6 Trends That Make Traditional Higher Education System Outdated
It is contradictory, but higher education is both one of the most conservative and one of the most avant-garde industries in the world. Conservatism is secured by the necessity to pass already accumulated knowledge to future generations. Avantgardism is about striving to enrich that knowledge.
To become efficient, higher education should keep up to date with the current social trends. It means, despite its inherent conservatism, it should refresh with certain regularity. Today, when the pandemic has changed all the spheres of human life, education is no exception and is subject to alteration. Therefore, let’s examine some educational trends that have no room in the third decade of the XXI century.
Hard Copy Teaching Tools
First and foremost, the future is already here, and traditional classrooms have gradually moved online. It means that there is hardly anybody that will need any educational aids unless they are digital. Moreover, good old copybooks and handwritten essays are also a thing of the past – instead of choosing an ink shade, people select fonts and sizes. Besides, students now successfully cope with writing tasks using essay help online – there, they can find all the necessary tips and samples to make their essays faultless.
Banning the Use of Mobile Devices
Second, for the same reason, banning personal gadgets is viewed as malpractice today. It is OK to set classroom smartphone rules (mute, no calls and texting during the lecture, or whatever else) but making students hide their smartphones, tablets, and laptops is a sign of unprofessionalism and an obsolete approach. In the age of hi-tech, AI, and metamodernism, broadcasting universal truths and insisting on memorizing them by heart can hardly be considered efficient. On the contrary, learning how to obtain and process information is essential for future success.
Teacher Is the Only Authority
Third, the role of a teacher has been considerably compromised. Owing to Google, open-access journals, educational websites, and online libraries, the teacher is not the only source of knowledge anymore. On the one hand, this means that teachers have to keep up with the trends to be efficient. But, on the other hand, students now have the choice. If they do not like someone’s teaching manner or the classroom explanation is dim, they can always watch dozens of explanatory videos recorded by professional teachers and accessible via YouTube or any other video hosting.
College Is the Only Place to Get Knowledge
Fourth, praising universities and colleges as the only source of obtaining knowledge and skill is a bad strategy nowadays. Even if, for any reason, you do not have a college degree, and your job, business, or hobby requires some specific learning, you can always enroll in one of the hundreds of MOOCs, which are usually provided by leading universities. Moreover, various online study platforms welcome students all over the world to make a multicultural and vibrant community. Students can now get invaluable experience of learning either some narrow aspects (e.g., History of Medieval Latin America, or Facebook Marketing Analytics) or innovative courses that bring to life new academic branches (e.g., The Science of Well-Being, or Mountains in Art).
Furthermore, there are almost no prerequisites to start a MOOC – only free time, motivation, and homework. Such courses usually have different types of checking assignments – from tests and quizzes to essays. Students often opt to use essay writing service cheap to help them do their best at finals and obtain a graded certificate. Many of such certificates also qualify as evidence of continuing education, and many HRs now are happy to see such certificates in your CV.
Uniforms
Fifth, modern universities are viewed as hubs of progressive thought, academic excellence, and outstanding personalities. Brilliant brains are hardly associated with conformism, so introducing dress codes and uniforms seems to be a bad idea, save those specialties that require uniforms during the service (e.g., military people, doctors and nurses, and the like). In other cases, students should concentrate on their studies and research rather than choosing an appropriate suit or accessories. That is why, take it or leave it, hoodies, jeans, and trainers are new academic gowns.
Ageism
Sixth, ageism in higher education is unacceptable, and this principle works on both sides. On the one hand, elderly professors, though not totally up-to-date, can broadcast fundamental knowledge and form a broad view on the problem. On the other hand, middle-aged and older students are not subject to discrimination. Moreover, geragogy is a new promising field of education studies. A lot of people receive an opportunity to get a university degree only after retirement. So Universities of the Third Age are very popular in Europe and America. Besides, active learning at the third age prevents various mental disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
Higher education is generally viewed as the key to success, to an interesting job, to a speeding career, and to prosperity. Still, getting a degree is a long journey embracing triumphs and faults, hard work and inspiration, research and insights. The modern world gives us new challenges every day. So a quick and adequate response from the academic world is essential for further progress and advancement.
