web viewthe educational organization chosen for this assignment is becker college, with two campuses...

Running Head: A FUTURE VISION OF EDUCATION AT BECKER COLLEGE 1

A Future Vision of Education at Becker College: “Be the Change”

Deborah Crowley

EDU505.90: Future of Education (MOD 6) Online

Rebecca Waters

A FUTURE VISION OF EDUCATION AT BECKER COLLEGE 2

Introduction

The educational organization chosen for this assignment is Becker College, with two

campuses located in Worcester and Leicester, MA. Becker College is a private, coeducational

college offering bachelor and associates degrees and was founded in 1784. Becker College is

fortunate to be located on two separate, completely different style campuses offering both a

“city-life” and a more “rural” type environment for over 2,000 students, creating a diversity rate

of 24% (“Admissions brochure, n.d.).

Becker College’s Worcester campus is nestled into a small neighborhood, conveniently

located near downtown Worcester and situated next to Elm Park. According to the Worcester

Chamber of Commerce, “Worcester is New England’s second largest urban center with a

population of approximately 177,000. As well, the greater Worcester area is home to more than

35,000 students and 12 colleges” (“Worcester Chamber of Commerce”, n.d.). Becker College’s

Leicester campus is situated in a small, quaint town with less than 11,000 residents and is

adjacent to the town common. This rural setting was recently updated and a campus center was

built to accommodate the growing enrollment, and to add a more modern facility for the

students.

History

According to the college’s website under fast facts, Becker College initially “evolved

from the union of two institutions: Leicester Academy—the third preparatory school in

Massachusetts, the first in central Massachusetts, and the first in the Commonwealth to accept

female students—and Becker’s Business School, a Worcester school that offered career

preparation for men and women.” The Leicester campus began as an academy in 1784 – the

19th oldest campus in the country. The Worcester campus was founded in 1887 by E.C.A.


Becker. In 1974, Becker and Leicester partnered to expand academic offerings and provide more

social and recreational opportunities for their students. The two were formally consolidated in

1977 as the Worcester campus and Leicester campus of Becker College” (“Becker College

website”, n.d.).

Becker College’s academic programs include: Animal Studies, Business, Criminal

Justice, Education, Psychology, Nursing and Health Sciences and is a leader in Game Design.

The Princeton Review: The Best 378 Colleges (2014), for two consecutive years named Becker

College “one of the best institutions for undergraduate education.” These programs of study are

met in the traditional format of a day student. However, Becker College does offer an

accelerated program, online courses, hybrid courses, self-directed study, and internships.

Becker College’s curriculum is constantly being evaluated to prepare graduates for a

competitive job market. For example, Becker College has recently added concentrations in the

area of Global Citizenship and Data Management. These areas of study were added after careful

research and analysis by the Institutional Research department as a way to prepare the graduates

for jobs in a global, high tech, information driven market.

Becker College has transformed over the last 230 years from a small business and junior

college to a four year liberal arts college. However, the biggest change that has affected the

college is the naming of the tenth president, Dr. Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D., in 2010. Dr. Johnson

has an aggressive vision for the college, and with strategic planning he is driving the momentum

of the college well into the 21st century. His “Vision 2020” goals include, but are not limited to,

an increase in enrollment to 2,500 by the year 2020 and the addition of three graduate degree

programs, which will then allow the college to become university status. Financially speaking,

Becker College is a sound foundation. “In Dr. Johnson’s second fiscal year of 2012, Becker


College showed a surplus of more than $1.3 million. Unlike some colleges that depend on

endowments, Becker College is 98 percent dependent on revenue from tuition, fees, and room

and board income” (“The President’s Report”, 2013).

Literature Review

There are many trends that will affect the future vision of education. After reviewing

articles in the area of education, economics, and demographics, one particular area that will have

a significant impact on the future of education is online learning.

In the article, “Use of Educational Technology in Promoting Distance Education” by Dr.

Muhammad Rashid and Uzma Elahi (2012), the authors discuss the benefits of educational

technology and the role it plays in distance education system. The authors discuss the fact that as

a culture, technology plays an integral part in our world. Technology refers to the use of not

only the hardware such as computers and cell phones, but from social media and the internet.

