Thursday, January 17, 2013

UC Regents Meeting Report: Rewriting History and Forgetting the Faculty (1/16/13)

President Yudof outlined his big online vision near the start of the Regents Meeting on Wednesday. He argued that since so many students are applying to the UC system, but there is not enough money or classes to enroll them, the system should consider moving many of its high-enrollment gateway courses online. Yudof added that the university is going to have to get used to a higher student-to-faculty ratio for the foreseeable future, and that we must move to a system where students don’t simply memorize information, but rather they engage in a critical relationship with new knowledge.

Yudof stressed that the focus of the Online Pilot Program has never been on enrolling non-UC students, and the media has gotten it wrong on the failure of the UC program to attract students. However, Yudof’s remarks directly contradict UC’s own previous statements regarding the need to attract 3,000 non-UC students this year to pay off the loan it made to itself.

There was a lot of rewriting of history going on throughout the meeting, and it was unfortunate that no one at the table corrected some of these misrepresentations. Also, when the outside course providers were making their presentations, they constantly bashed UC faculty by arguing that nothing has changed in our classrooms during the last fifty years, and the professors need to either rethink how they teach or get out of the way. Once again, no one defended the faculty or the quality of education in the UC system.

Yudof announced that there will be a Spring meeting with faculty to discuss the online programs, and a new set of incentives will be established to get more professors to develop more nontraditional classes. The UC Provost added that one possible goal would be for every student to take at least four online courses during their first two years, but Yudof later angrily insisted that no students would be forced to take online courses.

Governor Brown reiterated his point that the university has to realize that it wants more money from the state than the state can deliver, so the UC system has to find a way to teach more students with less money. He later added that it sounded like the system was headed in the right direction, and he appeared to be pleased with the tenor of the conversation.

At one strange moment, Regent Blum insisted that Dean Edley speak about the online program, and Edley obliged by taking off on a long riff dealing with the need to set up a virtual campus for all of the qualified, under-represented students who can’t find a spot in the UC system. Like so much that was said during the day, Edley’s rhetoric sounded good until you questioned the main theme of the day, which was how can the UC system turn to online education to both save money and improve educational quality.

I tried to address these issues during my public comments, but I felt as though no one was really paying attention. During a break, a TV reporter pulled me aside and asked me to talk about why I hate online education. I said I do not hate it, but I believe that it will increase costs and possibly lower the quality of our “better classes.” I also added that this whole discussion about online education allows the UC to avoid talking about the real cost drivers in the system.

It should be clear from my report that the senate faculty have to get more involved and more vocal about defending their own positions and institution. One place for an intervention would be the Spring summit on online education that Yudof mentioned.

19 comments:

  1. Prof. Mary Furner. History, UCSBJanuary 17, 2013 at 12:09 PM

    Where did President Yudof get the idea behind his statement "that we must move to a system where students don’t simply memorize information, but rather they engage in a critical relationship with new knowledge." University courses in the humanities and other fields introduce students to new knowledge EVERY DAY, urging them to look at its basis and compare it to earlier scholarship!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, one place he could get it is from the MOOC sales shtick. See Daphne Koller's standard talk (available in TED and other formats on You Tube), in which she describes the "typical college class" as being a stadium lecture with two or three active participants. No matter that most courses in truly critical disciplines aren't taught like that; no matter that MOOCs themselves gravitate toward lots of video watching, with interactivity being reduced to being barraged by yes or no, right or wrong prompts on presented material.

      Delete
  2. Also it would be good to talk about the 100,000 UCLA applicant number that Yudof threw out -- b/c some just salivate over that number but don't drill down on it. Where are those applications coming from? how many of them are qualified? etc.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow.."Completing your degree through an accredited online program can unlock an entire new range of opportunities for you and your career"

    My blog :hoi an travel

    ReplyDelete
  4. Students have a hard time graduating on time because they are sometimes unprepared for university-level work, they are weeded out of high-demand majors, they need to work at jobs to pay for the total cost of education, they are alienated in large editing service classes, and courses are graded on a distributed curve (some students have to fail in this system): online education will not help solve these issues.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just wanted to comment on your blog and say I really enjoyed reading your blog here. It was very informative and I also digg the way you write! Keep it up and I'll be back soon to find out more mate.

    ReplyDelete
  6. There was a lot of rewriting of history going on throughout the meeting, and it was unfortunate that no one at the table corrected some of these misrepresentations..LoL..My Blog : Hoc tieng anh online , tư vấn du học

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great Content.I have appreciate with getting lot of good and reliable information with your post.......
    Thanks for sharing such kind of nice and wonderful collection......again, beautiful :) I love reading your posts. They make me happy .

