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The Innovative University-Changing The DNA of Higher Education PDF
The Innovative University-Changing The DNA of Higher Education PDF
The Innovative University-Changing The DNA of Higher Education PDF
tained its model. However, its prodigious fundraising capabil- Externally funded research No
ity, which has produced a $27 billion endowment even after
the disastrous $11 billion loss of 2008, is the most difficult
trait of all to copy. Without financial might akin to Harvard’s, The real advantage of the traditional universities, though,
institutions that adopt its model struggle to attract “the best” is their ability to blend online and face-to-face learning expe-
students and scholars and to achieve academic excellence in riences. Hybrid instruction has proven more effective than ei-
so many subjects, degree programs, and research initiatives. ther of the pure modes (U.S. Department of Education, Office
of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and
The Need for Online Innovation Program Studies Service, and Office of Educational Technol-
The disruptive potential of online degree providers can be seen ogy, Sept. 2010). Traditional universities can deliver the best
in their divergence from the Harvard model, as shown in Fig- of both—low-cost, convenient online learning blended with
ure 3. In addition to what they save by eschewing the research periodic classroom-based instruction. Moreover, face-to-face
activities, summer break, athletic teams, and campus infrastruc- learning at the traditional university goes beyond the class-
ture of the traditional university model, online degree provid- room; it includes the important informal learning that comes
ers enjoy significant advantages in the delivery of instruction. when students interact with one another in social activities
Online courses are developed centrally, allowing for a lower cost and with professors in research.
of development and more systematic focus on cognitive learn- The combination of online technology and the campus ex-
ing outcomes. Through innovative learning systems, remedial perience has the potential to take innovative traditional uni-
assistance can be provided online at reduced cost relative to face- versities to new levels, allowing them not only to respond to
to-face tutoring. Online learning is both low cost and of increas- disruptive competition but also to serve many more students
ingly high quality. It is a classic disruptive innovation. with their existing resources. The risk of disruption is real:
Fortunately, traditional universities have natural advan- institutions that fail to employ online learning technology will
tages in delivering online learning. They have all of the as- find it difficult to grow, and the less-prestigious ones will lose
sets needed to compete effectively in the online environment. students as the cost disparity between the traditional model
In fact, the subject-matter expertise of their full-time faculty and the technology-enabled model increases. However, inno-
members and their existing campus computer systems give vative institutions that marry the benefits of the on-campus
them a potential quality and cost advantage in delivering on- experience and online learning are likely to find growth op-
line education. Whereas new online degree providers must portunities beyond what they had imagined.
build their IT infrastructures from scratch and seek content
experts on the open market, universities can add online offer- The Need for Focus
ings at low marginal cost, benefitting from spare computer ca- It won’t be enough, though, to simply adopt online learn-
pacity and faculty members who can temporarily trade teach- ing as a fundamental trait of the university. In addition, most
ing duties for course development. institutions need to be less Harvard-like in their aspirations.