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HERE IS WHAT'S COMING UP ON YOUR HORIZON.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL MORE THAN EVER WE ARE A MATRICULATION NATION.
SINCE THE YEAR 2000, COLLEGE ENROLLMENT HAS GROWN BY 37 PERCENT
NATIONWIDE.
TODAY WE ARE HEADING OFF TO CAMPUS, TO TALK TO 3 DIFFERENT COLLEGE
PRESIDENTS AS WELL AS VISIT WITH THE CHANCELOR OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
NOW WE'ILL ALSO EXPLORE HOW TODAY'S DIGITAL LEARNERS ARE IMPACTING
THE CLASSROOM.
STAY WITH US, FOR OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
MALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA'S INVESTMENT IN CAREERTECH PROVIDES MORE
THAN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND TRAINING, IT PRODUCES
SOLID FINANCIAL RETURNS FOR THE STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE; OKLAHOMA
CAREERTECH, ELEVATING OUR ECONOMY.
ANNOUNCER: AND, THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY,
HELPING GOOD PEOPLE GROW GOOD THINGS.
AND NOW, FROM THE CAREERTECH STUDIOS IN STILLWATER, HERE'S YOUR
HOST, ROB MCCLENDON.
ROB MCCLENDON: HELLO EVERYONE; THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE ON
HORIZON.
WELL MENTION THE WORDS HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE WORD INNOVATION TYPICALLY
FOLLOWS, YET THERE IS AN OLD UNIVERSITY JOKE I AM REMINDED OF, AND IT GOES
LIKE THIS.
HOW MANY ACADEMICS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?
THE ANSWER: CHANGE?
WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT CHANGE?
UNIVERSITIES ARE OFTEN CALLED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, AND FOR
GOOD REASON THEY ARE INSTITUITIONS WITH ENTRENCHED TRADITIONS.
YET THE CHALLENGES FACING TODAY'S COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, WELL, THEY
ARE NUMEROUS.
EVERYTHING FROM COMPETITION WITH PRIVATE FOR PROFIT SCHOOLS, TO
STUDENTS MORE ATUNED TO DIGITAL LEARNING THAN THE LECTURE HALL; OH, AND DID
WE MENTION?
COLLEGE IS GETTING CRAZY EXPENSIVE.
JOINING ME NOW IS OUR ANDY BARTH.
ANDY BARTH: WELL ROB, STUDENTS AND PARENTS ALIKE ARE UNHAPPY AND UNSURE
ABOUT THE RISING COST OF COLLEGE.
WITH THE STUDENT DEBT CEILING REACHING MORE THAN ONE TRILLION DOLLARS, SOME
WONDER IF IT'S EVEN WORTH IT, WHILE OTHERS BELIEVE IT'S A WISE INVESTMENT.
ANDY BARTH: IT'S BEEN MORE THAN FOUR YEARS SINCE THE STOCKMARKET'S MOST RECENT
CRASH, LEAVING MILLIONS OF AMERICANS UNEMPLOYED.
ROBERT HENRY: I THINK THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS NOT PANIC, BECAUSE WE
ARE GOING THROUGH A HARD ECONOMIC TIME.
ANDY: NATIONALLY, COLLEGE ENROLLMENTS ARE GROWING BY CLOSE TO SEVEN PERCENT
ANNUALLY, AN INCREASE OF NEARLY ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND STUDENTS
PER YEAR.
YET, SOME QUESTION WHETHER TODAY'S STUDENTS RECEIVE THE RIGHT SKILLS.
OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, ROBERT HENRY.
HENRY: THERE ARE HIGH PAYING JOBS THAT ARE SEEMING TO REQUIRE A
MASTER'S DEGREE.
BUT I THINK THE PRIMARY THING IS THAT EDUCATION NEEDS TO TAKE CARE AND BE
SURE THAT IT'S RELEVANT, BE SURE THAT IT'S TEACHING THE SKILLS THAT ARE
NEEDED.
ANDY: IN CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY A NEW EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON SKILLS
TRAINING AS WELL AS HIGHER EDUCATION.
AND HERE AT LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, PRESIDENT KENT SMITH SAYS HE BELIEVES THE
NEXT DECADE COULD DETERMINE THE FATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
KENT SMITH: I THINK WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS; I REALLY DO.
