Edu-Enterprise – A Paradigm Shift
Generally future of education discussions are centered around incremental changes to an existing paradigm. What is indeed happening is that we are in the midst of paradigm shift in the field of education. For further discussions around Normal Science vs Revolutionary Science see Kuhn(1962))
Until now University Education System held the monopoly on all aspects of the Edu-Enterprise. let’s use the lens of what IT did to other enterprises as a way of approaching what is in store for our beloved University.
IT generally speaking does the job of dis-aggregating and re-aggregating supply chain/value chain of an enterprise . Using IT we can break apart all the tasks that go in to running an enterprise and send the tasks where it can be most efficiently produced/consumed – across Geographic, Organizational and Temporal boundaries
With this in mind, let’s perform component analysis of edu-enterprise
| Components | Today | Tomorrow |
| Content Creation | Local, little re-use, locked-up | Open, massive scale and re-use, create once – use many |
| Content Delivery | local – small group | Global, comes where you are |
| Content Mastery | Local – small group – Professor | Local – Small group – Coaches |
| Certification | University Held – Local | Global Normalized – Testing and certification agencies |
| Research | University | University |
What is the future of University ? A place for Doctoral Students to study and research ?
What is the future of educators ? Content Creators ? Content Deliverers? Coaches ? { buh-bye,Tenure!}
As always, your 2 cents are the most valued currency in my blog
2centsblogger 
I’m curious about the “Today” and “Tomorrow” categories. Did the descriptors come from Kuhn or are they your ideas? I glanced at the Kuhn reading, however, as it is over 200 pages in length I wasn’t sure about the classification. Some of the tomorrow descriptors appear to be happening today. The small (15 member) community within my MOOC really helps to provide support. Each member acts as a coach in terms of addressing tasks that need clarification by others. A good professor helps students to connect the dots where as a computer generated professor is not necessarily open and available to students. I’d like to hope that tenure isn’t on the chopping block as it is in public education. In many localities, it’s obsolete!
Thanks for your response. let me eloborate on Kuhn and the what i meant by tomorrow and today.
Kuhn talks about the nature of scientific research and how paradigm shift happens. During Normal science period the research looks at incremental improvements and we never question the core idea. when enough people collectively start questioning the core and suggest changes to the core idea, Paradigm shift happens.
I am using that lens to look at what is happening in the Education today. There are number of research/innovation that is going on in the edu-enterprise that could be classified as normal science. My claim is that it is actually entered revolutionary science mode and that what i show in tomorrow’s column is the end game.
I agree that some of the things i mentioned in tomorrow’s column are already happening at varying degrees of maturity and adoption. The larger point is once the paradigm-shifts and when tomorrow comes all things listed in tomorrow’s column would be the norm
I love your use of Kuhn in your process here. When I think of him I am always drawn to the idea that real change happens when we can think about new things in a different context than the way we thought about previous things. For example when people got iPads they automatically started treating them like tiny laptops, with little keyboards and word docs. But, the magic of the iPad really happens when you find new and different ways to employ the tool, like using the tactile interface or it’s portability as its most important function. Anyway, thanks for the reference to the scientific revolutions. I would be excited to see how this idea develops.
I, too, love your use of Kuhn. I like your blog content. It was thoughtful, reflective, clear…invited thoughtful responses and I admit that, this late at night, I have little to add to what’s already been said. My challenge to you, because you are obviously capable of clear, thoughtful, and reflective bloggin, is to take the blog process to the next level. Blogs have the advantage of allowing expression outside of APA format. You were expressing some pretty big thoughts…how could you express them in other ways beyond words? It’s not technically necessary of course, and as I said, your words were wonderful…What would adding pictures or sound or more hyperlinks or more examples as a means of connecting with your audience on multiple levels/sensory receptors do to make your point? Even if you never blog again, building those skills will help you in a lecture hall, to connect with students face to face. Consider it a challenge to get you going again ;). I’m looking forward to your next blog, tremendously.