Has the do-it-yourself movement come to higher education? New York Times, yesterday:
For those who have the time and money, the four-year residential campus still offers what is widely considered the best educational experience. Critics worry that the online courses are less rigorous and more vulnerable to cheating, and that their emphasis on providing credentials for specific jobs could undermine the traditional mission of encouraging critical thinking.
But most experts agree that given the exploding technologies, cuts to university budgets and the expanding universe of people expected to earn postsecondary degrees, there is no end in sight for newfangled programs preparing students for careers in high-demand areas like business, computer science, health care and criminal justice.
Chester E. Finn Jr., a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and the president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, predicted that all but the top tier of existing universities would 'change dramatically' as students regained power in an expanding marketplace.
Free and open to the public, the Wednesday, Sept. 21 "IdeaFestival Labs" will discuss ideas and topics of particular interest to Louisville and greater Kentucky. Come join a discussion of the impact that DIY degrees may have on institutional higher education.
Wayne