The Virtual University Examined

This article by a NY Times executive raises the question about the virtual university. Keller has experienced the impact of technology on the print media. The NYT has been forced to adapt by selling digital subscriptions, and ad revenues have been eroded by Craig's List and other internet based media. There is little doubt that technology will lead to more digitally based higher education. The University of Phoenix is the largest grantor of degrees in America and others are sure to follow. If we think of education as a business, it follows that lower cost methods of delivering content will provide opportunities to compete against our high cost system of on campus delivery today. This will provide greater access to higher education but we have to wonder whether it will remain higher education as we ordinarily think about it. Education is more than the delivery of content to a passive audience. Much of the learning takes place between students and even the faculty learn from their interactions with students.