Future of Learning Top Reads for week of Sep 16 2019
“We asked college presidents to predict the future for today’s kindergartners,” by in The Boston Globe
“The high school student body to graduate in the year 2032, Gen Alpha, will experience a digitally-integrated delivery of collegiate services, experiences and training. I’m convinced that the internet-of-things environment will require colleges and universities to provide digitally and virtually accessible competency-based certifications, while offering venues and platforms to assess proficiencies with essential/soft skills and general education individually and in groups. I believe Gen Alpha will also experience an increase in industry embedded collegiate experiences where education occurs both on campus and at industry sites.”
Why does this matter to the future of learning?
Many college presidents’ predictions center on the impact of technology and diversity. No doubt these two forces will have tremendous influence over the evolution of higher ed in the next 12 or so years.
But it is notable that there are few mentions of a deliberate shift in approaches to teaching and learning, a potential blind spot for some colleges.
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“A Future with a Different CEPP/SPGP,” by Jon Boeckenstedt, on jonboeckenstedt.wordpress.com
“Essentially, as I understand it, the DOJ says the three provisions that NACAC must remove are anti-competitive, in that they limit competition among colleges, who all agree to stop recruiting students at certain points and who cannot offer better deals to students under ED. The DOJ claims, and is probably right, that this restricts the ability of the student to be solicited with better offers from colleges who are willing to cut price or offer incentives for behavior. Imagine, he said, knowing how crass the comparison sounds, that the Airline Association of America banned its members from discounting last-minute airfares when they have empty seats to fill. (I know this is an imperfect analogy, by the way.)”
Why does this matter to the future of learning?
Jon Boeckenstedt, former VP of Enrollment at DePaul University and now playing that role at Oregon State, is a provocative thinker about enrollment and higher education.
In this post, Boeckenstedt offers 9 predictions about potential consequences of DOJ’s ruling. Here is the first prediction:
“College deposit amounts will soar to increase the cost of walking away from a commitment. If you can’t take it out on your competitors, you can make switching costs for consumers higher. For non-aided ED admits (and, really, is there any other kind?) colleges may require a full-year’s tuition as deposit.”
Heads of School, college counselors, and parents should read the other 8 predictions to get a sense of how DOJ’s ruling may affect the college admissions game.
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“California students could soon get a Seal of STEM on their diplomas,” by Sydney Johnson, in EdSource
“To earn the seal, which is added to a student’s high school diploma, students must meet criteria that include a minimum 3.0 grade point average for all science, technology, engineering and math courses in high school. Students must also take four year-long courses in both math and science and one of the years of math can be satisfied with computer science.
“If signed by [CA Governor Gavin] Newsom, California will join 11 other states — including New York, Texas, Colorado and Nevada — that have adopted policies to award similar STEM graduation honors.”
Why does this matter to the future of learning?
Adding a “seal” to a final transcript is a step in the direction of augmented and alternative credentials. (Here’s another example.)
As online learning and out-of-school learning continue to expand and evolve, look for additional augmentations and additions to the high school diploma.
These new options will, in turn, create downward pressure on K12 schools to reconsider the entire ecosystem of “credits.”
There has never been a better time to ask, “Where does our mission overlap with what the market will soon demand?”
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Question of the week:
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