Knowledge, Credentials, Or Both: And How

Transcription

1 Third International Congress on Uppersecondary & Higher Education November 18, 2010 David Longanecker President, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), Boulder, CO, USA Building knowledge in societies for a sustainable future Knowledge, Credentials, Or Both: And How

2 Sustainability In vogue in American Higher Education Sustaining the physical environment -- preserving the earth for future generations Research Agenda Climate studies Alternative energy sources The carbon footprint Education Agenda Blended curriculum New fields of study The business of higher education cleaning up our own act.

3 But there is more to sustainability than sustaining the earth Sustaining the Non-physical environment War & Peace Preserving Democracy Civilized citizenry versus Barbarianism Expanding access to the good life Personal happiness Personal self-worth Personal commitment to others The Premise: Education is key to sustaining both the physical and nonphysical worlds in which we live.

4 The Premise: Education is key to sustaining both the physical and non-physical worlds in which we live. The World View OECD Data

5 Differences in College Attainment (Associate and Higher) Between Younger and Older Adults - U.S. and OECD Countries, 2005 Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Education at a Glance 2007

6 The Premise: Education is key to sustaining both the physical and non-physical worlds in which we live. The World View OECD Data Except the United States! Or not?

7 Differences in College Attainment (Associate and Higher) Between Younger and Older Adults - U.S., 2005 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 ACS

8 President Obama s Challenge By 2020, America will Once again have the highest Proportion of college graduates In the World President Barrack Obama, 2/24/09

9 The Response Within the U.S. Improve preparedness for higher learning Better information for Assessment, Accountability, and Consumer Behavior Alignment of exit to entrance (upper secondary to higher education) New pedagogy for upper secondary From Access to Access to Success Particular focus on Access Institutions, particularly Community Colleges Renewed focus on adult students million with some college but no degree

10 The Response Second Wave: More & Better Quality Concerns The possible perverse consequences of focusing on graduation rates.

11 The Response Second Wave: More & Better Quality Concerns The possible perverse consequences of focusing on graduation rates. Example: Increase grad rate from 50% to 67% Admit 1,000, graduate 500 = 50% Graduation rate Admit 1,000, graduate 670 = 67% Graduation rate Admit 750, graduate 500 = 67% Graduation rate

12 The Response Second Wave: More & Better Quality Concerns The possible perverse consequences of focusing on graduation rates. The possible perverse consequences lowering standards to achieve higher completion rates Telltale signs that U.S. already in trouble National Adult Literacy Survey Remedial rates of 40% for entry into higher education Disappointing growth in critical thinking skills, assessed on value-added exams. Response to Quality Concerns

13 The Response Second Wave: More & Better Response to Quality Concerns Preparedness (discussed earlier) Movement to Evidence-Based Practice Student Unit Data Bases -- elementary, secondary, higher education, work force Measuring Student Learning Outcomes Content in Major Area of Study Critical Thinking and Analytic Skills Data analytics using data right now to improve learning Pedagogical Change. On-line, blended, diagnostic learning From hunch to evidence based practice

14 The U.S. Dilemma FINANCES Or, Lack thereof. Past public investment unsustainable in the NEW NORMAL U. S. Governmental Arenas federal and state.

15 Projected State and Local Budget Surplus (Gap) as a Percent of Revenues, Maryland Maine Vermont New Jersey Connecticut New Hampshire Rhode Island North Dakota Wisconsin Massachusetts Michigan Wyoming California Ohio Delaware Kansas Oregon Virginia New York Minnesota West Virginia Pennsylvania Illinois Alaska Nebraska Montana United States Louisiana Indiana Hawaii Oklahoma New Mexico Missouri Kentucky Iowa South Dakota Washington Florida South Carolina Arkansas Georgia Colorado Tennessee North Carolina Idaho Utah Arizona Nevada Alabama Texas Mississippi Source: NCHEMS; Don Boyd (Rockefeller Institute of Government), 2009 Via NCHEMS

16 The U.S. Dilemma FINANCES Or, Lack thereof. Past public investment unsustainable in the NEW NORMAL U. S. Governmental Arenas federal and state. Growth in private investment unsustainable in the NEW NORMAL for students & families

17 Preparing for the New Normal Public FTE Enrollment, Educational Appropriations and Total Educational Revenue per FTE, U.S., Fiscal Source: SHEEO, SHEF 2008

18 The U. S. Higher Education Dilemma We know the value of higher education

19 Relationship Between Educational Attainment, Personal Income, and Economic Strength $30,000 High Income, Low Educational Attainment High Income, High Educational Attainment Personal Income Per Capita, 2000 State New Economy Index (2002) Top Tier Middle Tier Low Tier $25,000 NV IN $20,000 TN SC KY AL OK AR LA WV FL OH CT NJ MD MA NH VA CO DE NY IL WA MN AK CA MI US WI GA PA OR NC AZ MO IA ME NE WY TX UT ID ND SD NM MT HI RI KS VT MS $15,000 Low Income, Low Educational Attainment Low Income, High Educational Attainment 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Percent of Adults Age with a Bachelor s Degree or Higher Source: NCHEMS

20 The U. S. Higher Education Dilemma We know the value of higher education And, we know our current vulnerability

21 Differences in College Attainment (Associate and Higher) Between Younger and Older Adults - U.S. and OECD Countries, 2005 Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Education at a Glance 2007

22 High School Graduation Rates - Public High School Graduates as a Percent of 9th Graders Four Years Earlier, Nevada Florida Georgia South Carolina Louisiana Mississippi Alabama New Mexico Alaska Texas New York North Carolina California Tennessee Michigan Hawaii Arizona Virginia Nation Washington Delaware Indiana Colorado Oregon Kentucky West Virginia Rhode Island Ohio Maryland Wyoming Oklahoma Massachusetts Illinois Maine Kansas Missouri Connecticut New Hampshire Idaho Utah Pennsylvania North Dakota Arkansas Montana Vermont Wisconsin South Dakota Nebraska Minnesota Iowa New Jersey Source: Tom Mortenson, Postsecondary Opportunity Via NCHEMS

23 College-Going Rates First-Time Freshmen Directly Out of High School as a Percent of Recent High School Graduates, Arizona Idaho Alaska Utah Oregon Washington Nevada Rhode Island Vermont Texas California Arkansas Missouri West Virginia Wyoming Montana Oklahoma Hawaii Ohio Florida Illinois Iowa Wisconsin Kentucky Nation Pennsylvania Alabama Colorado Indiana Tennessee South Carolina Delaware Nebraska Maine New Hampshire Michigan Louisiana North Carolina Maryland Kansas Virginia Georgia Minnesota New Jersey Connecticut New Mexico Massachusetts South Dakota North Dakota New York Mississippi Source: Tom Mortenson, Postsecondary Opportunity Via NCHEMS

24 The U. S. Higher Education Dilemma We know the value of higher education And, we know our current vulnerability And, We know what we have to do Increase productivity Without investment capital to do so That s very difficult

25 The U. S. Higher Education Dilemma Options for the U.S. Make the necessary investments in the public sector Rely on the private for-profit sector, and investments from the stock market Slip-slide away The Jury Is Still Out on What We Will Do!

26 The Imperative Building Knowledge In Societies For A Sustainable Future