AND I THINK IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS OR SO, WE WILL HAVE WHAT I CALL THE HAVES
AND THE HAVE NOTS.
I THINK YOU'LL HAVE THE UNIVERSITIES WHO EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY IN A DYNAMIC
WAY WILL BE THOSE WHO SURVIVE.
AND I THINK THOSE WHO DON'T, I THINK SOME OF THEM WILL GO EXTINCT.
ANDY: AND SMITH SAYS LANGSTON WILL NOT BE ONE OF THOSE COLLEGES REFUSING
TO MOVE FORWARD.
SMITH: ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE NEED TO DO, WILL DO, A MUCH BETTER JOB OF
IS INFUSING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE CLASSES THAT WE HAVE.
I FORESEE MORE ONLINE COURSES FOR LANGSTON UNIVERSITY.
I ALSO SEE MORE ONLINE HYBRID COURSES, MEANING A MIX OF TRADITIONAL
TEACHING MIXED IN WITH SOME ONLINE PIECES WITHIN THE SAME CLASS.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: TODAY, WE MARK AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE ON THE ROAD TO
HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM AND HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM.
ANDY: IN 2010, PRESIDENT OBAMA SET TWO NATIONAL GOALS FOR EDUCATION.
BY 2020 HE WANTS AMERICA TO ONCE AGAIN HAVE THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF
COLLEGE GRADUATES IN THE WORLD, UP FORM ITS CURRENT SIXTEENTH PLACE, WITH
COMMUNITY COLLEGES ADDING AN ADDITIONAL FIVE MILLION GRADUATES.
CURRENTLY, COMMUNITY COLLEGES ENROLL MORE THAN SIX MILLION STUDENTS
NATIONWIDE.
REDLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE, PRESIDENT LARRY DEVANE, SAYS HIS SCHOOL
HELPS STUDENTS GO STRAIGHT TO THE WORK PLACE.
LARRY DEVANE: OUR FOLKS TEND TO BE FROM OKLAHOMA, THEY'RE ABOUT OKLAHOMA,
AND OUR PLACEMENT RATES ARE IN OKLAHOMA.
SO THE BIGGEST MISSION WE SEE OURSELVES HAVING IS, THAT WE ARE VERY MUCH A
PART OF WHAT KIND OF QUALITY OF LIFE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE.
ANDY: AND WHILE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH ARE DEGREES
HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER, DEVANE SAYS WE CAN'T FORGET OTHER SKILLS IT
TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A CAREER.
DEVANE: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCHING, DOING THE WORK THAT ONE
NEEDS TO DO, WHETHER IT'S TO SET SOMETHING UP OR TO BECOME A PRODUCER IN OR TO
HAVE A LIVELIHOOD IN, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S A FORM OF APPLIED RESEARCH.
ANDY: RESEARCH THAT LANGSTON'S PRESIDENT SAYS WILL DEMAND A STRONG GRASP
ON TECHNOLOGY.
SMITH: TODAY'S GRADUATE WILL ENTER A WORK PLACE THAT WILL HAVE ALL SORTS
OF TECHNOLOGY DEMANDS.
ANDY: WELL IT'S NO SECRET HOW IMPORTANT AN EDUCATION IS.
IT'S BEEN SAID THAT A COLLEGE GRADUATE EARNS A MILLION DOLLARS MORE IN
THEIR LIFETIME COMPARED TO NON COLLEGE GRADS.
BUT HOW DO WE PAY FOR THAT DEGREE?
TUITION AND FEES CURRENTLY AVERAGE MORE THAN $8,500 AT IN-STATE COLLEGES AND
MORE THAN $29,000 AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
LEAVING SOME ASKING, IS IT WORTH IT?
MARK SNEAD: STUDENTS, MORE THAN EVER, ARE CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, THE
ECONOMIC PAYOFF.
ANDY: ECONOMIST MARK SNEAD SAYS THAT WHILE THE NATIONAL STUDENT DEBT IS
MORE THAN A TRILLION DOLLARS, THE COST OF COLLEGE ISN'T THE REAL
ISSUE.
