The End of University Prestige

[Peasie]

From salon.com
<span style="font-weight: bold">
How the growth of online learning is changing the way we think about higher education</span> by Jed Lipinski

Higher education in this country [(U.S.] is in a state of crisis. Nearly nine out of 10 American high school seniors say they want to go to college. Yet <span style="font-weight: bold">almost half of U.S. college students drop out</span>, outstanding student loan debt exceeds $730 billion, <span style="font-weight: bold">and tuition fees rose 248 percent between 1990 and 2008, more than any other major commodity or service.</span>

As Anya Kamenetz suggests in &quot;DIY U: Edupunks, Edupreneurs, and the Coming Transformation of Higher Education,&quot; these problems, and the fact that students and teachers are increasingly venturing beyond campus walls to gather and share information, spell trouble for the future of the conventional university. In her book, Kamenetz, the author of “Generation Debt” and a staff writer for Fast Company magazine, <span style="font-weight: bold">argues that a decentralized college experience — in which the least effective parts of college life are replaced by technology, social media and self-directed learning — can limit dropout rates and reverse the devastating cost spiral</span>.

Kamenetz doesn’t advocate leaving the university behind, but she envisions a future where the 80 percent of American college students who attend non-selective schools (mainstream public universities and community colleges) create their own personalized course of study. Some American universities are already making classes available for free online, and using blogs, YouTube, Facebook and, yes, Twitter, to move toward this new model for higher education.

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[Wahalla]

Re: The End of University Prestige

I have made this comment for years... Now some companies are training their own people in their own specialised technology that the relevance of a degree is questionable... Think on the amount spent by companies on training...

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: The End of University Prestige

There is no substitute for an independent college qualifications.
Company training is not equally as valuas the worse college deploma.
Companies that train staff create tethered and independently unqualified people.
Just ask the forme head of Scotia Bank Jamaica who was the victim of internally trained process.
They retired him and he can't find a suitable position.If he had real tertiary qualification he would be in great demand. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have made this comment for years... Now some companies are training their own people in their own specialised technology that the relevance of a degree is questionable... Think on the amount spent by companies on training... </div></div>

[twiney]

Re: The End of University Prestige

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have made this comment for years... Now some companies are <span style="font-weight: bold">training their own people in their own specialised technology</span> that the relevance of a degree is questionable... Think on the amount spent by companies on training... </div></div>

If this is the only training these people have does that make them adaptable if they leave the organization? A degree/college education today is more than just academics (mind you not every graduate comes out with more than just academics). True education at the end of an undergraduate or graduate program if successful delivers a critical thinker who is then adaptable to different situations/environments.

[Wahalla]

Re: The End of University Prestige

I think the function of degrees has changed and so has the value.. The old style disciplines retain their value.. A degree in classics, law, medicine pure science engineering are still valuable comodities.. However I have doubts about the value of a loit of the degrees I see...



Doc point on internal training is valid and the idea that a doctor being trained by a pharaceutical company is something to be feared for instance... Internal training is for company specific systems.. However for instance a degree in media studies and its various other functionalities that have appeared in the last decade fails to serve a function. I have spent time listening to the double talk that produces gordian knots.

A recall in my time that Price Waterhouse recruited A'level students in Jamaica and these went on to have careers without degrees.. one of my friends chose this career path is a parnter ,, He did get accountancy acreditation.. But one issue on the banking crisis in the UK was the number of Bank presidents who had degrees but no banking qualification...

Companies like Shell, Schlumberger, Halliburton have their own training systems that are recognised as gold brand training.. I question the need for degrees that serve no purpose.. A BSC buisness degree for instance, how does that give you the skills to run a buinsess ????

[j-kid]

Re: The End of University Prestige

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Just ask the forme head of Scotia Bank Jamaica who was the victim of internally trained process.
They retired him and he can't find a suitable position.If he had real tertiary qualification he would be in great demand. </div></div>

Unless he was the owner of the Bank, he must have had some formal education, to rise up through the ranks?

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: The End of University Prestige

Is that a question?
If so the answer IA no. He does not own the bank,and he he'd no formal tertiary education.
Other than Cambridge advance level education. Of course the bank sponsored courses at Harvard. But since hehad no first degree all he can get is a certificate of achievement
And Eve with the Harvard recognition it still have no current.
And yes he did the instite of Banking professional exams,but again it is not a university award.
The bachelor degree carry more currency.since it is considered the universal standard. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J kid</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Just ask the forme head of Scotia Bank Jamaica who was the victim of internally trained process.
They retired him and he can't find a suitable position.If he had real tertiary qualification he would be in great demand. </div></div>

Unless he was the owner of the Bank, he must have had some formal education, to rise up through the ranks? </div></div>