Pac 12 protest targets for-profit Grand Canyon's move to Division 1

Dback Jon

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http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_t...l_final.html?fb_ref=sm_fb_share_chunky_bottom

University Suspends Online Classes After More Than Half the Students Fail

In January, San Jose State University made a big announcement: It had reached a deal with the startup Udacity to offer college classes for credit online, for a modest fee, not only to its own students but to anyone who wanted to take them. The move was touted as a major step in online learning’s Clay Christensen-approved march toward the ultimate disruption of higher education.

It seems, however, that there are a few more kinks to work out before we all toss out the books and the buildings for good. Inside Higher Ed reported on Thursday that San Jose State is suspending the Udacity partnership just six months after it launched. The problem: More than half the students in the first batch of online courses failed their final exams.

Udacity founder Sebastian Thrun, a machine-learning legend at Stanford and Google, told the AP that the failure rates in the five classes ranged from 56 to 76 percent. Nor was the course material exactly rocket science—the five classes were in elementary statistics, college algebra, entry-level math, introduction to programming, and introduction to psychology.
 

MaoTosiFanClub

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I am totally on board with Gadd's thoughts on GCU and other educational institutions of its kind. However Young brings up a valid point as well in that many mainstream colleges are trending a very similar direction.
 

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Online courses aren't the problem. Existing only to rope kids into needless student loans is.
ASU's system where they put half of the incoming freshman classes of 18 year olds who have never lived away from home in huge classes with TA's instructing knowing that around half will eventually drop out isn't exactly a great model either.

And I will let it be known that UA is guilty of many of the same things ASU does.
 

Mulli

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ASU's system where they put half of the incoming freshman classes of 18 year olds who have never lived away from home in huge classes with TA's instructing knowing that around half will eventually drop out isn't exactly a great model either.

And I will let it be known that UA is guilty of many of the same things ASU does.

This.
 

Dback Jon

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ASU's system where they put half of the incoming freshman classes of 18 year olds who have never lived away from home in huge classes with TA's instructing knowing that around half will eventually drop out isn't exactly a great model either.

And I will let it be known that UA is guilty of many of the same things ASU does.

Indeed - and this is nothing new. one of the reasons I left Illinois and went to NAU was class size, and number of classes taught by TA's.


Math was horrid at Illinois - tough enough to learn Differential equations - but when your TA barely speaks English, and you have to spend all of your time concentrating on understanding WHAT he says, instead of the concepts, it is a reciepe for disaster.
 

MigratingOsprey

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Exactly

For a protest that has to deal with their athletics program it seems that none of the talking points are actually related to their athletics program

Their on campus component is pushing 7,000 and growing. It is definitely picking up steam locally for those who want to stay

IMO it's probably a bit small for a D1 school - however, as a basketball only program they have a good facility in a good market and if the WAC or any other conference feels they are a good fit and they hit the traditional benchmarks to join then who is the PAC12 to say who should join someone elses conference?

It's also a bit of hypocrisy to say that there isn't an issue as long as the program remains D2 - however, the students on campus shouldn't get to enjoy a D1 program and the people who attend their games & alumni shouldn't be able to see them play in the WAC ... only in D2 ... completely arbitrary and holding athletic conference affiliation to a higher standard than what it should be

As for the rest - whatever. Online programs are going to have a high churn based on the type of students that enroll. You have good & bad. I haven't heard much bad about their actual campus experience and I know a handful of people who have went there.

ASU plays a similar game at the taxpayer expense with a pretty hefty churn rate as well and they've really been pushing enrollment which provides a direct benefit to the university.

I think it's a bit misleading to say that either party is more vested in educating arizona residents more than the other ..... I do think that ASU is used to being the local power broker and has a bit of a bully complex, one that hasn't really worked much to their benefit or reputation

Also, that top 100 in the world ranking is a joke with some fairly poor metrics behind it ...... unless you really believe a school that admits 89% of it's applicants, with a 4 year graduation rate of 32% (6 year of 52%) and some pretty poor mid-points for all incoming standardized test scores is a better school than a place like Rice

There are definitely good programs and you can get a good education there - but it's not some white knight institution and it doesn't fall within the top 100 rankings for national universities (no school in AZ does) .... they are making progress and should continue to focus on that instead of this pissing match
 

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ASU's system where they put half of the incoming freshman classes of 18 year olds who have never lived away from home in huge classes with TA's instructing knowing that around half will eventually drop out isn't exactly a great model either.

And I will let it be known that UA is guilty of many of the same things ASU does.

Oh, I'm on board with this criticism and many more of our state system. There things that really suck about it. Our schools haven't lingered on the fringes of reputation for no reason. But they are things that CAN be fixed, and the people running it actually have education as their intent. For one, I loved the idea of MCCCD offering more 4-year degrees and more certifications. The demand is there, and there are capable organizations with the ability to relieve it.

I'm sorry if my disgust with for-profit schools made it sound like I was an apologist for the Arizona state school system.
 

Mulli

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Oh, I'm on board with this criticism and many more of our state system. There things that really suck about it. Our schools haven't lingered on the fringes of reputation for no reason. But they are things that CAN be fixed, and the people running it actually have education as their intent. For one, I loved the idea of MCCCD offering more 4-year degrees and more certifications. The demand is there, and there are capable organizations with the ability to relieve it.

I'm sorry if my disgust with for-profit schools made it sound like I was an apologist for the Arizona state school system.

You love it! Admit it! Just kidding. I don't even live there so who cares. :)
 

TJ

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On the money.

ASU has been the only D-I college in the PHX/Metro area for a while and now has to share the territory. It's an adjustment and the academic and athletic departments are going to have to work a little harder than before to get quality kids into their programs.

There aren't many schools that don't have another D-I school within a 100 mile radius. The "for-profit" perspective is nothing more than a distraction.

BTW - on Sirius NFL Radio this evening, I heard an ad for 100% online Bachelor's degrees from ASU.
 

Mulli

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Isn't there also competition for tuition from the people who aren't quality as well? Dropouts $ is just as green. :)
 
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