Just finished watching the video below:
Agree with most everything.
When I moved to higher education I expected to be surrounded by many bright people and I was.
What I hadn’t thought through was the value of a nimble mind. Although many of my colleagues were very intelligent and were experts in their fields of study, very few were able to practice divergent thinking and even fewer were visionaries.
I’ve raved on and on before about Thomas S. Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions but it, once again, speaks directly to an issue of bureaucratic rigidity that resists change even to the point of self-extinction. Fresh change that is revolutionary in nature but which would ensure survival and viability is not a positive goal that is sought in higher education. NOTE: every messenger WILL be killed!
I believe the plan for a revolution is often very simple and I’m just bold(?) enough to offer mine:
1.) Do away with the tenure system so administration can get at the point where change needs to occur
2.) Require all professors to gain and grow in experience of offering online courses
3.) Offer EXPERT support for faculty to become effective and (gasp) entertaining in leading online classes
4.) Get rid of any faculty who are (a) unwilling to try and who (b) aren’t good at it. This is an ESSENTIAL skill for the 21st century university or college that survives and thrives.
5.) Learn how to hire master teachers who have proven abilities to teach well and relate to online students. Don’t use people who can’t do it to staff the search committees. In fact, the single most important staff person for the 21st century university may be the overall master teacher who oversees hiring, faculty development, and planning of online delivery of courses.
I personally don’t find that higher ed people (or anyone in education) are naturally gifted with a modicum of courage so I don’t expect what is common sense in the business world to hold any sway over higher ed traditions and protective policies.
Very sad. Is anyone out there? Is anyone listening?
-richporr (Ph.D., faculty emeritus if those hold any weight)
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