OZian angst and degreeinfo eclecticism

There has been a lot of discussion about the decision of US degreeinfo-ers to seek degrees elsewhere, notably Australia and South Africa. A certain camp felt that this was an indictment of US regional accreditation. (That's just the background; I'm not wishing to reopen that kettle.)

Based on the conference summary link posted by George, a different picture emerges:

1) it may be that folks on degreeinfo are just eclectic relative to other US students
or
US degreeinfo-ers and Aussie DL students both subscribe to the greener-grass elsewhere theory.

2) I conclude this from the fact that one speaker at the conference reported that 34 of the top 100 education sector websites accessed from OZ are to US universities, based on "Hitwise" who measures all Aussie Internet traffic. (The speaker was a PhD from Hitwise.) The speaker concludes: "This means that Australian learners are already going to the United States to buy their learning. The signs are clear." (p. 34)

2) There was a cloud of angst over much the conference, based on the fear that Australia was being left in the dust with respect to online learning. Many worldwide failures of collaborative efforts among educational institutions and business (publishers, mostly) were reported, but a number of successes in the US and elsewhere seemed worrisome to various speakers. The online branch of the University of Phoenix was mentioned many times. In the same article mentioned above, various online projects were reviewed, including learndirect (UK), Scottish Knowledge, Pensare, Kaplan, Jones International, Harcourt, Cardean, and Open University. In this (competitive) environment, the speaker wonders, "What are we going to do about it?....If we do nothing, universities too will be buying 95 per cent of their content from US sources. Just like our primary schools."

It would seem that the little subculture at degreeinfo.com is not necessarily a good measure of national or international attitudes. I don't make TOO much of the Aussie angst...maybe that is just Aussie idiom. I'll leave that to the Aussies here to decide.

 

A new definition of the cause here, Bill, one I have not entertained. An eclectic subculture trying to influence the broader academic community with innovative and pragmatic pedagogies? I think I will pull my 1969 VW van out of the garage, put on my bellbottoms, and start chanting "Peace & Love." Or, I could just open up a DL University in the back of the VW van.

Russell

 

You can still wear them? Tell the truth, reverend.