The Academy and the 'Net
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Things will be different. Things are different. Because of the Internet. We notice these differences more in the areas of commerce, finance, entertainment, and news than we do in education. But the changes are there and more are coming.

What's likely to happen:

bulletMore and more universities will offer instruction online
bulletMore and more students will choose to study and pursue degrees at their own pace on their own schedule
bulletMore and more faculty will offer classes for a university without ever setting foot on the campus
bulletUniversities will behave more and more like certification agents putting students in electronic touch with freelance faculty members and freelanced courses and giving the contact institutional legitimacy

At the same time

bulletUniversities will continue to drift towards being businesses
bulletThe curriculum will more and more have the appearance of training programs

Why I'm not depressed

bulletI'm still teaching; so long as I have the ear of a student, he or she will hear about education
bulletI can teach electronically, a fact that gives me intellectual freedom if not the guarantee of a salary
bulletWhile contracting with universities for their livelihood, teachers of the future will be able also to offer classes for the pure joy of teaching to students who are taking the classes for the pure joy of learning
bulletThese will be classes for which "credit" is either not a factor or not the major factor in a student's decision to take the class
bulletThese classes will attract an interested and attentive audience
bulletThe 'Net will become the last refuge of the academy
 

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Page last updated March 19, 2006