Don Tapscott, author of Growing Up Digital and Grown Up Digital seems to think so. But I think this response hits the nail on the head.
While there may be interest in online courses of ’star’ professors, I’m skeptical about how motivated potential students might be without the incentives of grades, deadlines for assigned coursework, and the degree credential. Tapscott’s over-the-top optimism about the desire for learning among the generation he refers to as “digital natives” strikes me the perspective of someone who has never stood before a class and asked, “has anyone done the reading?” only to look out a sea of blank faces staring back.
Here is an interesting little tidbit. Information technology had a section in Barnes & Noble that was a full two bookshelves from 1996 to about 2000. Now you can barely find it. While some claims from Tapscott and others have been provocative, the predictions among futurists have largely been revealed to have overstated the case.
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Good response. I actually think as things become more online-oriented people will long for more substantial, tangible, embodied contact in certain outlets. And I think education will be one of those…I sure hope it is at least!
Something tells me that Don Tapscott has a degree in the humanities. Maybe in the future, when homes come equipped with laboratories, millions of dollars worth of analytical equipment, and a closet full of chemicals, universities will be obsolete, but until then, those of us in the sciences and engineering will keep on keeping on.
I guess if "hands-on" isn't important in a particular field, it might be easier to get rid of the brick and mortar university, but given that (in addition to football of course) the sciences and engineering departments rake in the money for the university, I doubt anyone is going to send us packing any time soon.
Something tells me that Don Tapscott has a degree in the humanities. Maybe in the future, when homes come equipped with laboratories, millions of dollars worth of analytical equipment, and a closet full of chemicals, universities will be obsolete, but until then, those of us in the sciences and engineering will keep on keeping on.
I guess if "hands-on" isn't important in a particular field, it might be easier to get rid of the brick and mortar university, but given that (in addition to football of course) the sciences and engineering departments rake in the money for the university, I doubt anyone is going to send us packing any time soon.