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ROB MCCLENDON: WELL ONLINE COURSES COULD BE A GAME CHANGER FOR EDUCATION.
NEVER BEFORE HAS THERE BEEN SUCH WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY OF
EDUCATIONAL CONTENT.
THANKS TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IT HAS NEVER BEEN SO EASY OR EVEN SO
CHEAP TO LEARN.
JOINING ME NOW IN STUDIO TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO IN
EDUCATION CIRCLES AS MOOCS IS THE STATE DIRECTOR OF OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF
CAREER TECH, ROBERT SOMMERS.
WELL FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A TERM THAT I WASN'T THAT FAMILIAR WITH, WHAT IS A
MOOC?
ROBERT SOMMERS: WELL THE GOOD NEW IS MOST PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN FAMILIAR,
IT'S THE THAT NEW.
I THINK IT'S BEEN ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS SINCE I'VE KNOWN IT.
IT STANDS FOR MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE EDUCATION.
IT IS THE WAY AN INCREASING VOLUME OF HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTRUCTION IS OCCURRING.
IT'S DIGITIZED INSTRUCTION, BUT IT'S ALSO BACKED UP BY FACULTY.
AND IN SOME CASES IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY PAY FOR THE COURSEWORK, YOU CAN
EARN CREDIT.
ROB: OKAY, SO HOW DO THESE DIFFER FROM THE TELECOURSES THAT I TOOK,
EVEN, AS A COLLEGE STUDENT?
SOMMERS: YEAH, WELL IT'S REALLY ABOUT TECHNOLOGY CHANGES.
YOU KNOW A LONG TIME AGO WE HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE TO HEAR SOMEBODY TALK AND WE
CALLED IT A CLASSROOM.
THEN WE GOT TELECONFERENCES OR EVEN CORRESPONDENCE COURSES SO
WE HAD THE ABILITY TO SHIP MATERIALS OR WE COULD SEND TAPES.
TODAY WITH THE INTERNET, IT'S LIVE, PRESENT AND INSTANT.
SO I EQUATE IT TO LIKE BANKING.
WE USED TO GO TO THE BANK AND WE HAD A TELLER TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESS.
THEN THEY HAVE AN ATM, SO I PHYSICALLY GO SOMEPLACE, I HAVE TO DO MY BUSINESS
AT AN ATM MACHINE INSTEAD OF A TELLER.
WELL NOW I HAVE MOBILE APPS THAT I CAN DEPOSIT MY MONEY BY TAKING PICTURES
OF IT.
I CAN READ ALL MY BANK STATEMENTS ONLINE.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE.
I CAN BE ANYWHERE TO DO THAT.
WELL THAT'S WHAT MOOCS ARE.
YOU CAN LITERALLY BE ANYWHERE AND ALL THE CONTENT AND ALL THE
INSTRUCTION IS DELIVERED TO YOU ON YOUR TIME, ON YOUR PLACE AND AT YOUR
PACE.
ROB: AND I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT AT YOUR PACE.
DOES THAT MEAN THE TRADITIONAL YEAR WE MAY SPEND TAKING A CLASS MAY
BE BROUGHT DOWN OR COULD BE EXPANDED IF WE DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION?
SOMMERS: RIGHT, TIME REALLY HAS NO MEANING ANYMORE.
IT STILL HAS A LOT OF MEANING IN INSTITUTIONS LIKE SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
BUT INCREASINGLY WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE WE NO LONGER
HAVE TO HAVE THE TYRANY OF THE COHORT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON SOMEBODY SCHEDULING A TIME AND WE GO AND VISIT THEM
DIRECTLY.
NOT THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT STILL, BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE DON'T NEED TO.
PEOPLE CAN PERSONALIZE THEIR LEARNING THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE
AND ADULTS ALIKE THAT CAN LEARN THINGS VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
THEY CAN LEARN TO PROFICIENCY, PROOVE PROFICIENCY AND MOVE ON
CREDIT ISN'T BASED ON HOW MANY HOURS OR WEEKS YOU SPEND IN A COURSE.
THE COURSE CONTENT IS PRESENTED AND YOU GET CREDIT BASED ON ACTUAL
SKILL SETS, ACTUALY PROOF OF COMPETENCE.
ROB: SO TIME IN THE SEAT MAY NOT BE AS IMPORTANT ANYMORE?
SOMMERS: SEAT TIME IS ACUTALLY A LEFT OVER OF THE PREVIOUS GENERATION'S
EDUCATION.
IN THE PUREST SENSE, WHEN WE COMBINE DIGITAL INSTRUCTION WITH HIGH
QUALITY FACULTY, WE ACTUALLY ELIMINATE TIME AS A FACTOR AT ALL.
AND ODDLY ENOUGH, IT ACTUALLY MAKES THE TEACHER MUCH MORE PROFESSIONAL.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, WE NOW HAVE THE ABILTIY FOR TEACHERS TO
MOVE FROM BEING THE PRESENTER OF INFORMATION TO BEING THE FACILITATOR
OF INSTRUCTION, THE PROBLEM SOLVER FOR THE STUDENT, BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STUDENTS, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
TO SUCCEED RATHER THAN GRADING PAPERS ALL NIGHT.
THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE AND WE CAN BUILD SCHOOL SETTINGS
WHERE THE TEACHERS OR A TEAM OF TEACHERS CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE HOW THE
WORK OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS, NOT ONCE A YEAR, OR IN A COMMITTEE OR BASED ON
SOME BOARD EDICT.
ROB: WHAT ABOUT COST?
TECHNOLOGY IS CERTAINLY NOT FREE.
SOMMERS: ACTUALLY TECHNOLOGY IS SURPRISINGLY FREE.
ROB: OKAY.
