Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ The (monetary) value of a university education during a pandemic

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

The problem with the premise in the headline is I hope evident, since the meaning of education runs far wider than monetary value, but if you're paying £9000 tuition you are going to be attentive to the value you're receiving for that money, educational or otherwise. The key point in this post is that "Universities, because they're acting like businesses, don't have as much goodwill from the general population anymore." I mean, sure, they provide a service, people might reason, but it's no big deal if they go out of business, just like any other commercial enterprise. What would make universities indispensable? Well, there are many good examples - things like fire services, roads, police, water supply. Not only do we need them, we will make sure government keeps supporting them because they're available mostly for free and affordably to everybody. I don't think this is Doug Belshaw's point, but it's certainly mine.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 09, 2024 2:42 p.m.

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