The cost of a college degree is an increasing concern as government funding declines and jobs are harder to find. Various government officials have called for reform or more affordable options. This includes Governor Rick Scott of Florida, who is calling for schools to create a $10,000 college degree. Can this type of educational product be created and still provide students with the tools that they need to succeed in a competitive marketplace? I have my doubts.
Defining the degree
One of the challenges with this issue has to do with definitions. Specifically, what is a college degree? Is it a sequence of vocational skills directed at a particular job or field? Is it a broader-based educational experience that is intended to equip people for lifelong employment? What about the broader impacts on society, such as the role colleges play in developed an educated citizenry that is capable of critical thinking when they vote, raise families and live in community? The reality is that this isn’t just about cutting costs. Rather, schools, government leaders and citizens must decide what they really want out of college.
The cost of being in business
Cutting costs is certainly a possibility in any field. The difficulty is figuring out what can be removed from a budget before you start to lose core services. When it comes to education, the cost includes facilities, staffing, materials and operating costs. A cheaper version is not necessarily a better version. Higher education can be a very specialized experience that is facilitating by highly credentialed experts. Therefore, making the entire experience affordable for all people can be easier said than done. In addition, people often forget that the government heavily subsidizes public education. The price tag can be lowered for the consumer, but the cost may still be there.
Online tools
One has to assume that putting together a $10,000 college degree will include some component of online education. The college experience has obviously changed in fundamental ways as students take classes online and use the Internet as a constant educational resource. What people have to remember is that the online experience is not automatically cheaper, as online education still needs teachers, books and technological infrastructure. In addition, online education is not always the most effective in terms of conveying the depth and breadth of certain subjects. Some education must still be hands-on, and there is a richness that can only be gleaned from the face-to-face experience of the classroom.
Making concessions
Can colleges build a $10,000 degree? Probably. Will it include all the content and value from a degree that has been developed and refined over the course of many years? Not necessarily. Hiring cheaper teachers and putting students in front of online videos may be less expensive, but it may not provide them with the tools needed to succeed long term. In addition, training someone for a very specific job may help them in the short run, but an inadequate education may need to be repeated in the future.
When you buy something that is cheaper, it will save you money. However, in some cases you may need to replace it sooner.
The author teaches at the college level and prior to entering the classroom he spent many years in higher education administration. On occasion he also enjoys the pure entertainment of substitute teaching at the high school and middle school levels.
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Can the iPad Replace All Educational Technology?
Is Public Higher Education Doomed?
Can the Impact of Technology on the Classroom Be Measured?