SNEAD: WHEN YOU COMPARE THE PAYOFF TO A COLLEGE DEGREE TO THE UPFRONT COST
OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION, EVEN PRIVATE EDUCATION IS A BARGAIN.
THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT IT ALL HAS TO BE PAID UP FRONT.
ANDY: A PROBLEM SNEAD SAYS CAN BE FIXED WITH A LONGER PAYOFF PLAN.
SNEAD: MAYBE YOU NEED A 30 YEAR PAYMENT STRUCTURE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION COULDN'T BE
PAID FOR OVER A SIMILAR TERM, LIKE HOUSING.
I MEAN WE PAY FOR HOUSING OVER 30 YEARS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PRICE, YOU KNOW
IT'S EXPENSIVE.
ANDY: AN EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT, BUT ONE THAT ITS PAYOFF IS TIED
DIRECTLY TO THE DEGREE AREA.
SNEAD: ONE THING WE DON'T HAVE IS TOO MANY COLLEGE GRADUATES, BUT ONE THING
WE MAY HAVE TOO MANY OF IS, TOO MANY TWENTY-TWO YEAR OLD COLLEGE GRADUATES
WITH NO WORK EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S NOT A PARTICULARLY POWERFUL COMBINATION.
ANDY: BUT ROBERT HENRY SAYS HE BELIEVES YOU STILL CAN'T DISCOUNT THE
BENEFITS OF A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION.
HENRY: YOU DO NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GRAMMAR, AND RHETORIC AND LOGIC.
YOU DO NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
YOU DO NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A SPEECH SOMETIME IN YOUR LIFE.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD WRITE AN ESSAY, OR AN ARTICLE, THAT IS
PERSUASIVE.
BUT THEY ALSO TEACH YOU HOW TO THINK AND HOW TO CRITICALLY EVALUATE.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STUDENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TODAY.
ANDY: ALL TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE FOR TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY JOBS IN A GLOBAL
MARKET PLACE.
ANDY BARTH: NOW WHILE THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION IS INCREASING IN BOTH
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES, A NEW TREND IS EMERGING AS ONLINE
COLLEGES CHARGE TUITION LIKE A CELL PHONE PLAN, WITH PAY AS YOU GO CLASSES
MAKING IT MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE WHILE STILL EARNING THAT DEGREE.
ROB: NOW I KNOW THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADRESS
ABOUT A NEW WEB SITE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS CREATING THAT WILL ALLOW
BOTH STUDENTS AND PARENTS TO COMPARE BOTH THE COST AND THE QUALITY OF
COLLEGES.
ANDY: THAT'S RIGHT ROB.
AS PROMISED, THE WHITE HOUSE NOW HAS AN INTERACTIVE COLLEGE SCORE
CARD WEB SITE WHICH ALLOWS PEOPLE TO GO ON AND GET THE TRUE COST OF A
PARTICULAR UNIVERSITY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, AS WELL AS GATHER DATA ON THE
STUDENT LOAN INFORMATION AS WELL AS GRADUATION RATES.
ROB: ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH ANDY.
ANDY: YOU'RE WELCOME ROB.
ROB: NOW, IF YOU WANT TO LINK TO THE ADMINSTRATION'S WEB SITE
ON HIGHER EDUCATION, YOU CAN DO THAT AT OK HORIZON DOT COM, WHERE WE ALSO
HAVE A LINK TO A VIDEO FROM OUR PARTNERS AT FACE THE FACTS USA, ON THE
RISING COST OF COLLEGE, AND THE IMPLICATIONS IT COULD HAVE ON OUR ECONOMY.
NOW WHEN WE RETURN, WE LOOK AT CHANGES A-FOOT IN THE CLASSROOM.
MALE ANNOUNCER: YOU'RE WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON, FEATURING SOME OF THE GOOD
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL MY FIRST GUEST TODAY HAS EARNED A REPUTATION AS ONE
OF THE BRIGHTEST THINKERS IN THE ART OF PEDAGOGY, WHICH IS A FANCY WAY OF
SAYING THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING.
EARLIER I WAS ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH MARK TAYLOR, A LONG-TIME EDUCATOR THAT
BELIEVES IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THE CLASSROOM FOR TODAY'S DIGITAL LEARNER.
