Academic Transformation

Source

A key issue in 2018 for academic institutions is the idea of institutional and educational transformation. Everyone agrees that higher education has changed permanently with the advent of technology, changing student demographics, and new research about how students learn best. But will the pace of change slow in the future? Gilbert, Crow, and Anderson write in the Stanford Innovation Review that, "We expect that in the coming years, long-standing models of higher education that prefer tradition and stability will be supplemented, if not displaced, by new models that embrace organizational innovation, responsivity, and adaptation."

Other educators and researchers see the same trends continuing and accelerating in the future. Emma Zone from Colorado Technical University says, "We must be nimble as we redefine the truths we have used as our foundation [in higher education]. At the intersection of this redefinition we find discussions of technology, data, and engagement." But how do we change? What does it mean to have a "nimble" and "innovative" organizational model? Both sources provide a few key recommendations that I will explore in this blog post.

1. Zone recommends collaborations as a key way forward in academic transformation. Academic collaborations between K-12 schools and colleges, colleges and other institutions, and (in our case) colleges and churches are now commonplace. Collaborations and partnerships show us new ways forward, provide us with new resources and give our students unique experiences that will help them succeed in the future.
2. Gilbert, Crow and Anderson recommend harnessing the power of technology to transform education. They call most higher education institutions "medieval" and trace the roots of our current education system back to 11th century Europe. Often our educational models stand in stark contrast to our modern capacity to embrace and use new technologies such as the smartphone. The technology in our lives continues to expand and accelerate. Is EBI keeping pace or falling behind? Not just that, can we see technology trends before they happen and make anticipatory moves that will put us ahead of the curve? 

Academic transformation will require commitment, planning, and execution. Giving lip service to the idea of constant improvement or lifelong learning won't suffice. We must commit to serve our student's needs by doing what's best for them rather than by sticking with the models that have always worked in the past.

Works cited

Gilbert, Clark G., Michael M. Crow & Derrick Anderson "Design Thinking for Higher Education
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/design_thinking_for_higher_education

Zone, Emma "Academic Tranformation" https://library.educause.edu/~/media/files/library/2017/2/eli7141.pdf