John Hennessy (Stanford President) – American Council on Education Annual Meeting (Mar 2015)

Chapters

Abstract

Technology’s Transformative Role in Higher Education: Embracing Opportunities and Overcoming Challenges

Introduction: The Future of Higher Education Shaped by Technology

In an era where technology redefines boundaries, its impact on higher education has been profound and multifaceted. John Hennessy, President of Stanford University, asserts that technology holds the key to addressing crucial challenges in higher education, including rising costs, varying completion rates, and the evolving needs of students. Hennessy’s vision encapsulates the integration of technology to enhance access, maintain affordability, and improve learning outcomes, thus keeping American higher education at the forefront globally. American higher education, although remarkable, has room for improvement in terms of access, cost-effectiveness, and learning outcomes. Online technologies can potentially address these challenges by increasing access, reducing costs without compromising learning, and improving learning and degree completion.

Key Challenges and Potential of Online Learning in Higher Education

Hennessy brings to light significant challenges such as the escalating costs of education, driven by wage inflation and the specialized workforce in academia. The disparity between the net price and the list price of education is widening, even as completion rates for students, especially those at high risk or in community colleges, remain a concern. Credentialing is crucial in higher education, and online learning can expand opportunities for education worldwide, particularly in underserved regions. Furthermore, the debate on the equivalence of online credentials and traditional degrees is pivotal. While acknowledging the transformative power of online technologies, Hennessy maintains the distinctive value of undergraduate degrees, valued by employers, and foresees a future where universities must continually enhance their offerings to stay relevant. Disaggregated online courses are unlikely to replace undergraduate degrees in the short term. Undergraduate education offers a unique value proposition that employers value, and universities must continue to enhance its value to remain relevant.

The Growing Influence of Online and Hybrid Education Models

Online technologies are predicted to revolutionize continuing and professional education, with increasing demand in fields like nursing and computer science. This is attributed to the flexibility and convenience online learning offers to working professionals. The adoption of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and their limitations, such as lack of personalized interaction and challenges in assessing diverse, large student groups, are acknowledged. Hennessy suggests that Large Selective Online Courses (LSOCs) and hybrid learning models, which blend online and face-to-face elements, could more effectively meet these challenges.

Verifying Student Identity in MOOCs:

Challenges in verifying student identity in MOOCs arise due to the ease with which students can create multiple accounts and submit multiple exams from the same IP address. A potential solution lies in employing biometric verification or other highly individualized techniques. Additionally, typing patterns, which are unique to each person, can be utilized to identify students with high probability. Randomizing exams helps prevent solution sharing by requiring a large selection of questions and ensuring balanced exams.

Small Group Experiences and Project-Based Learning:

Replicating large, highly interactive settings online poses challenges due to the significant preparation and real-time interaction required among students. Potential solutions include building technology to manage teams and enable online interaction, creating highly motivating and effective environments for small group settings, and utilizing key insights into the dynamics of small group learning.

Online technologies will likely dominate continuing education and professional degrees, particularly for working professionals and students seeking career advancement. Examples include online master’s degrees in nursing, social work, teacher education, and computer science. MOOCs have limited effectiveness due to their lack of personal interaction and faculty time. The challenge of assessing student performance in large, diverse MOOCs is significant.

Flipped Classrooms and Hybrid Models: Enhancing Student Engagement and Learning

Hybrid models, combining online instruction with direct student-faculty interaction, lead to better engagement and learning outcomes. In flipped classrooms, where students prepare through online materials and engage in interactive sessions with faculty, the learning experience becomes more engaging. This model also indicates a potential increase in learning efficiency, as students reported spending less time on course material. Hybrid models that combine online instruction with personal interaction with instructors, such as flipped classrooms, have shown promising results. Small interactive sessions in hybrid models can lead to greater student-faculty engagement compared to large lectures. Research indicates no significant differences in student learning between online and conventional classroom settings in flipped classrooms. A study conducted by Ithaca College using online statistics courses developed at Carnegie Mellon University showed no significant differences in learning outcomes between online and in-person students. Students in the online flipped classroom version reported spending 25% less time on the course, suggesting potential time-saving benefits.

