The Once and Future University: Building Bridges through Online Learning

The Once and Future University:Building Bridges through Online Learning

Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, PhD

FACET Retreat5.18.2013

A Very Brief History… Caves and Socrates and Guilds –

We evolved and adapted by learning just in time, just in place and just as needed

Barbarians and the Roman Empire – The academy as conservatory

Unintended Consequences – Conservatory as Gatekeeping … with students left outside the gates

Pressures to Change

Huge Infrastructure

Shifting Student Demographics

Shrinking Revenues

Calls for Accountability

Impact of the Internet Conservatory in the Cloud

Education Defined

Interactivity

Re-definition of Expertise

Customization of Programs and Services

Disaggregation of Infrastructure

More and More Aggressive Competition

Big Data

Disaggregation of Infrastructure Disaggregation of teaching from certification Disaggregating the elements of instruction Disaggregation of instructional responsibilities Disaggregation of faculty roles Disaggregation of educational services

Moving Forward Bridges, not Gates Students are capable of learning - if they come to us

not ready, it’s a failure of the system more than any personal failing

Core of good instruction has always been student engagement, and good education is good management of the educational experience

Student-centered = just in time, just in place, just as needed

Steve Jobs – Apple is successful because products engineered to get the technology out of the way so people can do what they want to do

Students today are sacrificing more to learn more than any other generation in history.

Our Common ObjectiveCan we agree on several key features of “quality academic programs?”

1.____________________________________2.____________________________________3.____________________________________

Which Do Our Constituents Value?1. The attorney who knows how to brief a case.

2. The attorney who can search legal databases, can identify legal precedent, can prepare a client for testimony.

3. The attorney who has successfully defended 10 clients, lost 5 cases, has settled out of court in favor of her client 30 times.

We value competent performance!

What is “Competence?”

A summary term used to include an action that results in a valued accomplishment

AccomplishmentAction

Make strong closing argument.

Jury decision in favor of client.

What is Action?

The OVERT or COVERT behavior of a performer

OVERT(Mostly Observable)• Complete time logs• File documents• Make copies

COVERT (Mostly Cognitive)• Develop argument• Interpret patient

disposition• Identify evidence

Actions Produce Accomplishments

Actions: Accomplishment:

1. Identify client needs2. Identify needs of other party3. Negotiate4. Develop BATNA

1. Establish facts2. Identify legal precedent3. Collect evidence4. Prepare argument

Dispute resolution

Successfuldefense

We teach these

So students canproduce these

Actions are NOT Subject Matter

Action Make an argument Brief a case Develop question set Select jurors

Subject Matter Torts Contracts Rules of evidence Court procedures

Subject Matter: Collection of facts, laws, generalizations, hypotheses, procedures, observations which are related in some way

Our Challenge

We must develop competence in our students,so they in turn are able to apply knowledge and skills at home, at work, as citizens, for the betterment of society.

Education is more than Entertainment

Entertainment is “escape from reality”-War Stories-Motivation-Humor -Team experiences

* Entertainment has it’s own inherent value, but when delivered alone, can not provide students a “quality education”

Education is more than InformationInformation is “reduction of uncertainty”-Facts-Cases-Knowledge -Subject matter

* Information has it’s own inherent value, but when presented alone, can not provide participants a “quality education”

The Gold Standard of EducationEducation is “increase of competence” – when a person can do something she has not previously been able to do.Development of competence requires:-Practice-Feedback

* These two instructional elements are uniquely educational and no program can be defined as “quality education” unless both are present

Our Common ObjectiveFeatures of quality educational programs:1. Performance-based learning objectives

(identify actions and accomplishments)2. Practice that prepares learner to

successfully master outcomes3. Feedback that guides learner to self-

correct4. Instructional elements that prepare

learner to be successful in practice(Motivation, presentation, demonstration)

Learning Objectives

Learning Assessment

Practice and Feedback

Demonstration and Discussion

Lecture / Presentation

Inspiration

The Secret to Quality Education: Reverse Engineering

If soft term is a:VERB (action)- coordinate - understand- manage - know

NOUN (accomplishment)- insight - appreciation- aspects - culture

ADJECTIVE- Quality product- A few times

ADVERB- Quickly return call- Question carefully

Clarify by asking:

What specific actions or thoughts occur when _____________?

What are some examplesof _________________?

Define more specifically ____________?

Some Help…

Brief Summary• Expertise will be measured by competent performance

(which is what our students and society value). • Academic programs foster competent performance by

providing learners with practice and feedback activities.• Only education develops competence,

information and entertainment can not. • Subject matter is necessary but not sufficient

for the development of competent performance. • Once we articulate competency outcomes for academic

programs, we can measure whether we’ve achieved them through practice and feedback activities. (The only difference between practice and a test is the purpose of the activity.)

ReferencesBichelmeyer, B.A. (2006). Best practices in Adult Education & E-Learning: Leverage Points for Quality & Impact of Continuing Legal Education. Valparaiso University Law Review, 40(1), 75-86. Bichelmeyer, B. & Horvitz, B. (2006). Comprehensive Performance Evaluation: Using logic models to develop a theory-based approach for evaluation of HPT interventions. In J. Pershing, (Ed.) Handbook of Human Performance Technology, 3rd ed. Washington, DC: ISPI Publications, 1165-1189.