MARK TAYLOR: ONE OF THE DIRTY SECRETS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IS IN COLLEGES
WE HAVE NOT REQUIRED PEOPLE TO BE PREPARED TO TEACH TO TEACH IN COLLEGE.
ANYBODY WITH A PHD IN BIOLOGY WILL SAY, GO BE A TEACHER.
WE WOULDN'T LET THAT PHD IN BIOLOGY GO OUT AND BE A PHYSICIAN, BUT WE'LL LET
THEM GO BE A TEACHER.
AND NOW WITH MUCH MORE EMPHASIS ON COLLEGE OUTCOMES, ACCOUNTABILITY
IN COLLEGES FOR SHOWING LEARNING OUTCOMES, WE'RE SEEING REAL DIFFERENT
REQUIREMENTS ON THE FACULTY IN COLLEGES TO BE BETTER PREPARED TO REALLY
BRING ABOUT LEARNING.
AND I MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEACHING AND LEARNING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COLLEGE PROFESSORS DOING A LOT OF TEACHING WITH VERY LITTLE
DEMONSTRABLE OUTCOME, VERY LITTLE POSITIVE BENEFITS, EVEN THOUGH BLESS THEIR
HEARTS, THEY'RE TEACHING UP A STORM.
ROB MCCLENDON: WITH THE SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT THAT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TEND TO
HAVE IN THE GENERATION NEXT, HAS THAT MEANT THAT IN HIGHER ED, WE MAYBE ARE
SEEING SOME GRADE INFLATION JUST TO MEET THEIR EXPECTATIONS.
TAYLOR: WELL, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXUS BETWEEN STUDENT ENTITLEMENT AND A
CUSTOMER SERVICE MODEL IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE BUSINESS MODELS IN HIGHER
EDUCATION, THEN WE DO SEE SOME NATURALLY OCCURRING GRADE INFLATION TO KEEP
THE CUSTOMER SATISFIED.
DON'T WANT TO UPSET THEM.
THE REAL ISSUE WITH THE SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT IS THAT IT REDUCES STUDENTS'
SENSES OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING.
SO I SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF MY TIME WITH FACULTY PEOPLE, HELPING THEM LEARN
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES TO HELP STUDENTS TO BECOME MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR
OWN LEARNING.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL COLLEGE CLASSROOM, THERE IS THIS
ACTIVE RESPONSIBLE TEACHER WITH A BUNCH OF PASSIVE, DISENGAGED STUDENTS WHO
ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS SERVICE.
THAT'S WHAT COLLEGE HAS ALWAYS LOOKED LIKE, BUT IT'S BAD INSTRUCTION.
WHAT I ADVOCATE IN HIGHER EDUCATION IS, KILLING THE LECTURE.
THE LECTURE MODEL IN HIGHER EDUCATION IS THE ENEMY.
ROB: SO NO MORE SAGE ON THE STAGE?
TAYLOR: NO, WELL, YOU CAN BE A SAGE ON THE STAGE; JUST DON'T BURN UP
CLASSROOM TIME BEING THAT SAGE ON THE STAGE.
CAPTURE IT ON A VIDEO, AND LET STUDENTS SEE YOUR BEST EXPLANATION BEFORE THEY
COME TO CLASS.
IF YOU'VE GOT A TRADITIONAL COLLEGE CLASS, YOU HAVE THEM FOR 3
ONE-HOUR EPISODES EVERY WEEK.
WELL DON'T BURN UP THOSE THREE HOURS DELIVERING THAT CONTENT.
CAPTURE YOUR BEST EXPLANATION EITHER ON VIDEO, CAMTASIA,
VOICE-OVER A POWERPOINT, AND MOVE THAT CONTENT, YOUR BEST EXPLANATION, AND
STUDENTS CAN SEE IT OUT OF CLASS.
THE DIGITAL LEARNER PREFERS THAT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN A LIVE ENVIRONMENT;
THEY CAN SEE IT ON THE SCREEN; IT MEETS THEIR ANYWHERE, ANYTIME DIGITAL
EXPECTATION FOR AVAILABILITY; IF THEY DON'T GET IT, THEY CAN
BACK UP AND REWIND.
THE LECTURE BY DEFINITION TARGETS, EVERY CLASS HAS A RANGE OF STUDENTS.
