The Work Simulator Model

Here is a proposal to answer the question on the relevance of the campus in the future of higher education. Lets start with the assumption we should at least try to do better than the traditional lecture format, because a) its too far from a real work environment, and b) it originated 400 years ago when knowledge was only available from someone at the front of a theatre. Lets also assume student learning online from home is not a realistic or desirable because a) its too much of a leap from the high school experience, and b) it is poor preparation for the modern work environment, which despite all the experiments with telecommuting is largely based on physical colocation. We can observe libraries rapidly replacing book shelves with study hutches, and educational designers replacing tiered lecture theatres with flat adaptable collaboration spaces for active learning. So we already have workshops, biology labs, and active learning rooms, but perhaps we can do better than study hutches and lounges, and create work-like open plan spaces that bridge the gap between the high school environment and the office. What would this look like? Here are some ideas:

• Some spaces are created for students that replicate the physical work environment of their most likely employment. Spaces would mostly be open plan offices, with breakout rooms.
• Office etiquette rules are applied.
• Students work in cohorts on self paced study.
• Student supervised by specially trained professional staff
• Work consists of real world projects for real organisations.
• Students use the same space to self study online courses, using local tutors for support.
• The model is used for first or second year students, and then students move into the workforce and adopt a more independent distance learning model while they work, enabled with virtual classrooms, and on-campus intensive mode active learning experiences.
• So the university effectively becomes a business environment and an actual business doing entry level work enabled by online training.
• Lecture threatres are replaced with office space.
• Students work and study 9-5 with 4 weeks break per year.

A version of this model combined with the fragmented model for higher education would have the campus turned into an internship office where students study online and actually do business work. The campus service provides:

• access to special purpose labs and equipment required for completion of some programs,
• a high quality personal study space,
• a place to find group work collaboration partners,
• a place for intensive model active learning,
• a simulation of the future work environment, and a bridge from high school,
• support,
• culture,
• sporting facilities.

Thoughts?

Simon Collyer