Hi Trebor - the heavy cost emphasis of education (on the learner) is not reflected in all countries. Countries like Germany, for example, place far less of a financial burden on students than countries like US, Australia, UK, Canada, etc. In countries like US/Canada, government support of education as a percentage of total cost shows a long pattern of decline. To compensate, students pay more (obviously). But it is important to note that our cost-centric view of education is not global.<div>
<br></div><div>"To succeed, however, the university will need to up its game<br>and make its boundaries more porous by meaningfully integrating emerging<br>ways of knowing and new social media (2)"</div><div><br>
</div><div>In this article: <a href="http://www.ineducation.ca/article/systemic-changes-higher-education">http://www.ineducation.ca/article/systemic-changes-higher-education</a> we suggest that a) society creates institutions that reflect what is done with knowledge in a particular era, and b) universities map reality. The role that universities have played in society (in developing both individuals as creative and critical thinkers and work-related skills) to date will continue to be important. The structure through which that will be achieved is very much up for debate. Learning networks, informal learning, porous universities (open content, open education, open accreditation) represent an enlargement of the university, not a full replacement. For example, medical faculties are actively experimenting with case-based models: <a href="https://meds.queensu.ca/courses/community/learningwithcases">https://meds.queensu.ca/courses/community/learningwithcases</a> ...and numerous universities and colleges are adopting cooperative education approaches: <a href="http://www.cecs.uwaterloo.ca/about/">http://www.cecs.uwaterloo.ca/about/</a> . Again, the current hype of diyu/web2.0 is an enlargement of education. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Education as a system is integrated with other societal systems (finance, employment, government - state/provincial, national). As such (and this is an argument Stephen Downes and I have every year during CCK) the impact of informal/PLE learning will be limited until it becomes more systematized. Or until the current system becomes less tightly integrated with the other systems in society. Which is very unlikely as self-preservation reigns. As a result, I fear that in spite of much passion and energy on the part of proponents (of which I am one) of alternative education, it will remain a largely marginal force as it fails to integrate with society's power systems.</div>
<div><br></div><div>George</div>