Faulkner, Ashley. (2009). Traditional Universities Transcending

What is a traditional university? Merriam-Webster defines traditional as an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom). It defines a university as an institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees. These definitions sound good, but, is a traditional university really viable in today’s world? Technological changes coupled with teachers’ demands for higher salaries may put the traditional university in trouble and may make a serious facelift necessary. Mark C. Taylor’s piece “End the University as We Know It” introduces two innovative ways to revamp the traditional university.

First he suggests dividing teaching into subdivisions. This is not a new idea but it can be applied it a new way, Further division of subjects could benefit universities in enormous ways. Imagine having a professor for each subdivision of a main subject. Each would be a specialist in that area, allowing students to look deeply at the subject. Far example an Introduction to Biology class, six different teachers might each teach a different part of the course. One might teach osmosis and diffusion, another mitosis and meiosis, yet another genetics, and so on. Students would attend each teachers’ class for a little over a week or two then switch to the next teacher over the course of the semester. Teachers would also benefit only teaching in their specialization. Not only would this idea give students an advantage in learning, it would also increase the demand for teachers. Universities around the world are in desperate need of professors. This approach would help to decrease demand by employing specialists to teach the subjects. University research would also benefit, each university participating would have specialists for a certain area at their disposal, which could lead to more grants. All and all everyone would benefit: the students, teachers, and the research teams.

Second, Taylor reminds us that in today’s economy funds are short and universities are no exception. He mentions an innovative way to expand the courses available to universities for half the price. How is this possible? Its answer is simple. Just utilize the technology around you. To simplify, Taylor proposed that we use teleconferences and the Internet to teach the same class, at the same time, using the same professor to teach in two places for the price of one. Technology has already revolutionized the university with online classes which would make his idea an easy one to pursue. In fact, he himself has already done that. Taylor conducted team-taught semester-long seminars in real time between the Universities of Helsinki and Melbourne. This strategy would not only decrease the money spent on paying teachers but would also increase the variety of subjects available to students. The only downside toTaylor’s idea is that it decreases the number of teachers needed.

I believe both are great ideas. Each attempts to solve a major problem in universities today. So is there any way to utilize both? Why not use both ideas, just with different subjects. The major subjects like Math, Science, English, and History should be broken down into subdivisions to promote better teaching of the subject. This strategy would increase the need for teachers. But how to pay for it? Herein lies the second idea. Electives like foreign languages and public speaking don’t require subdivisions and could be taught through Taylor’s idea of collaboration among institutions. The universities participating would divide the subjects and decide which school would hire teachers for particular subjects and then set up the times for the classes and the teleconferences. All students at all of the participating universities could enroll in these classes. This plan would employ more professors while keeping the expenses for them relatively the same as before. This idea would increase the classes available while improving the teaching of main subjects. Some classes, such as theatre would remain unchanged. Theatre can neither be divided into subdivisions nor be taught through teleconferences. This compromise will help to transcend the traditional university into the 21st century as well as help to solve both the problems of lack of funds and the demand for teachers.

So what is a traditional university? It is one that keeps the same teaching methods while passing them on in a customary pattern to their students in an institution authorized to grant academic degrees or, is it? In today’s society it’s time to revamp the traditional university and the compromise between both of Mark C. Taylor’s ideas will do just that. They will revolutionalize the way subjects are taught by introducing subdivisions each taught by a different specialized professor. They will also bring more technology into the classroom by means of teleconferences, which is on the forefront of the working world. These ideas will transform the traditional university into a transcendental university