This article also specifically discusses the impact technology will have with distance

education in the near future. The authors refer to distance education “as a field of education that

via technology delivers education to students who are not physically on site to receive their

education” (Rashid; Elahi, 2012). Courses are taught online via the modern media methods and

the article describes the positive factors of this distance education, such as accessibility and

flexibility, and even the possibility that distance education can be cost effective. Distance

learning is not new however; the advances in technology with the internet have made distance

learning not only a viable option, but a trend that is growing rapidly as the non-traditional day

student population increases. According to the article, the distance learning approach is

becoming not just an alternative but, an educational delivery system worth promoting as a

strategic reaction to the changing demographics, particularly for higher education institutions.


The article also describes the advantages and disadvantages however; most noteworthy is

that “…the technology revolution increased the need to educate great numbers of people.

Distance education is apparently offering a big potential to its students as well as facilitators. It

can provide a high quality education via diverse technology and media formats. So distance

education is essential to the population which is not able for various reasons to attend traditional

classroom courses” (Rashid & Elahi 2012). The article also concludes with the future of

educational technology in distance education as being very “bright”.

The article “US Adult Higher Education; One Context of Lifelong Learning” by Carol E.

Kasworm (2012) describes the change in demographics with the adult learner and gives a

variety of statistical information about the changes from the traditional college student, part-time

college students, distance learners, and the adult (over age 25) learner. “Adult participants alone

represent 5.8 million learners in the United States. The article points out the changes as a way

for society to react and support adult higher education. The article also describes the barriers and

pressures that adult learners face such as time and access, financial concerns and support from

the institution” (Kasworm, 2012). Although the article mostly describes the changes in

demographics and the significant increase in adult learners, the main point seems to be the need

for society to recognize the importance of higher education as an “economic tool and as an

important national symbol of its educated citizenry” (Kasworm, 2012).

The article, “The Online Challenge to Higher Education” by William Bonvillian and

Susan Singer addresses “the future of universities and need to blend online education with the

face-to-face education for the benefit of both students and the nation” (2013). The article

specifically describes the emerging trend of MOOCs (massive open online courses) and the

impact it is having on higher education. The article looks at the changes that will occur in the


future because of the influx of the internet and how this has resulted in the increase in online

education programs. The article describes the changes that universities will need to make

because of the growing popularity of the online education. The article refers to the MOOCs that

are still in their beginning stages of development. But the author goes on to say that the “online

education revolution is here. The reality is that universities cannot ignore the new, disruptive

online education phenomena” (Bonvillian & Singer, 2013). The article looks specifically at

MOOCs and points out that face-to-face education is still critical, which then leads the author to

address the need for a blended / hybrid classroom of both online and face-to-face. With the

demand for online education and the need for universities to adapt, the article also suggests that a

faculty member will need to be an expert in online education.

The article also looks at the benefits of online learning from a global perspective and

what this type of education can do for the learner from the ability to access courses from a

computer anywhere in the world, to the benefits particularly in the science field, of obtaining

information and opinions globally. “In this global vision, a wide range of institutional types will

be able to collaborate, bringing assets and strengths together, to create innovative learning

environments” (Bonvillian; Singer, 2013).

In an article “At issue: Online Education and the New Community College Student” by

Marco Castillo (2013), the author addresses the shift in demographics of community colleges’

student body. The article explains the history of community colleges and the how the schools

are used to deliver a quality education to a diverse population. Community colleges are faced

with a couple demographic changes that need to be addressed as follows: the increasing number

of adult learners and the growing number of younger and academically at-risk students. The

article explains the change in demographics of the poor and working class. And that in recent


years there has been considerable growth in the adult community college student population.

The article points out that this recent area of growth of students is looking for “new skills and

qualifications to prepare them for jobs or to help them advance with current lines of work”

(Castillo, 2013). The article addresses the needs of the adult student learner, as an employed

student and in need of a flexible schedule. The adult learner is not looking so much for the

college experience as the ability to get a degree in the current field or area of employment.

