Key Messages
Welcome To The University Of Everywhere: The Future Of Education And Accessible Knowledge
Are you looking for a university where you can have conversations in class, enjoy your lunch while still learning, or even take a biology course down by the beach? Look no further than the University of Everywhere!
With online resources already making it possible to access the same amount of knowledge (or more!) than can be found in the biggest universities and libraries, institutions are offering more and more classes tailored to their students.
This doesn’t just mean that knowledge is becoming increasingly accessible, but also at a low cost which contrasts so greatly with the elitist education system that exists in the US today.
So if you’ve been dreaming of an inclusive university experience, don’t wait any longer!
The University of Everywhere is right around the corner and it could be exactly what you’re looking for.
The University Of Everywhere: A Solution To America’S Higher Education Crisis
It’s clear that something is wrong with the American higher education system.
Studies have revealed that not even two-fifths of enrolled students meet the four-year deadline for graduations, and two-thirds still hadn’t graduated after six years.
To make matters worse, the US Census has confirmed what we already knew: 35 million people over 25 had dropped out of college.
What’s more, a survey conducted by sociologists Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa revealed that even after two years of college, 45 percent of students failed to develop essential skills such as critical thinking and communication.
After four years – an alarming 46% had made no statistically significant progress despite their college education.
So what can be done? The author suggests what he calls the University of Everywhere – a new type of education is here through free online courses which offer 24/7 access from all corners of the world with no overhead costs or unnecessary debt obligations.
In fact, this isn’t some distant future; it’s already here!
The author himself took part in an introductory series on biology held by edX, an online educational organization founded by MIT and Harvard – proof that higher education can truly go digital!
From Student-Centered To Market-Driven: How Universities Lost Sight Of Their Origins
At one time, the first universities were all about the students.
It all started with the university of Bologna, established in 1088 initially by students themselves.
They even hired teachers based on strict conditions and rules such as punctuality and attendance.
But with the Renaissance and Enlightenment, learning became a form of capital to be traded and universities began to see an opportunity to exploit eager students looking for advancement.
This meant that books became increasingly important in driving demand for education and led to universities popping up everywhere, all centered around the professor not the student – who ultimately retains control over learning.
Furthermore, during this era professors gathered in faculties like canon law, theology and medicine which further served to strengthen their dominance over university enrolment and progress.
As if to add insult to injury, universities even proceeded to set themselves apart even more by stockpiling volumes of books; a invaluable resource at the time given how expensive they were since they had to be copied out manually.
In conclusion, it is safe to say that while originally created for students, in time things changed drastically as universities realized a market opportunity for knowledge exchange in education control slipping away from those them it was supposed to benefit-the students.
The Printing Press Solidified Universities As The Primary Source Of Knowledge In Early Modern Europe And The United States
The printing press had an immense impact on the way that university models were established in the United States.
After the spread of Gutenberg’s printing press throughout Europe, it was expected that the power balance in the knowledge economy would shift; however, universities still held a firm grip on their power structure and those within academia remained concentrated.
The books became cheaper and more widely circulated, but they were still out of reach for most people.
Since students needed instruction from educated individuals and there was no source of guidance outside university walls, enrolling at a college or university became a given.
University libraries hoarded all of the books that students needed to study from.
This model was then exported to America when British immigrants established Harvard College, which set him off as one of nine colonial colleges in America by 1765 similar to England’s structure – though state authorities provided charters to establish universities but stopped short of providing financial support or help with fund-raising.
This made universities private institutions in America leading up to the Civil War where there were nearly 250 private colleges or universities spread out across the nation.
The Three Principles Underlying University Education In The United States: The Land Grant, Research, And Liberal Arts Universites
The American university system has three founding principles.
The first is the land grant university, which was created by the 1862 Morrill Land-Grant Act.
This act provided federal lands to each state, and the financial proceeds generated from them were used to create universities that focused on job training in fields such as agriculture and mechanics.
The second principle came from Wilhelm von Humboldt in early 19th century Germany – his idea of the research institution.
He wanted universities focused on scholars, that could help drive human knowledge and progress forward with students tagging along and picking up what they can learn.
The third foundational principle behind universities was Cardinal Newman’s ideas of disseminating already established knowledge, a model which was widely accepted in the English-speaking world at that time.
Universities should explain how the world works and is interconnected, leading to students receiving a broad based education instead of specializing in one particular field.
These 3 principles combined have become known as the American University system today.
The Hybrid University Model Negatively Affected Access To Higher Education By Creating A Two-Tier System Of Affluent And Non-Affluent Students
Charles William Eliot is the man responsible for creating the hybrid university model.
This revolutionary idea had a huge impact on the world of education, creating a whole new market for undergraduate students to explore.
In order to make room for this innovative concept, Eliot proposed that students be educated in both practical skills and liberal arts before they could become world-class scholars.
So, rather than narrowing down solely to chemistry or law, a bachelor’s degree included courses in English, foreign languages, mathematics and other sciences to help hone observation and contemplation.
Eliot’s philosophy was then taken up by many educational institutions around the world and can be seen as an early predecessor of Alexander von Humboldt’s research university vision.
Furthermore, it allowed students to design their own curriculum with more professors and better libraries being used as an incentive for enrolment.
However, this ambitious model did come with certain drawbacks: only top tier universities could afford it which resulted in limited access opportunities; leading us towards today’s two-tier system of higher education.
It’S Time For A Revolution In Higher Education: The University Of Everywhere Could Be The Answer
American universities are bringing in hefty fees from undergraduates without any concern for their students’ learning.
It’s becoming increasingly costly to attend college, even at less prestigious schools, with a bachelor’s degree costing up to $100,000.
This money doesn’t go towards better teaching standards and amenities – instead, university staff get paid based on the publication of papers and results from laboratories.
Unfortunately, teaching faculty on college campuses don’t receive special training that should be dedicated to equipping them to teach undergraduate courses.
This system isn’t new – it goes back several hundred years.
And though research may be beneficial to advancing knowledge and progress, it’s coming at the expense of undergraduate education which is simply not prioritized by universities.
With students shelling out such huge amounts and leaving college with restricted or even absent learning, there has to be a solution to this outdated model.
The University of Everywhere could provide an answer since it promises equal focus on research and undergrad teaching, as well as providing proper training for teaching faculty that can equip them for their role in educating university students.
The Advantages Of The University Of Everywhere: Flexibility, Convenience, And Control
The University of Everywhere can offer what traditional university campuses cannot – the ability to learn in an environment that works for them.
While the lack of face-to-face interaction with a teacher can be seen as a downside, it also means that students are not confined to having to attend lectures or seminars at specific times and locations.
Instead, they have the flexibility to study at their own pace, even if they need to pause, rewind or fast forward course material at any given moment.
Furthermore, for those who work part-time or have other commitments outside of studying, the University of Everywhere gives students more freedom to catch up on missed lectures or seminars when it suits them – something which isn’t always possible with a traditional university campus.
Ultimately, this flexibility is one of the major advantages offered by the University of Everywhere over traditional universities in America.
Wrap Up
The End of College by Kevin Carey is a thought-provoking book that provides insight into the current state of the American university system and suggests a solution to its shortcomings.
As Carey points out, universities are not teaching students as well as they should be, and this can be addressed by leveraging information technology.
He argues that this will lead to the emergence of a new consumer market and a new type of university: The University of Everywhere.
This new form of higher education will provide students with easier access to learning material, more varied ways to learn, greater control over their own educational experience, and lower costs.
Ultimately, these changes suggest a brighter future for those seeking quality education at an affordable price.