SOMMERS: IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE INTERNET IS BASICALLY THERE YOU KNOW
SOMEBODY HAD TO SPEND MONEY ON IT, BUT NOW THAT IT'S IN PLACE THE COST OF
COMMUNICATIONS IS VIRTUALLY ZERO.
NOW, I MAY BE DATING MYSELF, I REMEMBER THE OLD LANDLINES, YOU KNOW YOU
PAID 25-30 DOLLARS A MONTH SIMPLY FOR THE ABILITY TO TALK AUDITORILY.
NOW FOR 25-30 DOLLARS A MONTH, I CAN GET MY MOVIES, MY TV, I CAN GET
TEXTING, EMAIL, ALL KINDS OF ENTERTAINMENT AND I CAN TALK ON THE PHONE.
SO IT HAS GONE TO ALMOST NOTHING.
THE OTHER IS THE PROLIFERATION OF INTERNET DEVICES, SMARTPHONES,
I-PADS, LAPTOPS, MEANS THAT NEARLY EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO THE TECHNOLOGY.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, ONCE I DEVELOP A LESSON AND I DIGITZE IT, SENDING IT TO
YOU COSTS ME NOTHING IN ADDITIONAL COSTS.
SO I CAN PREPARE A LESSON FOR 10 STUDENTS, OR I CAN DELIVER IT TO 140,000 FOR
EXACTLY THE SAME PRICE.
SO IN A WAY, IT ACTUALLY IS FREE.
ROB: SO IF IT'S CHEAPER, AND THEN CERTAINLY MORE CONVENIENT FOR BOTH
TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS, WHY AREN'T WE SEEING MORE OF THESE MOOCS, THESE
ONLINE COURSES?
SOMMERS: IT'S CALLED TRADITION.
AND IT'S CALLED, BASICALLY, A TYPICAL RESPONSE TO WHAT WE CALL
DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION.
CLAYTON CHRISTENSEN WROTE A GREAT BOOK, DISRUPTING CLASS.
AND BASICALLY YOU FIND THIS NOT ONLY IN THE EDUCATION INDUSTRY BUT
ANY INDUSTRY.
FOR EXAMPLE I-B-M MAINFRAMES.
THE ONLY WAY THEY TRANSITIONED TO DESKTOPS WAS TO CREATE A SEPARATE
COMPANY.
THE MAINFRAME FOLKS COULD NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE A DESKTOP COMPUTER OR TO
MAKE IT EFFECTIVE.
IN EDUCATION WHAT WE HAVE IS AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY, AN ENTIRE INSTRUCTIONAL
METHODOLOGY, AN ENTIRE UNDERSTANDING WHERE THERE'S A TEACHER, THERE'S
A CLASSROOM, AND THERE'S A COHORT OF STUDENTS.
AND THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM THAT TO A PLACE WHERE THE
STUDENT'S IN THE CENTER, PROFICIENCY IS THE CURRENCY RATHER THAN TIME,
AND THE TEACHER BECOMES A HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL THAT'S MANAGING THAT
PROCESS.
ROB: SO IS THERE A ROLE FOR EMPLOYERS TO PLAY IN TRYING TO MOVE US TO WHERE
YOU THINK THAT WE NEED TO GO?
SOMMERS: WELL EMPLOYERS AND SOCIETY WILL ULTIMATLEY MAKE THIS
TRANSITION NECESSARY.
PARENTS ON THE ONE SIDE, BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO SUCCEED AND
THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE CHOICES IN HOW THEY LEARN, AND THEY SEE
THE PROLIFERATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL NO LONGER HAVE TO WAIT FOR COLLEGE TO
TAKE COLLEGE COURSES; MOOCS ALLOW THEM TO TAKE THEM ANYTIME THEY WANT, SO
THINK OF THAT WHOLE RANGE.
BUT EMPLOYERS ARE INCREASINGLY INTERESTED IN TALENT, NOT CREDENTIALS,
IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE.
THEY ARE INTERESTED IN CREDENTIALS THAT ARE TIED TO SPECIFIC SKILL SETS.
RACK SPACE NEEDS CODERS TO KEEP THE CLOUD ALIVE.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN WHETHER THE STUDENT IS A HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATE EVEN, A COLLEGE GRADUATE, THEY CARE WHETHER THEY CAN CODE,
WHETHER THEY SHOW UP, DELIVER HIGH QUALITY SERVICE.
EMPLOYERS ARE INCREASINGLY FINDING THAT.
THAT'S THE REASON YOU SEE AN INCREASED EXPECTAION FOR INDUSTRY CREDENTIALS.
SITE SELECTION MAGAZINE NOW USES INDUSTRY CREDENTIALS IN EQUIVALENT
SETTINGS WITH COLLEGE DEGREES IN MEASURING THE WORKFORCE QUALITY FOR
CHOOSING WHERE YOU PUT YOUR COMPANY.
SO, I THINK IT WILL EMERGE MORE AND MORE, THE COMPANIES WILL DRIVE A LOT
OF THIS CHANGE BECAUSE THEY'LL HIRE THE PEOPLE WITH THE TALENT NOT JUST
THE PEOPLE THAT SAT THERE FOR FOUR YEARS AND WENT THROUGH COURSES.
ROB: WELL I APPRECIATE THE INSIGHT, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
ROB: NOW WE HAVE MUCH MORE ON EDUCATION REFORM ON OUR WEBSITE, THEIR I HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THREE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS, TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THEY NOW FACE, PLUS ALISA HINES HAS A BLOG ON WHAT IT IS LIKE TO
HAVE TWO KIDS IN COLLEGE AT THE SAME TIME.
JUST HEAD TO OKHORIZON DOT COM WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM BOTH.