Another thought provoking report…
The Future of Higher Education, Part of the Future of the Internet series, released on July 27, 2012.
by Janna Anderson, Jan Lauren Boyles, Lee Rainie
“Imagine where we might be in 2020. The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center asked digital stakeholders to weigh two scenarios for 2020. One posited substantial change and the other projected only modest change in higher education. Some 1,021 experts and stakeholders responded” – Introduction & Overview.
- 39% agreed with a scenario “In 2020, higher education will not be much different from the way it is today.”
- 60% agreed with a scenario outlining more change: “By 2020, higher education will be quite different from the way it is today. There will be mass adoption of teleconferencing and distance learning to leverage expert resources.”
Some of the Major Themes – see report for the details
- Higher education will vigorously adopt new teaching approaches, propelled by opportunity and efficiency as well as student and parent demands.
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Economic realities will drive technological innovation forward by 2020, creating less uniformity in higher education.
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“Distance learning” is a divisive issue. It is viewed with disdain by many who don’t see it as effective; others anticipate great advances in knowledge-sharing tools by 2020.
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‘Bricks’ replaced by ‘clicks’? Some say universities’ influence could be altered as new technology options emerge; others say ‘locatedness’ is still vital for an optimal outcome.
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Frustration and doubt mark the prospect of change within the academy.
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Change is happening incrementally, but these adjustments will not be universal in most institutions by 2020.
- Universities will adopt new pedagogical approaches while retaining the core of traditional methods.
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Collaborative education with peer-to-peer learning will become a bigger reality and will challenge the lecture format and focus on “learning how to learn.”
- Competency credentialing and certification are likely… …yet institutional barriers may prevent widespread degree customization.
- Higher education lags in preparing young people for new kinds of futures in which they will have to learn how to learn.
- Some predict significant redefinition within higher education in a future packed with choices for knowledge acquisition.
Read Full Report
- View Online
- Download (43 page PDF)
– Patricia