Addressing Challenges in Online Education for Future Growth

To fully harness the potential of online education, several challenges need addressing. These include ensuring the effectiveness of online learning, maintaining student engagement, grading complex assignments, combating fraud and cheating, and supporting group and project learning in digital environments. Additionally, the customization and personalization of educational content are areas ripe for exploration. Traditional in-person teaching methods lack the ability to provide real-time feedback to instructors, resulting in missed opportunities for improvement. Students’ attention spans in online lectures are limited, with a peak of 6.5 minutes, leading to decreased engagement and learning. High-quality online courses require significant investment in production values and animation to maintain student engagement. Grading complex material, such as short answer assignments and essays, remains a challenge in online learning. Fraud and cheating are prevalent in online exams, with rapid sharing of questions and answers among students.

The Complexity of Human Learning:

Fully replacing traditional instruction with online learning has proven challenging due to the complexity of human learning. Good teachers are essential because they can understand how students learn, what they understand, and how to help them master the material.

Technological Limitations:

Early visions of fully automated computer-assisted instruction failed due to limited computer technology. Natural language processing and basic reasoning require more computer power than initially thought.

Course Material Customization:

Developing highly specialized course materials for each course is necessary. A framework that generates courseware for different courses is not feasible due to the complexity of the problem.

Adaptive Depth and Speed:

Customized courses can provide adaptive depth and speed, responding to individual student needs. Adaptive techniques can break down concepts, identify areas of difficulty, and provide targeted support.

Hybrid Learning:

Hybrid learning combines online and in-person instruction, creating a more engaging learning environment. Hybrid learning can free up instructor time for more personalized attention to students.

The Role of Data Analytics and Advanced Technologies in Enhancing Online Education

Real-time data analytics in online learning platforms provide critical insights into student performance and course effectiveness, enabling targeted improvements. Techniques like peer grading, natural language processing, and machine learning offer promise for more accurate and efficient assessment methods. However, challenges remain in grading complex assignments like essays and ensuring academic integrity through measures like identity verification and solution sharing prevention. Online learning platforms provide real-time data analytics on student progress, allowing instructors to identify areas for improvement. By adding animation and high production values to online courses, institutions can create more engaging and effective learning environments for students. Online learning can free up instructors’ time, allowing them to focus on engaging with students, particularly those who are struggling or exceptional. Peer grading can play a role in online learning, but it cannot replace faculty involvement, especially for high-stakes exams. Advances in natural language processing and machine learning technologies hold promise for automated grading of complex assignments and short answer questions.

Looking Ahead: Embracing Hybrid Learning and Overcoming Technological Limitations

As online technologies evolve, their limitations in replicating certain interactive learning experiences become apparent. Nevertheless, small group experiences and team interactions can be effectively facilitated online, leveraging insights from research to create engaging and effective environments. The complexity of human learning and technological limitations present challenges in developing fully automated, computer-assisted instruction. However, the potential for adaptive learning, automated quizzes, and tutorials, combined with hybrid learning models, point towards a future where online education is more accessible, adaptable, and enhances student learning. Grading essays and compositions in an automated fashion remains a difficult task due to the complexity of semantics and true in-depth meaning. Fraud and cheating in online exams continue to pose significant challenges, with students quickly sharing questions and answers on the internet.

Collaboration as a Key to Transforming Higher Education

Achieving effective online learning necessitates intense collaboration between faculty and online learning experts. This partnership can significantly transform and improve higher education, making it more affordable, accessible, and adaptable, while enhancing student learning experiences. Collaboration as a Key to Transforming Higher Education Achieving effective online learning necessitates intense collaboration between faculty and online learning experts. This partnership can significantly transform and improve higher education, making it more affordable, accessible, and adaptable, while enhancing student learning experiences.

Navigating the Road Ahead in Higher Education

In conclusion, embracing technology strategically is imperative for universities to enhance access, reduce costs, and improve learning outcomes. While maintaining the value proposition of traditional degrees, higher education institutions must adapt to the changing needs of students and the evolving educational landscape. Through collaboration, innovation, and strategic adoption of technology, higher education can continue to evolve and excel, meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Notes by: ChannelCapacity999