Additionally, the article describes the new young adult learner being categorized as academically

at-risk. Therefore, the traditional college setting is overwhelming. In both cases, the article

draws the conclusion that online learning can fill the gap. The author realizes the impact this

demographic influx leaves on community colleges and offers several solutions to adapt and

change with online courses as follows: “carefully consider the types of classes offered on line;

consider the potential role of hybrid instruction for aiding developmental learners; maximize the

value of student advisement services and recognize the importance of the differences in how

online instruction is utilized to deliver instruction to the diverse community college student

population” (Castillo, 2013).

Methodology / Futuring Techniques

“ Futuring looks at trends, patterns, and historical information, not to forecast the future,

so much as a way to recognize or ascertain what it might be like” (Miezner & Reger, 2005). As

the futurist, David Houle states in his video on what it means to be a futurist (2008), “being a

futurist means my highest value to the marketplace and to the planet, is to be a catalyst to get

people like you, to think about the future and then to hopefully facilitate the discussion about the

future that might result” (Houle, 2008). Houle’s definition of futuring does not include


forecasting or predicting. Futurists simply give thought to what the world or society might be

like; a sort of “wonder - if” thought process.

The futuring process is an effective, useful, and necessary way for organizations, such as

the field of education, to position themselves strategically as players in the marketplace

(Mietzner & Reger, 2005). Since change is inevitable, without futuring an organization may risk

becoming complacent or stagnant.

There are several techniques used to guide and/or facilitate the futuring methodology.

Two methods commonly used are Scenarios and Scanning. The Scenario planning concept

according to an article written by Dana Mietzner and Guido Reger (2005) “first emerged

following World War II, as a method for military planning. The US Air Force tried to imagine

what its opponents might do and to prepare alternative strategies. Scenarios represent a story

with multiple perspectives. It is a way to look at various possibilities and events and how they

could play out in the future” (Mietzner & Reger 2005).

Scanning is a technique that is also used in futuring. Scanning, by definition from World

Future Society (“Dictionary of Foresight,” n.d.), “is an ongoing effort to identify significant

changes in the world beyond the organization or group doing the scanning. Typically, scanning

is based on a systematic survey of current newspapers, magazines, web sites and other media for

indications of changes likely to have future importance. Scanning focuses mainly on trend

changes that occur through time, rather than events, changes that occur very quickly and

generally are less significant for understanding the future.” As described in the “Journal of

Extension”, scanning is a method of looking at “the environment and turning data into usable

information” (Sobrero, 2004). This technique of scanning is very challenging for some


organizations because in order to be most effective, enormous amounts of data must be analyzed

and interpreted to a level which can be commonly understood. This data analysis is extremely

time consuming and therefore costly. However, without the scanning process, the futuring

technique may be lost. (Appendix Scanning Tool shows literature reviewed and analyzed)

The futuring technique used in the future vision of learning case study is scanning and

scenario planning in order to determine the pros and cons of adding more online learning courses

at Becker College. The information collected for both techniques comes from the review of

many articles, reports, and periodicals that will show benefits and disadvantages of online

learning.

Vision

This future vision of learning case study will look at increasing the online learning

programs at Becker College, which will ultimately increase enrollment and position the college

more strategically over the next five years. The literature review of various articles shows the

increased need for online learning, as the demographics of the adult learner changes and with the

tremendous impact of technology. Additionally, the financial impact of tuition increases has

created a need for students to work part-time while obtaining their college education via online

learning programs. This scenario will show that it is advantageous for Becker College to add

online courses.

In the next five years Becker College, with the addition of online courses in specific

departments such as: Business, Game Design and Criminal Justice, will be able offer a portion

of their courses online. The traditional day student will still make up a majority of the

enrollment however, by offering an increased number of online courses, particularly in a city


such as Worcester, the convenience and flexibility of online courses will attracted this diverse

working community. According to a qualitative study done and published by Joyce Hurt (2008)

there are advantages and disadvantages to online learning. For the students “practical benefits

include the flexibility and convenience of being able to work on a course or degree when one has

the time available to do so. This flexibility helps students with demands such as those involved

with child care, family obligations and work schedules” (Hurt, 2008). Additionally, other

benefits include being able to stay at home while taking a course, which certainly can help with

the adult learner who may have obligations at home or is not interested in the overall college

experience. Hurt goes on to say in her study that “not having to attend class can also help the

financially strapped student avoid high gas prices” (Hurt, 2008).

