There has been plenty of discussion about the future of
higher education. Flipped classrooms, competency-based education, team-based
learning, collaborative education, and problem-based learning all have
proponents who see their format of choice as the best way to proceed.
However, campuses continue to use the same term-based
and credit hour-based formats that have been in place for generations. Most
institutions also continue to offer lecture-based courses where progress is determined
by midterm and final exams.
The University of Texas System is ready to try something
new. It is launching a format that include career-aligned and personalized
courses to attract new students who are looking for a different way to study
and earn a degree, according to Steven Mintz, professor of history at UT-Austin
and executive director of the system’s Institute for Transformational Learning.
“Too often, a single model is deemed the solution to
higher education’s challenges: high costs, deficient student engagement, or
unsatisfactory graduation rates,” Mintz wrote in a blog post for Inside Higher Education. “Instead of embracing a single solution, instructors
might consider implementing differentiated paths to a degree. Students, then,
might choose the path that best reflects their needs and aspirations.”
The UT programs will not replace current curriculum,
but will emphasize career skills. Students will receive a traditional transcript
with grades as well as a competency-based transcript that highlights the skills
and knowledge the student has mastered.
“Given the diversity in student circumstances, goals,
and motivation, a differentiated approach makes sense,” Mintz wrote.
“Personalization is the watchword of the contemporary consumer economy, and
this principle might be applied to postsecondary education as well.”