THE LECTURE TARGETS SOME BAND OF STUDENTS, SOME FACULTY TARGET THE
STUDENTS THAT ARE LIKE THEM, THE BRILLIANT STUDENTS.
THEY LOSE EVERYBODY ELSE.
SOME TARGET THE SLOWEST STUDENTS; THEY LOSE ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS.
BUT IF IT'S A VIDEO CAST, THEY, EACH STUDENT CAN WATCH IT ENOUGH TIMES TO
GET THE CONTENT.
THEN WHEN THEY COME TO CLASS, THEY ARE ACTIVE IN WHAT DR WEEMER DESCRIBES
AS THE MESSY BUSINESS OF THEIR OWN EDUCATION.
EDUCATION IS NOT A TIDY PROCESS.
THEY COME TO CLASS AND THEY WORK WITH THAT CONENT.
AND THAT'S THE FLIP OF THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM; MOVE THE CONTENT OUT OF CLASS,
AND MOVE THE ACTIVITY INTO CLASS.
AS STUDENTS GET MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING, THEN THEY WILL
BE BETTER EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEY WILL BE MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR WORK PLACE
EXPECTATIONS.
THE PASSIVE LEARNER IS NOT DEVELOPING RESPONSIBILITY, SO WHY WOULD WE EXPECT
THEM TO BE RESPONSIBLE AT WORK.
SO WE HOPE THAT CHANGES IN THOSE EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES WOULD LEAD TO A
BETTER PREPARED WORK FORCE.
ROB: WHAT COULD THIS MEAN FOR TRADITIONAL EDUCATION?
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE INDUSTRY OF EDUCATION OF HIGHER ED, BECAUSE IF I
CAN GO ONLINE AND FIND THE BEST LECTURER, WHY DO I WANT TO SIT INTO AN
INSTRUCTOR'S CLASS WHO MAYBE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR 6 MONTHS?
TAYLOR: WELL, AND THERE ARE SOME FOLKS OUT THERE WHO ARE ADDRESSING THAT IN
VERY MEANINGFUL WAYS.
THE BEST REFERENCES ARE ON DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN COLLEGE.
AND THERE'S THIS NOTION ON DISRUPTIVE INNOVATIONS THAT MOST INDUSTRIES PASS
THROUGH PERIODS OF TIME OF KIND OF SLOW, INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR
PRODUCT; THEN SOME HUGE DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION COMES IN WHERE THE MAJOR
PLAYERS GO OUT AND A NEW SET OF INNOVATORS COME IN.
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST COMPUTERS THAT WERE VERY POPULAR
WERE COMPAQ AND NEC AND IBM, WHO DON'T EVEN MAKE COMPUTERS ANY MORE BECAUSE
THESE UPSTART COMPANIES CAME IN.
AND THERE'S A SUGGESTION THAT ONLINE LEARNING IS DISRUPTING HIGHER ED LIKE
THAT AND YOU ASKED THE PERFECT QUESTION.
WHY WOULD I PAY FOR THIS CLASS WHEN I CAN ACCESS THE BEST LECTURE ONLINE
ALREADY?
AND WHEN PLACES LIKE MIT AND HARVARD ARE PUTTING ALL, AND PRINCETON, ARE
PUTTING ALL THEIR CONTENT ONLINE, IT'S VERY HUMBLING TO YOUR BREAD AND BUTTER
PROFESSOR TO SAY NOW I'M GOING TO OFFER MY BEST EXPLANATION ON THIS EVEN
THOUGH THAT NOBEL LAUREATE'S EXPLANATION IS ALREADY ONLINE.
I'VE HAD FACULTY PEOPLE TELL ME, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE ME OBSOLETE.
I SAY, NO, IF ALL YOU'RE DOING IS LECTURING, YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE YOURSELF
OBSOLETE.
WHAT WE NEED IS EXPERTISE THAT CAN TAKE STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN
INTRODUCED TO THAT CONTENT, NO MATTER WHERE THEY GOT IT, BUT WHEN THEY
COME TO CLASS THIS EDUCATIONAL EXPERT KNOWS WHAT ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH
THEM TO SOLIDIFY WHAT THEY KNOW, WHAY THEY CAN DO AND WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE EDUCATOR OF THE FUTURE.
