Decades ago those seeking a college degree either attended classes on a college/university campus or completed correspondence courses. Today degree seekers have an incredible number of options for completing their degrees, especially at the undergraduate level. Even the idea that one either attends on campus or away from campus has disappeared with the advent of blended courses that combine the two.
Earlier this week I learned of Excelsior College’s new degree option that combines guided independent study with course exams to provide those who have already completed some college coursework a unique way to earn a college degree. The program matches ” end-of-course exam to one or more free online courses. Students download the free course, complete it through independent study and then sit for the final exam.” And, students who select this pathway to a degree are guaranteed a total education cost of $10,00 or less.
So What?
The “free courses” students complete are likely of greater quality than anything this college could provide thanks to something called “open courseware,” which offers courses from top tier schools including MIT. Anyone could complete these free courses at no cost, but such efforts would not result in college credit. The end-of-course exam provides the school providing academic credit with a way of measuring whether or not the student attained the appropriate competencies.
- Describe the type of person you believe would be most attracted to this new way to earn a college degree.
- Imagine networks of congregations (or very large mega-congregations acting on their own) creating “open courseware” for use by other local congregations at no charge. If such existed, how would individuals in your congregation benefit? How would your parish seek to use it as a supplement to existing offerings (perhaps with an end-of-course facilitated discussion rather than an exam)?