Stephen Downes

Steve Eskow (and others - see the link immediately below) argue that adopting many of the practices of online learning - such as a standards based approach, a focus on quality, student-centered design - is playing into the hands of corporations that want to privatize universities. In this article, probably the most complete statement of my philosophy regarding universities and online learning, I argue that to provide an effective, accountable and efficient system of learning that educates all people, not merely a privileged few, is the only way to prevent the privatization of universities, and moreover, that we must protect a public system if we are to protect the idea of knowledge for the common good at all. Please forgive my typos. By Stephen Downes, August 7, 2001.