I believe, there are strong reasons why certain types of universities exist and why they are important to exist well into the future. Disruptions of all kinds do exist to muddle the picture to crystallize my thoughts and to get clarity on a course of action. It is a struggle to recognize them and deal with them accordingly as they keep morphing as time goes by. While most of the importance is given, nowadays, to technological disruptions, there are other disruptions that are brewing underneath, waiting to find a crack to burst to the surface. Then they get noticed, not before and may be too late. I am after discovering such disruptions and I know I cannot do it alone and need collaborative efforts to create awareness of such disruptions in a wider community.
One such disruption I am aware of is the impact of discarded technology of cheap mobile phones now giving freedom to many in remote, rural and sparsely occupied regions of the world. These first generation phones were capable of no more smartness than sending text messages. For some, it has created newfound connections for the purposes that you cannot even imagine and it is seeding a different kind of learning altogether. These are the learners who are beginning to understand the new world order and their force is not being reckoned with in the midst of many noticeable surface disruptions that have occupied us in recent times – power of mobile apps on smart phones giving way to IoT is one such example. Some of the low-tech countries are leaping ahead short circuiting some technologies altogether that have become a burden, in recent times, for the developed worlds.
In my opinion, there may not be such differentiation like developing or developed countries is possible in 21st century. That mindset of 20th century may need to change. I have seen and was fortunate to experience both worlds during my professional days in 80s and 90s. It took me from a developing country, India being one of them, to those countries recognized as developed, USA being one of them.
My travel in India in 2013-14 was an eye opener in many ways. I realized that it is a land of contrasts like USA. I believe, qualifying countries using a different yardstick, would put India in the developed countries category and USA into developing. This may surprise you, but this will be a candidate for future discussions and blogs on this aspect of classification for education purposes.
Looking at virtual reality or augmented reality or any such technological advances that are creating an immersive learning experience, I realized that a collectivist country like India may not need one. Storytelling is so strong, it weaves threads of experience as a collective knowledge imparting a much deeper learning aspects in education and without any need of those technologies. I only wish those stories can become aligned to the 21st century settings to create such experiences. I think there is a need for a different sort of education for that happen. Universities are a good starting point to do research and are slush with funds and all I need is to find a way to access them to create such an education possible and to make it relevant within years from now.
If the learning environment has changed from imparting knowledge to constructing it, then teachers have to play a different role with a different set of curriculum materials and pedagogical practices. We now know that educating the public is moving away from mass education to customizable education and hence in a connected world, individuals matter, and their geographical considerations as developed or developing countries don’t matter. There will be no such thing as cheap education, because what has been labeled as expensive today should correctly be labeled as wasted, wasted in myriad of administrative re-structuring efforts of universities to constantly vie for ratings to attract students for enrollment. In my opinion, this will change, and when it carries a surprise element to many, it won’t be to me. I would only point to the brewing disruption underneath that found a crack to burst to surface to get noticed eventually. Those who had noticed it bubbling up, will be prepared to deal with it to some extent, but will be a struggle even then. Reforming education by offering it cheaply or online will not help to deal with these kinds of disruptions bubbling underneath. It will only help to open the cracks faster and we will not have time to deal with them sooner. Isn’t it wise to prepare otherwise to deal with this eventuality and make the knowledge society of 21st century be aware of such geysers to be able to leverage them in a more constructive way?
Apologies are due if this appears to be an inconsequential rant. Sometimes I feel like giving up, but when I feel that I have acquired another piece of the puzzle, it brings my senses back together to continue the pursuit. May be I am seeing something that others cannot see yet or even if they see it, are unable to do something about it or I may have certain short comings in clearly communicating or commenting. Unless I get opportunities to brainstorm such findings in an intellectual setting, I understand that it will be struggle for me too. My thoughts, actions and the course are to become part of such communities and universities that do nurture such external communities. However those who are capable, have grown so big and got so intricately woven into the ecosystems that supports them, I only hope they do not become 21st century examples of fallen Roman empire. Not being able to take on board such external contributions without being too bogged down by the internal regulatory and policy oriented administrations may become one of many contributing factors for their downfall.