Experts argue that contemporary issues are 'threatening' our current higher education model: Employer and student expectations, technological disruption, or reduced government funding. Are our universities responding - and adapting - to our rapidly developing world to stay relevant? Studiosity Founder and Executive Chair Jack Goodman says they haven't yet.
We might be the opposite of a stressed-out undergrad - we get excited about a test. It's another chance for us to prove student outcomes. So what happened?
This article appeared in Issue 8, November 2017, Education Review.
Australian Universities have had it so good for so long. They expect, and have become accustomed to secondary schools doing the University selection testing using Australian tertiary admission rank (ATAR). So what does a world without ATAR scores look like?
The business of running universities has never been as fraught as it is today. Budgets are tight, and economic models are changing as student expectations and the maturation of online course delivery transform the learning experience.
In this environment it’s hardly surprising that many universities are looking to solve budget challenges by looking for what appear to be fast and easy ways to trim budgets. We know something about this, at least from the perspective of our work providing supplemental, online academic support to dozens of university partners.
The pressure to “save money” can lead to short-sighted processes where a “cost per minute” or a “budget expenditure figure” become all-important. “Box-ticking” exercises aside, there are 5 factors that decision makers should be considering that will lead to better outcomes for universities, their students, and their financial bottom line. They are:
“Never lose a holy curiosity,” said Einstein. With something as critical as a student's education, we are always asked about our operations, processes, and our subject-specialists. So we popped the hood on the engine that is Studiosity, during an on-stage Q&A session at the STARS Conference.
Universities Australia (UA), the peak body representing Australia’s public universities, held its 9th conference in Canberra last week, and for those of us who can recall the early days of the event, this year’s gathering represented a stunning transformation, including wonderful performances.
The fate of the ATAR score is out in the open at the Universities Australia 2016 conference in Canberra this week.
Thankfully this discussion moves the focus from the “system” to real people: students as individuals with diverse, personal circumstances.
How do you prevent students dropping out of first year at university? Timing is everything, according to British university studies. So, when exactly is "just-in-time"?
In Geoffrey Moore’s seminal book ‘Crossing the Chasm’ he powerfully describes the adoption of new technology products by different user groups, and the “chasm” that exists between early adopters and the pragmatists that form the early majority.
While attending this week’s Universities Australia conference I was encouraged to see that many higher education executives have moved past a begrudging acceptance that our traditional university model must change.