NOT CHALLENGED BY ALL THESE OTHER LECTURERS ONLINE, BUT ABLE TO
LEVERAGE THOSE RESOURCES IN THEIR OWN CLASS.
THOSE WILL BE THE VALUABLE EDUCATORS.
ROB: DR MARK TAYLOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHTS.
TAYLOR: MY PLEASURE, GOOD DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU ROB.
ROB: NOW TO HEAR MORE FROM MARK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSITIONING TODAY'S
DIGITAL LEARNERS INTO THE WORK PLACE, JUST HEAD TO OUR VALUE ADDED SECTION AT
OUR WEBSITE, AT
OK HORIZON DOT COM.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: STILL TO COME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON...
WHAT EDUCATION CAN LEARN FROM THE MUSIC INDUSTRY;
BUT FIRST, A CONVERSATION WITH OKLAHOMA'S
CHANCELLOR OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL OKLAHOMA IS HOME TO NUMEROUS UNIVERSITIES,
EACH OF THEM UNIQUE.
BUT THE BULK OF OKLAHOMA COLLEGE STUDENTS ATTEND A SCHOOL GOVERNED BY THE
OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION -
25 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES INCLUDING:
2 RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES;
10 REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES;
A PUBLIC LIBERAL ARTS UNIVERSITY;
ALONG WITH 12 COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
NOW EARLIER, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE OKLAHOMA STATE SYSTEM OF
HIGHER EDUCATION VISTED OUR STUDIOS, CHANCELLOR GLEN JOHNSON.
ROB: WELL EVERYONE THAT WE SPOKE TO TODAY TALKED ABOUT INNOVATION, AND
REALLY THE NEED FOR IT IN THE CLASSROOM.
HOW DOES SOMEONE IN YOUR POSITION CHANGE THAT TALK INTO ACTION?
GLEN JOHNSON: WELL IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE IN A
NEW ERA, OR WE'RE IN A NEW DYNAMIC TODAY AS FAR AS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
DELIVER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS IN WAYS THAT ARE RELEVANT,
NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS NEEDS TODAY BUT ULTIMATELY FOR WHAT THEY WILL BE
CONFRONTED WITH IN THE MARKET PLACE.
AND SO I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES,
I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME VERY INNOVATIVE CHANGES QUITE FRANKLY IN THE WAY
THE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS DELIVERED.
THE OLD CONCEPT THAT EVERYONE THINKS ABOUT THE PROFESSOR IN FRONT OF THE
CLASSROOM AT A LECTERN, ALTHOUGH THAT'S STILL THERE AND IT NEEDS TO BE
SAID THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN DELIVERING A LEARNING
OPPORTUNITY IS THE INSTRUCTOR OR THE PROFESSOR.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, THE WAY IT'S DELIVERED NOW IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT.
WITH OUR ONLINE COURSES, WE HAVE HYBRID COURSES THAT COMBINE FACE-TO-FACE
TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTION WITH THE ONLINE OPPORTUNITY, THE USE OF
IPADS; THE USE OF ALL OF OUR MEDIA TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S JUST A MUCH DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT AND, AND CANDIDLY I THINK OUR GOAL
AND OUR ROLE IS TO TRY TO UTILIZE THAT TECHNOLOGY IN A WAY WHERE IT'S
INTEGRATED INTO OUR CURRICULUM AND INTO OUR CLASSROOM, AND WHERE
LEARNING IS MORE RELEVANT FOR STUDENTS TODAY.
ROB: LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STUDENT DEBT.
YOU KNOW AS A SOCIETY THE ONLY THING THAT WE OWE MORE ON THAN STUDENT
LOANS IS OUR HOME MORTGAGES.
YOU KNOW IT'S A TOUGH QUESTION AND YOU KNOW WE HEARD WHAT THE ECONOMIST
SAID, THAT HE THINKS WE OUGHT TO PAY THEM OUT OVER 30 YEARS BECAUSE IT IS,
YOU KNOW, WE GET THE BENEFITS OVER THAT LENGTH OF TIME.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
JOHNSON: WELL IT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A DISTINCTION
BETWEEN THE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING OUT THROUGH THE MEDIA WHICH FOCUSES ON
THE NATIONAL PROBLEM.
