The Ethics of Making Education Affordable and Accessible

An article in the Journal of Business Ethics that discusses non-traditional education brings forward some interesting points about ethics in the higher educational system. The primary argument discussed whether non-traditional models are moral. Secondary arguments included the need to generate research to be of benefit to society. Below you will find a few points that could have also been included in the paper. 

Certainly it is important to consider the secondary outcomes of all educational systems that include research and creative scholarship. The problem is that the characterization of non-traditional schools offering little benefit to society is misplaced. Online universities are now involved in producing research in their respective fields and offering that research for public consumption. 

It can be argued that online universities will likely offer more research and publication output in the future as they grow to maturity. A number of online universities are currently providing grants, stipends, and other resources to faculty who conduct and publish research. We will soon find the market more reflective of their online leadership status. 

It is also important to evaluate traditional universities with the same criteria as non-traditional universities to make a more apple to apple comparison. Traditional university costs have risen to such a extent that states are now having a difficult time balancing their budgets and will need to either cut education or take from unrelated government programs. The costs on society continue to rise.

In the past the online modality was seen as a poor way to obtain a formal education. However, research has pointed out that such logic was full of fallacies and online education produces the same or better outcomes than many ground based modalities. Slowly but surely a number of critics have come to accept the research that has been produced by independent bodies.

For generations higher education was a stepping stone to a better lifestyle.  That stepping stone wasn’t available to many minorities and people of lesser financial means. Higher education effectively blocked certain groups from obtaining a degree and a better lifestyle; that trend for some schools continues today. Non-traditional schools have opened their doors to anyone who has the motivation and skills to succeed.

The lines between traditional and non-traditional are increasingly blurred. Traditional universities now accept and implement online education as an important modality and are moving in this direction while a number of online educators own traditional campuses that went broke under the traditional model. As one industry matures and the other adjusts there will be a meeting closer to the middle.

Online education is here to stay and isn’t going away. Judging non-traditional education requires having familiarity with the industry and its trends. We must embrace the future and encourage change to make education more affordable and accessible to all. Whether a university is profit/non-profit, private/public, or online/ground should make no difference if the quality of education is high and it provide advantages to society. 

Natale, S., Libertella, A. & Doran, C. (2015). For-profit education: the sleep of ethical reason. Journal of Business Ethics, 126 (3).

Report Indicates Academic Libraries as Innovation Generators

Academic libraries are important for research and innovation. Libraries were once in hard copy form but as technology advanced into the system they took on the form of electronic databases. A report by Sage helps highlight how developing countries are beginning to seek the importance of evaluating their libraries to support research and teaching. These libraries are seen as a method for academic improvement and overall performance. 

The report used surveys and interviews to triangulate information. The study took six months of data and came to some conclusions about the growing use and need for electronic libraries in developing nations. They found that many libraries and university staff were not aware of the potential benefits of their libraries. The inter-connectivity of the internet and improved bandwidth is creating content rich libraries.

The report has a few recommendations:

Communication: Research libraries should try and connect with other libraries and create resources that further enhance their abilities. Making researches, faculty and students more aware of the libraries offerings are extremely important. This includes the ability to market the library to main academic clients. 

Support from the University: It is important to support library usage throughout the university. At times this means rising the status of librarians but at other times it could be something as simple as keeping people focused on the benefits of libraries. 

Collaborating with Publishers: Continuing to populate the database with new information and publications is important for creating relevance. If students and researchers can find benefit in searching through the available databases it will create higher levels of familiarity. It is this familiarity which will help people use it on a continuous basis. 

The report evaluated how online libraries are utilized by academics, management, and students in the U.S., U.K., Scandinavia, and developing countries.  Interesting enough Scandinavia and developing countries seemed to use and appreciate their libraries more. This could indicate a level of innovative growth in the future as the information makes its way into new products and services in the market. Management seemed to value the libraries least when compared to academics and students. 

The report didn’t indicate this concept, but I would also suggest the use of library research in courses. This specifically becomes more important in graduate education as students are either preparing for their doctorates or take their position in the market with their freshly minted MBAs. The use of research helps raise the effectiveness of management as they ponder the evidence in their decisions.

Reviewing the report also helps in understanding how growing economies use and value their libraries more than many developed countries. Scandinavia and Asia are considered innovation markets and they have interest in obtaining information. It is difficult for executives to make accurate decisions if they are not using new information, new research, and evidence in their understandings. The road is full of paths but only a few will lead to business and national growth.

Let us also not forget that there is many reasons why innovation exist around universities.

You may obtain your own Copy HERE