changing higher education

[Vanessa Crary Vaile]

I'm going at this backwards. So shoot me... since you can't fail me. I've got a handful of unfinished posts in drafts and even more notes. So why jump this one to the head of the line? Well, several points: it fits week 8; intersecting networks and conflicting perspectives have been on my mind; and I'd like your input before we call this dog and pony show a wrap.

Here it is: my lead-in overlaps with this post. Or rather two versions of the original. I didn't really plan it that way but, by the time I posted the draft, double revisions seemed like a good idea.

The links are about the future of higher ed, not MOOCs per se but relate to them They express reactions to higher education disruptions and changes from various (and conflicting perspectives. I recall, perhaps imperfectly, a comment by Stephen Downes a MOOC or so back about disaggregating courses and credits as the only way to keep learning both open for students and make credit and degrees or certification available. It made sense to me, but I immediately recognized the authority (and thus power) to bestow credits as a line in the sand issue not to be easily resolved. I have colleagues too invested in the present system and opposed to this much change to consider the possibility, let alone recognize its inevitability. That makes discussion, not to mention dealing with the disruption, difficult.

Resistance to technological fueled change may not be the immediate, direct issue fueling the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education and supporting blog Restructuring Public Hi Ed. Undeniably, it plays a major role. The stated purpose is for educators to have a voice in higher education changes. They could have voices here and in other MOOCs. Listening to others with an open mind and the free exchange of ideas across the full spectrum of stakeholders has to be part of that voice. Likewise, little in my MOOC experience runs counter to the Campaign's basic (if somewhat vague) principles. 

Yet, were I to describe in person about being in a course of 2,000 or more, learning, challenged and still having fun, I'd better have smelling salts handy. 

I think MOOCs (and distributed networks) could be the solution to problems (e.g. authentic interaction) the others still present. However, they will be associated ~ and no doubt demonized ~ with them under the disruptive rubric. As board member and default social media slave for a participating organization, I'm caught in the middle, ethically obliged (to my way of thinking) to be an explainer, a go-between and, if necessary, unwelcome Cassandra.

I'm going to need all the help I can get... 

Vanessa

[Vanessa Vaile]

doing it backwards indeed - forgot the link, Changing HigherEd one MOOC at a time