too far out, in advance of the wave, there’s nothing to catch; too late, one can get buried in an avalanche of water and foam. I am pleased that online learning is evolving rapidly and making progress in legal education.
Three recent articles that came across my screen involve online learning’s timeline. “What Doomed Global Campus?” comments on the demise of the University of Illinois’ recent venture into online education. “A Virtual Revolution Is Brewing for Colleges” speculates on the fallout for traditional higher education institutions as online learning opportunities and options spread. Finally, in “College for $99 a Month” Kevin Carey considers the impact that course providers like StraighterLine can have on the long-term business prospects of colleges and universities. All are worth a read.
Each of these articles, in one way or another, suggests that online’s growth is and will be fueled by the fact that such courses are cheap. Costs go down in part, it is suggested, because the faculty role is fragmented; the costs involved in education are reduced by substituting lower cost labor for more expensive traditional faculty. Zeyphr Teachout’s New York Times’ piece suggests that by 2030 the typical faculty will be “a collection of adjuncts alone in their apartments, using recycled syllabuses and administering multiple-choice tests from afar.”
Bleak picture; I doubt it; and it would be a disaster. To be sure, we need reforms in higher education that reduce cost, and faculty costs are part of the conversation. The goal, however, is to provide cost-effective, not cheap, education. Despite resisting change (don’t we all), “the faculty” is not primarily responsible for the problems that higher education faces. Nor, given shared governance, are they blameless.
The Inside Higher Education piece about the U. of I. Global Campus quotes a faculty member saying “Teaching is not a delivery system…. You can’t divorce the syllabus from the delivery.” Of course you can. We need the involvement, commitment, and creativity of the faculty to figure out how that might be done in a cost-effective way that serves well the needs of the students.
Faculty - whether tenured or contingent; whether they design courses, author materials, teach in the classroom (F2F or virtual), or all three - are inherently and obviously critical to the process of making education work better for students. Building a vital and meaningful faculty community that will play a meaningful role in moving us to a new and improved world of higher education is a challenge. But it is one that can and must be met.
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In Pune, India, many educationalists like Dr. Arun Nigvekar have come together to form Seamless Education Academy, that is the first and only Creativersity in India. they have very recently launched a blog (www.seamlesseducationacademy.blogspot.com) as well. it seems here that they want to give a focus to the creative genius in their students in RJ, Sound Engineering, Gemmology, Animation and Broadcast Media. i think that initiatives like these are a ray of hope and really need to be commended.
For some people, online education just makes sense. It is really convienent and is cheaper. It is also the only way some students are able to get their degree. They are lucky online degrees from accredited colleges are offered. I am sure they are very thankful the technology allows them to have the choice to earn a degree online.
I have been at Kaplan for two years now, pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies. The reason I believe Kaplan works is that they take out to “unnecessary” courses, such as Music Appreciation, and instead, focus on courses that will further your future career. Kaplan works, for me and other students, because the faculty realizes we have lives outside of college and has designed its programs to be flexible, thereby allowing students to keep their jobs and family committments and still get a quality education. It isn’t cheap, but there is the old adage of “you get what you pay for”. I get my money’s worth at Kaplan and I thank God for Kaplan.
Hi, I went to Kaplan University online and I loved it. I learned alot at Kaplan and I owe over 49,000 for 4 1/2 years. Kaplan helped me learn my career and I have made some everlasting friendships in and out of Kaplan. Without the help of my professors the the ppl I call my friends from Kaplan University, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Thank You Kaplan for improving my life.
Dean Currier,
Having completed my Master’s in Higher Education at Kaplan, I can state without reservation that the educational constructs presented by the professors provided a unique learning experience. I was allowed to expanded my knowledge through multiple diciplines, such as research, contructive discourse with immediate and positive feedback from the instructors. I would recommend Kaplan as a benchmark in Higher Education.
Online education is indeed boon and blessing in disguise for individuals who do not have the luxury of being part of a regular college or university but would like to pursue their education. I for one have completed my education through online education and this helped me in giving attention to my infant kids without sacrificing my education. Online education is a necessity in today’s fast times and there should be more initiatives from established educational institutions to set up more online schools and colleges.
Quality Research
Will Florida EVER accept on-line law school?
Thanks to everyone who commented on this post.
To Shari, Cindy and Linda: It is always uplifting to hear from students who have enjoyed and benefited from the institution with which one is associated. So, on behalf of my colleagues at Kaplan, thanks for the kind words.
To Barbara, who write about a specific matter - acceptance of online law school degrees in Florida: it will happen; at Concord we are working hard to deliver a good program and to be out there in the law and legal education communities helping our colleagues to understand and appreciate what we do. The rules will change and opportunities will open up. If we work hard and intelligently, we think that we can speed up the process a bit.
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