Comments for New England Board of Higher Education

Comment on More on the Core by Ann Marie Banfield

Ann Marie Banfield — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 02:22:43 +0000

It would help to also note that Common Core has come with a great deal of controversy. Three areas of issues people have with Common Core are:
The Cost (NH has yet to estimate what this will cost the state)
The data mining of personal info on students and...
The poor quality of the Math/English Standards :
http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/82725929/669257732/name/Stostky_-_Reasons_for_not_signing_off_on_Common_Core%26%2339%3Bs_final_sta

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/82725929/313520086/name/Milgram%26%2339%3Bs_Full_Letter_-_comments-final-draft-short-versiont%2Epd

Comment on Coming to Terms with MOOCs: A Community College Angle by Mardy

Mardy — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:35:10 +0000

I must say, its too good to be true. I am really trying to digest the phrase I have read that "MOOCs are available to anyone and they are free." Then I found out that there are credits upon the completion of of MOOC, instead a certificate and that's not bad.. The thing is, it always surprises me when there are gimmicks about free stuff inside education area because like I have always wanted, College should be for free and not as a form of business. I appreciate this post and I am looking forward to the program to be as good as they say.

Comment on COOCs Over MOOCs by Jennifer Tonneson

Jennifer Tonneson — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:41:56 +0000

An important element which Pres Horton mentions is the need for assessment and as a part of that reflection. Too often we as administrators only do that when we "have to" and the stick it in a drawer (electronic or otherwise). To embrace change and to provide the market with what it (and we) need, our IHE's need to become learning organizations - academically and administratively. By becoming one, we make as part of our regular activities assessment and can then not just react but become proactive - with thoughtful investment. Maintaining the viability and affordability of higher education is the next crisis we face. And yes, we need excellent, involved, passionate faculty - otherwise folks are just reading books, not applying theories, concepts and learning.

Comment on COOCs Over MOOCs by Heidi Wilkes

Heidi Wilkes — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:52:52 +0000

Horton’s emphasis on the role of faculty in online learning success is critical. “No significant difference” studies comparing online and face-to-face learning outcomes demonstrate online effectiveness although it is important to note that this does not imply the positive effect is attributable to the online medium itself. In the U.S. DOE report (2010) referenced by Horton, “instructor-directed” online instruction produced a significantly positive learning effect and “independent learning” online instruction did not. Faculty presence and engagement is indispensible to the quality of the online student experience and learning. Institutions with an established track record of success delivering online programs, such as my home institution Granite State College, strategically deploy resources for faculty development and support services in a comprehensive and cost-effective manner that enhances the quality of the online learning experience and helps maintain accessible tuition rates.

Comment on COOCs Over MOOCs by Professor Durant

Professor Durant — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:58:47 +0000

As a longstanding professor who teaches on-ground and online, I was pleased to see President Horton’s thoughtful treatise regarding quality, affordable, online education or, as he aptly called it, “COOCs.” It was also fortuitous that I had just read an article by Clayton Christensen on the imperative of providing relevant tertiary education in an affordable manner to meet the rapidly expanding needs of a knowledge economy. The latter article posed the question and the former answered it.

President Horton’s college offers the type of “innovation” that Christensen has been talking about: it is affordable, it does not sacrifice quality and it is available to a wider range of learners that were overlooked in the past.

Horton aptly addressed online learning as co-existing with face to face. Too many of my fellow professors see it as a threat. It will replace everything we do is the cry too often heard. The COOC model is one of co-existence. If a student needs to learn at a distance, we shall send our learning out to them. And, we will send it out in a quality form and not as a cheap substitute. Horton’s model also honors the center-stage role that faculty play instead of the Armageddon cries of the diminishing role of faculty. He is correct in citing the high importance of faculty for “being highly responsive to the individual learning needs of students.”

And, another note that underscores Christensen in this article is the re-examination of how we do things. The designer of the course is a new partner who takes on the technology, so we don’t have to deal with this, but that person is a positive partner too so that we can “focus on helping students.” Re-examining is healthy.

Lastly, the integration of services that Horton mentioned is one that should not be overlooked. Too often, in my experience, the far-away online learner can’t access important services.

Bravo to COOCs. I would like to hear how other educators feel about this reasoned approach,
especially those who have actually taught online. Maybe in the same way that Horton did not dismiss MOOCs, and constructively recognized their place in an educational landscape, we can constructively discuss the necessary place for his aptly-titled COOCs.

Professor Durant

Comment on New Directions for Higher Education: Q&A with Carnegie Foundation President Anthony Bryk about the Credit Hour by Philip DiSalvio

Philip DiSalvio — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:31:33 +0000

Given Carnegie's focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning, it's gratifying to see a careful approach being taken to understanding the effects of changing the credit hour as a time based measurement. It appears that they have an appreciation for the substantial challenges in implementing competency-based systems at scale. As Bryk notes, their job is to dig deeply into all of this while acknowledging the complicated nature of the change. I share with you the considerations involved especially as these relate to the importance of the value of knowledge for its own sake.

Comment on New Directions for Higher Education: Q&A with Carnegie Foundation President Anthony Bryk about the Credit Hour by John Bennett

John Bennett — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:37:48 +0000

I trust that the considerations involved with the important effort will include the value of knowledge for its own sake. There is a critical need for the identification and effective learning of core knowledge. Such knowledge, in conjunction with skills for identifying, evaluating, organizing, understanding, and utilizing the vast materials available so easily today. The value is not in the learning of this material but in the ability to utilize it to address each situation faced. There are very few - if any - situations any of us will encounter similar to being a contestant on Jeopardy!!!

Comment on Unintended Consequences: An Uncertain Future for Distance Learning by Bill

Bill — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 02:10:39 +0000

I couldn't agree with you more. After digging into the topic deeper, however, I'm wondering what consequences institutions may expect to encounter if they simply continue to deliver distance education to states in which they have not acquired approval. I'm sure it varies from state to state, but I would like to know if the consequences would trigger any action from the federal government.

Comment on Degrees of Durability and the New World of Credentialing by Josh Jameson

Josh Jameson — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:55:27 +0000

I feel like most of these questions would not be being asked right now if it weren't for the economy. If unemployment were lower, gas prices lower, and wages were where they were 20 years ago(adjusted for inflation), there wouldn't be any self analysis.

I see employers hiring for experience more than for degrees held. I would hire a high school dropout before a person with a masters degree if he/she could do the job. There are more of them and they cost less. Just my personal thoughts though.

Comment on A Way to Promote Student Motivation and Autonomy by Darcy

Darcy — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 13:24:04 +0000

This is great Sophie. Anything teachers can do to help students understand where they stand throughout the semester is worthwhile. Building autonomy through self-reflection is an added bonus. That's how lifelong learning is fostered.