    ReplyDelete
  8. http://www.burbagssale2013.com/ Burberry Outlet
    http://www.airmaxshoesfactory.com/ Air Max Shoes
    http://www.coachblackfriday2014.com/ Coach Black Friday
    http://www.coach-storeoutletonline.com/ Coach Black Friday
    http://www.coachcoachoutlet.com/ Coach Cyber Monday
    http://www.coachxfactory.com/ Coach Factory
    http://www.coach-factoryoutletonline.net/ Coach Outlet Factory
    http://www.coach-outletonlineusa.com/ Coach Outlet USA
    http://www.coach-pursesfactory.com/ Coach Purses Factory
    http://www.coachpurseusa.com/ Coach Purses USA
    http://www.coach-storeoutlet.com/ Coach Store Outlet
    http://www.coach-pursesonline.com/ Coach Purses On Sale
    http://www.monsterbeatsbydres.com/ Monster Beats Outlet
    http://www.louis-vuittonblackfriday.com/ Louis Vuitton Outlet
    http://www.lv-guccishoesfactory.com/ Louis Vuitton Factory
    http://www.marcjacobsonsale.com/ Marc Jacobs On Sale
    http://www.mcmworldwides.com/ MCM Outlet
    http://www.mcmoutlet-jp.com/ MCM 店铺
    http://www.oakleysunglassesfactory.com/ cheap oakley sunglasses
    http://www.michaelkorsmas.com/ Michael Kors Outlet
    http://www.michaelkors.so/ Michael Kors Outlet
    http://www.michaelkorsfactory-store.com/ Michael Kors Factory
    http://www.michaelkorsoutletr.com/ Michael Kors Outlet
    http://www.michael-korsfactoryonline.com/ Michael Kors Factory Online
    http://www.newcoachfactoryoutlet.com/ Coach Factory Outlet
    http://www.north-faceoutletonlines.net/ North Face Outlet Online
    http://www.polo-outletstore.com/ Polo Outlet Store
    http://www.ralph-laurenhome.com/ Ralph Lauren UK
    http://www.saclongchamppairs.com/ Sac Longchamp Pairs
    http://www.tcoachoutletonline.com/ Coach Outlet Online
    http://www.the-coachfactoryoutlet.com/ Coach Factory Oultet
    http://www.barbour-jacketsoutlet.com/ Barbour Jackets Outlet Online
    http://www.canada-gooser.com/ Canada Goose Outlet
    http://www.guccishoesuk-2014.com.net/ Gucci Outlet Online
    http://www.michaelkorsstates.com/ Michael Kors Outlet
    http://www.moncler-clearance.com/ Moncler Clearance
    http://www.moncler-jacketsoutletonline.com/ Moncler Jackets Outlet Online
    http://www.northsclearance.com/ North Clearace Outlet
    http://www.polo-ralphlaurensoutlet.com/ Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet Online
    http://www.woolrich-clearance.com/ Woolrich Clearance
    http://www.cvshopfactory.com/ shop.coachfactory.com
    http://www.mksfactoryoutlet.com/ Michael Kors Factory Outlet
    http://www.zxcoachoutlet.com/ Coach Outlet Online USA
    http://www.thebeatsbydre.net/ Beats by Dre
    http://www.newoutletonlinemall.com/ Coach Purses Outlet Online
    http://www.clickmichaelkors.com/ Michael Kors USA

    ReplyDelete
  9. Preparing is just degrees or presentations; it is a course to an improved individual fulfillment. It is extremely foremost and basic. You have unprecedented conditional game plans for your children or despite for yourself then direction credits can doubtlessly outfit you with cash related support you require. Preparing advances, however a budgetary commitment can finance an extensive variety of guideline expenses like instructive expense costs, books, room, boarding, PC and understudy travel. Repayment choices in like manner have monster headways to outfit you with basic unburdening of you're preparing credit. Auto Title Loans Chicago

    ReplyDelete
  10. Regardless, do audit, if there should be a setback of old bicycles, these advances are doable for those bicycles, which are not over 5 year old. Cash Advance San-diego

    ReplyDelete
  11. Most importantly, back a nickname in advance is a brief credit, people who charge emergency cash for a hurried cost: therapeutic, auto, home or sanctifying record expenses are oftentimes inspirations to get a development. At the point aback any of these expenses go over a prop of hundred dollars, plenteous people of all recompense levels capacity not acknowledge the banknote in the coffer to support the bill. https://www.usacheckcashingstore.com/san-diego

    ReplyDelete
  12. The credit must be paid off in a singular part. In case the borrower is not arranged to pay title credits toward the end of the term, then there's every so often a choice decision. He or she can "move over" the change, which unites taking out another vehicle title credit in light of your vehicle's title. Payday Loans

    ReplyDelete
  13. Such borrowers can incite advances to you're opening with no tumult of confirmation dealing with a record records. Notwithstanding, you are at peril to things a while later some genuine grounds, for case, you should be a holding on city of UK and satisfied of 18 years of age, and you see an ample starting keeping cash records. aaa1autotitleloans.com/chicago

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello There. I discovered your blog using msn. That is a really well written article.
    I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to learn extra of your helpful information. Thanks for the post.
    I'll certainly comeback 토 토

    ReplyDelete