BECAUSE OKLAHOMA REALLY HAS A DIFFERENT, AND, AND FRANKLY A MUCH BETTER
STORY TO TELL.
A REPORT CAME OUT FROM THE CENTER FOR STUDENT SUCCESS IN OCTOBER, THERE WAS AN
ARTICLE IN THE OKLAHOMAN IN LATE OCTOBER; THEY RATED THE 50 STATES IN
TERMS OF STUDENTS LEAVING COLLEGE WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF DEBT THAT
THEY HAVE.
WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT OUR OKLAHOMA HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM RANKED 8TH IN THE
NATION IN TERMS OF STUDENTS LEAVING COLLEGE WITH THE LESS, WITH LESS
STUDENT DEBT.
SO ESSENTIALLY THERE WOULD ONLY BE 7 OTHER STATES WHERE THE STUDENT-DEBT
RATIO IS LESS THAN IT IS IN OKLAHOMA.
SEVERAL REASONS FOR THAT; WE HAVE WITHIN OUR OFFICES AT THE STATE REGENTS, THE
OKLAHOMA COLLEGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THAT'S DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO
HELP STUDENTS ON THE FRONT END WITH FINANCIAL LITERACY.
MANY STUDENTS, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, COME IN TO THE COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT, SOME
HAVE NEVER BALANCED THEIR CHECKBOOK, UNFORTUNATELY GET INTO CREDIT CARD
SITUATIONS WHERE THEY MAY ACCUMULATE ENOUGH DEBT THAT THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY
DROP OUT OF SCHOOL TO PAY THEIR CREDIT CARDS.
OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND OUR COLLEGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROVIDES THEM
WITH FINANCIAL LITERACY INFORMATION ON THE FRONT END WHERE THEY WON'T GET
INTO THOSE SITUATIONS.
BUT THOSE STUDENTS THAT DO HAVE LOANS, WE HAVE A DEFAULT PREVENTION
DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY WITH THOSE STUDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING'S INTACT, THAT THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED AND THEY DON'T
GET INTO A DEFAULT SITUATION.
AGAIN, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE OKLAHOMA RANKS NATIONALLY, IT'S IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT TUITION AND FEES, WE HAVE A GREAT STORY TO TELL THERE.
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AGAIN LOOKING AT THE NATIONAL SITUATION,
STATES, LIKE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, HAVE INCREASED TUITION AND FEES BY OVER
32 PERCENT; ARIZONA AND GEORGIA IN THE HIGH 20 PERCENTS.
OKLAHOMA OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAS HAD A 4 PERCENT AVERAGE TUITION
INCREASE.
IN 2009 WE WERE ONE OF ONLY TWO STATES IN THE NATION TO HAVE NO INCREASE
IN TUITION AND FEES.
AND THE LAST 3 YEARS, IT'S AVERAGED ABOUT 5 PERCENT.
SO WE HAVE BUCKED THAT NATIONAL TREND IN A WAY THAT I THINK IS PROVIDING
OUR STUDENTS, UH, THE UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAD A REPORT
EARLIER THIS YEAR WRITTEN BY MARGARET SPELLINGS
WHO WAS THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH,
RANKED THE STATES IN TERMS OF AFFORDABILITY.
THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA RANKED 7TH IN THE NATION AS FAR AS THE MOST
AFFORDABLE STATE IN THE NATION, NOT JUST ON TUITION AND FEES, BUT
BOOKS, HOUSING AND ALL THE RELATED COSTS OF GOING TO COLLEGE.
SO, WE'RE DELIVERING A GREAT PRODUCT TO STUDENTS AT A VERY AFFORDABLE COST,
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION WHILE WE ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT STUDENT DEBT, I THINK THE STORY IN OKLAHOMA IS DIFFERENT THAN
IN A NUMBER OF OTHER STATES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND THAT SPEAKS WELL FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE.
ROB: WITH STATE BUDGETS WHERE THEY ARE, AND REALLY JUST STABILITY IN
BUDGETING AS BEING THE BEST THAT WE CAN EXPECT IN EDUCATION, HOW DO WE GO
AHEAD AND MAKE ALL THESE CHANGES THAT WE SEE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE?
