Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ The Higher Ed We Need Now

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

We in Canada spend almost $30 billion annually on higher education, about half of which comes from government sources, and almost a third comes from student tuition. About 60% pays for salaries and benefits. I wonder what people would say is 'the higher ed we need now' as a return for this investment. Here's what Goldie Blumenstyk suggests (quoted):

  • A more interdisciplinary approach to teaching, with more community-based internships and practicums.
  • More applied learning that can be evaluated through guided reflection and mentoring, to prepare students in all fields for careers of purpose for society.
  • Customized education, leveraging the online environment and technology tools, that is both values-based and experiential.

Now I think that this is a pretty good starting point. This would go a long way toward making higher education the community resource it should be. My question is, is there a way to get from where we are to where we could be?

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Nov 04, 2024 3:04 p.m.

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