AHE 591: Lesson 4

As Dr. Major's stated in the beginning of her blog this week, a college education is vital in today's society if a person wants a career (not just a job) that will provide financial stability, as well as personal gratification. This is more true now than it ever has been. When I talk to high school students about the importance of going to college and earning a degree, I try to get them to think long-term, over the span of their lifetime. Most studies show that any type of college degree or certification compared to a high school diploma will mean substantial income growth. The individual with a higher education often earns $1,000,000 more over their lifetime as compared to the one with just a high school diploma. So, when viewed in this light, the cost of a college education seems well worth it.

However, as Dr. Major also pointed out, this cost continues to rise, with seemingly no end in sight. This is certainly true of four-year universities. For example, I did a Google search of "University of Alabama  tuition increase". The first four results were from articles in 2011, 2012, 2013, and just recently in 2014 where the UA Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition in each of those years. Community colleges tout their affordability as compared to the four-year institution, which is true. But even the yearly tuition costs at community colleges, which in Alabama approximately amounts to $4,000, can be steep for some. I see it everyday in my office, as students come in asking for financial help to ease the burden of paying for tuition, books, and tools if they are in a technical program.

So, if higher education is critical for individuals to attain, yet increasingly expensive and an obstacle more and more individuals cannot overcome, what is the answer? As we have been learning in this course, online education, especially in the form of MOOC's (massive open online courses) can be an avenue in which students can get a higher education at a low cost to them, possibly even free. This is a wonderful thing, and something that will no doubt continue to influence higher education as a whole. My question is in regard to credentialing for the organizations that provide MOOC's, such as Khan Academy and EdX. How will businesses and industries view an education that was earned via MOOC's? Will it be viable in the job market? And, how will MOOC's be accredited so that the public at large will know that this is a legitimate option for those pursuing a higher education?

Online learning is not the silver bullet that will solve the problem of accessibility and tuition costs in higher education. But, it is here to stay, and will only continue to grow throughout this century. My two-month-old son will graduate high school in the year 2032 (hopefully!). I fully expect him to go to college, but I am sure that his college "classroom" experience will include more hours in front of a computer, tablet, or maybe even a smart phone, than mine ever did.