JOHNSON: ALL IN ALL, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THE CASE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PRIORITIES IN STATE GOVERNMENT, CERTAINLY OUR
HEALTH CARE ISSUES ARE DOMINANT, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES HAS BIG
ISSUES, CORRECTIONS ALWAYS HAS DEMANDS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THE CASE THAT IF
WE LOOK AT WHAT CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD FOR THE STATE IN A POSITIVE WAY,
WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS OUR WORK FORCE NEEDS, I THINK COLLECTIVELY FUNDING
EDUCATION HAS GOT TO BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR OUR STATE.
AND CERTAINLY OUR LAWMAKERS AND GOVERNOR FALLIN HAVE BEEN THERE FOR
US IN THE PAST.
DURING THE DOWNTURN THEY DIDN'T MAKE CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
THEY FRANKLY PRIORITIZED EDUCATION.
AND WE JUST NEED TO, WE NEED TO HAVE THE FACTS AT OUR DISPOSAL WHERE WE
CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CASE THAT THERE'S NOT A BETTER INVESTMENT THAN INVESTING
IN EDUCATION, INVESTING IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THERE WILL BE GREAT
RETURNS FOR THE STATE IF WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CASE PERSUASIVELY, WHERE
IN A YEAR WHEN WE HAVE NEW DOLLARS, WE'RE ABLE TO GET SOME OF THOSE ALLOCATED TO
EDUCATION; AND AGAIN FROM MY STANDPOINT, PARTICULARLY HIGHER
EDUCATION BUT ALSO COMMON ED AND CAREER TECH.
ROB MCCLENDON: NEXT TIME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, WE EXAMINE AN AREA WHERE
OKLAHOMA IS LEADING THE NATION, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
EDUCATION IS AT THE HEART OF THE MODERN ECONOMY.
AND WHAT'S AT THE START OF EDUCATION?
A GOOD START.
SO IN THAT SENSE WE KNOW BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMICS OF THE ISSUE THAT THERE'S
A VERY POWERFUL ARGUMENT TO BE MADE FOR INVESTING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.
ROB: ON OKLAHOMA'S SHOW FOR THE HEARTLAND, OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGING TIMES, HIGHER EDUCATION
COULD LEARN A THING OR TWO FROM ROCK STARS.
IF ANY BUSINESS SECTOR HAS FELT THE BRUNT OF THE INTERNET AS A DISRUPTIVE
TECHNOLOGY, IT'S THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, WHICH WAS DEALT A HEAVY BLOW BY THE ONSET
OF THE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD.
LESS THAN A DECADE AGO, MUSIC BUYERS WOULD PAY UP TO $18 FOR AN ALBUM.
YET TODAY, FEW SPEND MORE THAN 99 CENTS FOR A SONG.
IN FACT, MANY CONSUMERS DON'T PAY FOR MUSIC AT ANY PRICE.
LITERALLY THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MUSIC SITES ONLINE WHERE YOU CAN
LISTEN FOR FREE AND A SIMILAR DYNAMIC IS NOW DEVELOPING IN EDUCATION.
SEVERAL ELITE UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING STANFORD AND HARVARD, HAVE
BEGUN MULTI MILLION-DOLLAR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE SEVERAL OF THEIR COURSES FREE,
ONLINE, FOR EVERYONE; WHICH SOME BELIEVE WILL LEAD COLLEGES TO SHED
THEIR LOWEST-QUALITY COURSES (AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT COSTS)
AND THEN REPLACE THEM WITH THE BEST COURSES OFFERED BY OTHER
INSTITUTIONS THROUGH VARIOUS LOOSE FEDERATIONS.
AND JUST HOW SOON THAT HAPPENS MAY NOT BE LEFT UP TO THOSE THAT SIT IN
EDUCATION'S IVORY TOWERS.
IF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS ANY INDICATION, ONCE THE TECHNOLOGY GENIE IS OUT OF
THE BOTTLE, THERE IS NO PUTTING IT BACK IN.
AND JUST AS THE MUSICIANS HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THEIR BUSINESS MODEL,
EDUCATORS MAY AS WELL.
I'M ROB MCCLENDON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK.
MALE ANNOUNCER: THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON.