Colleges have to do much more to put certain questions on the table to help students grapple with the coming decade of uncertainty.
David Brooks – New York Times Columnist
A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Centre showed that only 16% of Americans think that a four-year degree course prepares students for a high paying job in the modern economy.[i]
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC’s) are one of the educational disruptors. MOOC’s allow VUCANs anywhere to get the right knowledge, skills, and abilities they need just-in-time and at the right price. These courses are often free with open enrollment. These courses are usually not accredited and require no transcripts or prerequisites. These courses have thousands of global students with open enrollment.
Instead of getting a college degree, nano-degree online programs are also gaining traction and credibility from employers. A VUCAN does not need a college degree. Or, a VUCAN may have received a degree years ago or has a non-marketable degree. What does the VUCAN do? One option is an online nano-degree or certificate in evidence-based management, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, or cybersecurity.
These online courses are low-cost because there are no brick-and-mortar facilities and sports teams. The online classes usually don’t provide personal coaching, testing, or performance feedback. What a student receives in terms of employability value is offset by lack of interpersonal contact and instruction.
Nano-degree or micro-degrees may be the future of education. The idea behind a nano-degree is that a VUCAN gets enough knowledge and skills to do a specific job. Online MOOC platforms also allow students to link courses into a certificate, leading to a nano-degrees, leading to a full college degree.
Work Lesson Earned: These micro credentials are recognized by employers and may be more important than a non-marketable, four-year college degree.
[i] Learning and Earning, Economist, January 14, 2017.