Expectations for accountability in higher education are still out there
This Inside Higher Ed article is a reminder to the higher education world that “the clock is ticking” in terms of accountability expectations. I have repeatedly written about the expectations that higher education become more accountable for its actions and its outcomes. David C. Paris correctly predicts that higher education will be challenged again and called to account. He notes that the Democrats will begin to pose the same questions that the Republicans did when they were in control. Those questions are about affordability and access, working with the K-12 schools, degree completion, evidence of educational effectiveness and learning outcomes. He warns that if we do not step up, we are likely to face greater regulation. He says that we should step up to serving our students and our country, and he is absolutely correct.
Your thoughts? Please feel free to leave a comment.
Mike
Share This3 Responses to “Expectations for accountability in higher education are still out there”
Paul Angileri Says:
I would definitely see K-12 suffering on some level, as I would think the reliance on passing tests would increase, what with tests being producers of easily quantifiable data for measurment purposes. Public schools might gravitate incorrectly in that direction so they can keep justifying funding. I think regulation with respect to what is taught in classrooms is an open question. I can see the bad in such actions but there would also be some potential good, particularly if science and math are brought back up to snuff.
I think universities and colleges would maybe benefit more than suffer. They likely wouldn’t be terribly willing participants but I can envision a future with commercials for universities during breaks in sports broadcasts selling themselves on outcomes scores in specific areas. But perhaps that’s too simplistic, and it could be a herculean task. Would outcomes be measured yearly? By semester? Course? Degree program? How would regulations be enforced?
Mike Offerman Says:
Thanks Bob and Paul. To your questions, Bob, I hope there are not more regulations because my observation is that regulations discourage rather than incite innovation. So, the idea is that colleges and universities need to become more open, more transparent about learning outcomes, in particular. That is what the institutions in Transparency by Design are doing–stating what we will deliver, how we measure it and what the results of the assessments show. If all schools did this, I think that the ones that gain will be those that, regardless of learning model or deliver method, can demonstrate that desired learning is occuring. Those that lose would be those that are those, that despite reputation, cannot or will not demonstrate learning outcomes.
Mike
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Bob Roan Says:
What form do you think regulations would take and how would that change higher education?
What kinds of institutions would benefit from regulations and which would suffer?
thanks
January 3rd, 2010 at 11:58 am