I often think about the condition of higher education, but was concerned not at all when I went to see "La Boheme" in a movie theater at the mall. Opera in San Diego Opera is very much on the minds of San Diegans. Recently and suddenly, our local opera announced it was closing. The situation here is as it is in many places: aging donors and audiences, increasing costs, decreasing revenue, and competing entertainments. The leader of the opera, Ian Campbell, and his gigantic board, chose to die swiftly at their own hand. All hell broke loose. Was it as dire as Campbell and the Board proclaimed? Why the rush? Were there no affluent … [Read more...]
How We Helped Faculty Move Their Courses Online
July 7, 2012 by
Suzanne Aurilio is my guest blogger. She and our SDSU colleagues have enjoyed some solid successes in bringing faculty to rely on and appreciate technology. Here is her story. I've been working with university faculty on teaching, learning and technology for almost ten years. During much of that time, I led a well-funded program in which we incentivized faculty to experiment with technologies to improve teaching and learning. The program had impact. It catalyzed strategic alliances with key units and leaders. It created a flexible infrastructure of personnel and resources. It was a sustainable effort that grew into an ecosystem that … [Read more...]
Cal State Online Plays Small Ball
March 12, 2012 by
The California State University (CSU), the largest state university system in the United States, has at long last settled on an online learning strategy for its 23 campuses. With more than three decades as a professor in the CSU, now retired, I decided to take a look. The goal. "The goal is to increase capacity at California State, where massive budget cuts have coincided with a rising demand for higher ed degrees," wrote Steve Kolowich in a review of the plan. The doubts. Many faculty extend their doubts about CSU leadership to online education, an easy target for professorial skepticism. What about quality? What about relationships? … [Read more...]
