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The Surprising Solution: Online Learning

By Robyn Bagley, PCE Board Chair

Michael Bassis is the President of Westminster College. He recently had a short essay published in the online version of Business Week entitled, Reining in College Costs - Higher-education costs are spiraling out of control, and quality leaves much to be desired. The surprising solution, argues a college president: online learning. In it he discusses the potential of online learning stating, "While almost every industry has made great strides over the last two decades in lowering its costs and increasing its productivity, our colleges and universities have not. The problem is that conventional wisdom in academia posits a direct relationship between cost and quality...There is another way to define quality that actually makes more sense. That entails thinking of quality in terms of outcomes rather than resources—focusing on student learning instead of the size of the endowment." He also provides insight into how Westminster College is adapting to the impending technology wave by sharing details about their new hybrid teaching model being developed.

This article is a must read for all those who want a clear picture of what the future holds for education, both Higher Ed and K-12. Finally! In the world of education the technology train has left the station and there's no stopping it. Thank goodness, because with this technology comes one-on-one tutoring capabilities that have the potential to finally do what has eluded traditional methods of education for decades if not centuries; provide individualized, student-centered learning that focuses on outcomes for every student. No more one size fits all. An associate of mine who shares my enthusiasm and support for online learning sent the article to me asking for my input. The following is my assessment.

I agree wholeheartedly with what President Bassis has outlined regarding the future of online education. I agree with his assessment of quality and all of his key points. He hits the nail on the head when discussing the shift between a subject matter expert vs. the teachers role in the "learning paradigm". I, of course, feel that everything he is saying applies to K-12 as well.

The argument for online learning will always win on it's merits, but much like vouchers those opposed will work to undermine it. The opposition comes from those more interested in protecting a system than serving the needs of students; an entrenched system with a great deal of money involved and incentives for those who reap the benefits to keep it the same. It's a very comfortable monopoly as it is currently structured.

Education, both K-12 and Higher Ed, should always be first and foremost about student outcomes. We have a difficult battle fighting the entrenched interests. However, I believe with every fiber of my being that technology's time in education has come and cannot be stopped. It will happen just as Clayton Christensen describes in his book Disrupting Class as a "disruptive innovation". It will circumvent the keepers of the status quo much like Terry Moe & John Chubbs describe in Liberating Learning. As aptly explained by Christensen, "They then move relentlessly upmarket, becoming progressively more capable of doing sophisticated things, until they completely displace the companies that formerly had dominated their industries." I am witnessing this progressive sophistication firsthand as Board Chair of the Open High School of Utah, an online public Charter school. It is remarkable to watch this nimble school both adapt and accelerate in it's abilities to deliver a tailored education to the students.

Virtual learning no longer looks like textbooks online. It is becoming as sophisticated as the technology industry itself. It has, in fact, sparked an entire new industry creating innovative products and solutions that are making online learning even more engaging and dynamic than what can be found in a bricks and mortar environment. It's free-market capitalism at it's finest. You know, that maverick principle and value that made America great, the principle lacking in the current education model. The technology medium itself is more familiar and comfortable to today's student than ever before. It is indeed their comfort zone. It's how they communicate and interact with one another. It's a natural fit for them to utilize technology to learn. It challenges them and provides them with individualized attention to meet their unique learner needs.

This statement in President Bassis article truly defines one of the most exciting potentials of online learning, "Ultimately, it is not the technology but the new practices that the technology enables which will revolutionize learning. These new practices entail a shift in attention away from what is taught (the "teaching" paradigm) to what and how a student learns (the "learning" paradigm)." Subsequently followed by this, "So instead of working only to master the subject matter of a course, students are developing the skills to learn on their own. They no longer wait to be taught -  they come to realize that, if they are to succeed, they must take a good deal of responsibility for their own learning." Brilliant!

It will still take time to change the way online education is perceived. He is correct in his assessment about letting go of certain pieces of the traditional model. The socialization aspect is misunderstood by those who revere the delivery of such things as sports, activities and daily face to face interaction within traditional schools as a priority equal to subject mastery and student outcomes. Ultimately once the employers start seeking the online learners to fill their positions because they possess the skills they are seeking, that is when the traditional providers will realize it's sink or swim. That and obviously the fact that more and more of their customers will leave them to choose an online option.

I am a passionate supporter of online education, so it comes as no surprise that my passion is elevated by an article such as this. I love to discover another comrade! I encourage you to read it and become more educated about "the potential of online learning".

 Link to UtahPolicy.com