Education differentiated by campus, by course level, by private and public, and by state have long existed. Mostly, the differentiation is cost-based. Lower level courses are cheaper than advanced courses. Public schools are cheaper than private schools. One state/country may have better education than another. In this note we suggest cost-based tuition based on educational services used by the student. This is not really new, but it is coming. Driving factors: Education is expensive; times are hard; something must be done cut expenses; alternative and proven methods are available.
Background. We read from ancient history and up to current times how students were educated by personal teacher/tutors. Wealthy parents hired a teacher to live inside the household and educate their children. For example, Aristotle was the teacher/tutor of Alexander the Great. A companion of this was the hire of a tutor to attend to individual student needs, sometimes at the home, sometimes elsewhere, even the school. Both teaching methods were regarded as highly superior to any form of mass education such as the classroom. The student would get just the instruction needed for just their respective learning styles. The student would have the full attention of the tutor/teacher and important details would be supplied as needed.
This is expensive. Few can afford the at-home teacher, though the tutor is available in many forms and price ranges, though it is also costly.
Education evolved over centuries to classes of several (or hundreds) of students all taught simultaneously by a single teacher. The instructor would give a general lecture or lesson designed to cover the salient points of the topic. Individual education needs were missed, though students could see the teacher and get some, but limited help. This form of education is currently the lingua-franca for all modern education. Remarkably, it has produced some really intelligent, productive, and learned citizens. It worked! It continues to work! Sometimes, we focus on cases where it fails. Nonetheless, the classroom model even with high numbers of students is effective. But, it is also expensive with teacher salaries being one of the highest costs.
Educational Evolution Online. Education evolved over the past twenty years to online platforms. Nowadays, many students learn in the format, reading text, viewing video lectures, and submitting online homework. Some online help is usually available. Students must seek help through given channels. Students seldom attract the active solicitation of the teacher. The student is now removed even further from the watchful eye of the expert teacher. This form of education can be delivered in various price ranges. Often college campuses charge fees equivalent to those for traditional, classroom instruction. But it can be done cheaper by using the full spectrum of technology.
Differentiated Education by Services. Nonetheless education is a very expensive component of society. With many of not most countries having borrowed away their futures, costs must be cut. Education will be cut. What we propose here is a form of differentiated education based on cost.
From cheapest to highest cost.
** While desirable, this form of education cost prohibitive, though many students are now home schooled by parents - not without expenditure of family resources.
The student can decide what works best for his/her education and sign up for the format as needed. The classroom venue is vastly over-rated. Most learning is done independently. In public education, forms 1-4 should be available as needed. However, students opting for services 1-3 should gain a differentiated tuition.
Naturally, the professors will go ballistic as they believe what they do, lecture, is the most important task on earth. This is only one of the many political issues involved here.
http://used-ideas.blogspot.com/
Background. We read from ancient history and up to current times how students were educated by personal teacher/tutors. Wealthy parents hired a teacher to live inside the household and educate their children. For example, Aristotle was the teacher/tutor of Alexander the Great. A companion of this was the hire of a tutor to attend to individual student needs, sometimes at the home, sometimes elsewhere, even the school. Both teaching methods were regarded as highly superior to any form of mass education such as the classroom. The student would get just the instruction needed for just their respective learning styles. The student would have the full attention of the tutor/teacher and important details would be supplied as needed.
This is expensive. Few can afford the at-home teacher, though the tutor is available in many forms and price ranges, though it is also costly.
Education evolved over centuries to classes of several (or hundreds) of students all taught simultaneously by a single teacher. The instructor would give a general lecture or lesson designed to cover the salient points of the topic. Individual education needs were missed, though students could see the teacher and get some, but limited help. This form of education is currently the lingua-franca for all modern education. Remarkably, it has produced some really intelligent, productive, and learned citizens. It worked! It continues to work! Sometimes, we focus on cases where it fails. Nonetheless, the classroom model even with high numbers of students is effective. But, it is also expensive with teacher salaries being one of the highest costs.
Educational Evolution Online. Education evolved over the past twenty years to online platforms. Nowadays, many students learn in the format, reading text, viewing video lectures, and submitting online homework. Some online help is usually available. Students must seek help through given channels. Students seldom attract the active solicitation of the teacher. The student is now removed even further from the watchful eye of the expert teacher. This form of education can be delivered in various price ranges. Often college campuses charge fees equivalent to those for traditional, classroom instruction. But it can be done cheaper by using the full spectrum of technology.
Differentiated Education by Services. Nonetheless education is a very expensive component of society. With many of not most countries having borrowed away their futures, costs must be cut. Education will be cut. What we propose here is a form of differentiated education based on cost.
From cheapest to highest cost.
- MOOC - from Wikipedia, "A massive open online course (MOOC) is a category of online course where the participants are distributed and course materials also are dispersed across the web. Many of these materials are free*.
- Campus dependent online courses. The campus offers online courses with only online resources*.
- Campus dependent online courses. The campus offers online courses with only online resources and limited online help*. Possibly other premium services are offered.
- Full traditional classroom education. Each student attends classes, takes exam, and submits homework.
- The ancient tutor/teacher individualized instruction**.
** While desirable, this form of education cost prohibitive, though many students are now home schooled by parents - not without expenditure of family resources.
The student can decide what works best for his/her education and sign up for the format as needed. The classroom venue is vastly over-rated. Most learning is done independently. In public education, forms 1-4 should be available as needed. However, students opting for services 1-3 should gain a differentiated tuition.
Naturally, the professors will go ballistic as they believe what they do, lecture, is the most important task on earth. This is only one of the many political issues involved here.
http://used-ideas.blogspot.com/
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