Education Panic
The following example was taken from the Kiplinger Letter…Vol.102, No.33
“Higher Ed…Coming soon: A flood of three-year bachelor’s degrees at U.S. colleges, a big shift, considering how reluctant most schools have been in past years to offer the shorter, cheaper degrees. The first wave of schools and their accreditors are green-lighting such programs, which lop off a year of tuition, fees and other costs versus the traditional four-year degree. Tracking student outcomes over the long term is still needed and the official names will be different…”accelerated bachelor’s”, “workforce specialist” or the like.
States and public schools are pushing the trend, which could help boost enrollment. Ind., for example, recently enacted a law requiring public schools to have at least one three-year degree. The initial focus is for in-demand degrees…cybersecurity, physical therapy, criminal justice, etc..
Federal student loan reform is also spurring the three-year degree trend, as schools race to lower the cost of programs. Expect some master’s programs to get shortened, too, such as two-year master’s programs becoming 12-month ones. Businesses will likely view these accelerated degrees favorably when hiring, at least as good as a four-year degree. In fact, it may show a special commitment to a field, useful for adult learners trying to switch careers or gain new expertise. However, expect careful vetting as the firsst crop of grads leaves these new programs.”
NO COMMON SENSE
ANALYZE THE EXAMPLE
* Which supports and barriers were in play?
* What were the dynamics?
* Who, or what, won the Tug-of-War?
* Discuss the outcome with your friends and family.
* Use Post #4 as a reference for the relationships and dynamics between supports and barriers.