Open AccessSystemic Changes in Higher Education
Author(s) -
George Siemens,
Kathleen Matheos
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
in education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1927-6117
DOI - 10.37119/ojs2010.v16i1.42
Subject(s) - mandate , higher education , academic freedom , value (mathematics) , decoupling (probability) , politics , public relations , political science , sociology , pedagogy , mathematics education , computer science , psychology , engineering , law , machine learning , control engineering
A power shift is occurring in higher education, driven by two trends: (a) the increased freedom of learners to access, create, and re-create content; and (b) the opportunity for learners to interact with each other outside of a mediating agent. Information access and dialogue, previously under control of the educator, can now be readily fulfilled by learners. When the essential mandate of universities is buffeted by global, social/political, technological, and educational change pressures, questions about the future of universities become prominent. The integrated university faces numerous challenges, including a decoupling of research and teaching functions. Do we still need physical classrooms? Are courses effective when information is fluid across disciplines and subject to continual changes? What value does a university provide society when educational resources and processes are open and transparent?Keywords: higher education; freedom of learners; open access; online learning