Economically speaking, Becker College will also need to consider the advantages of

adding online learning courses to help attract students while at the same time, address the

affordability issues. According to an article and research done by Bowen, Chingos, Lack and

Nygren (2013), the issues of affordability and accessibility in higher education must be

addressed. “President Obama has decried rising tuitions, called on colleges and universities to

control costs, and proposed to withhold access to some federal programs for colleges and

universities that do not address affordability issues. Affordability issues are from the perspective

of the student. With the rising cost of tuition, students may need to attend college on a part-time

basis, or are looking to obtain the degree through programs where they can work by day and take

their online courses at night” (Bowen, Chingos, Lack & Nygren, 2013). From the administration

stand point the advancement of technology can be seen as a way to help curb costs. The study

done by Bowen, Chingos, Lack and Nygren (2013) addresses this concern whereby “greater and

smarter use of technology in teaching is widely seen as a promising way of controlling costs


while reducing achievement gaps and improving access. The exploding growth in online

learning, especially in higher education, is often cited as evidence that, at last, technology may

offer pathways to progress.” (Bowen, Chingos, Lack & Nygren 2013). The characteristics of

the traditional college student has change dramatically and with the changes the future vision of

Becker College is that it will capitalize on this change by offering more online courses.

According to an article by Falk and Baylock (2010) the “traditional 18-22 year old, residential

college student makes up only 16% of the students enrolled in public and private, two and four

year institutions. More than half of today’s students are older and are taking classes part-time.

Over a million attend for-profit institutions and millions more participate in postsecondary

education experiences offered by corporate universities. Most work full or part-time, has little

interest in out-of class activities, and are very savvy about computer-based technologies” (Falk &

Baylock, 2010). These demographic changes can have an adverse effect on an institution if

strategic planning does not take place. In order for Becker College to better position itself for the

future, these changes in demographics will be addressed, especially when online courses are

offered.

The addition of more online course offerings will be challenging, but will also offer

opportunities done the road for Becker College.

The five challenges Becker College would face by offering more online courses are as

follow:

1) Instructional Designer – a trained staff member who specializes in designing a

curriculum and/or courses specifically for use online. This initial investment could


possibly be viewed as a disadvantage since another staff member would have to be

added.

2) Learning Curve for Faculty – the addition of online courses will require present

faculty to increase their knowledge of how to offer course in a non-traditional face-

to-face lecture format. This learning curve may be challenging for some and some

may resist having to change their ways.

3) Marketing Glitch – The online program, in order to be ideally successful, should

attract the non-traditional student. Presently, Becker College’s marketing is designed

to attract the senior in high school, not the stay-at-home working parent. A new and

entirely different marketing approach will be necessary. The approach would

obviously be in addition to, not a replacement of the existing approach to target the

young teenager.

4) Tuition Fees – Affordability of a programs is consideration for all, however, because

the non-traditional student is not a day student and works part time, the campus

facilities and activities may not be of concern. Becker College will need to rethink

the cost of tuition for these programs to increase enrollment while making it

financially attractive for this “new” student.

5) Online Stigma – The MOOC’s (massive open online courses) reputation for better or

worse could be a challenge for Becker College to overcome. This is not about

attracting thousands of students. It’s about providing an opportunity for the non-

traditional student, capitalizing on this new to the market niche and providing a

quality education for the student.


The five opportunities Becker College would face by offering more online courses

are as follows:

1) Potential Savings – The debate is still out, however, since an online course does not

require “classroom space” and one instructor can, with assistants, handle more than

the room size allows.

2) Increased Enrollment - As statistics point out with the non-traditional student

population increasing and online course enrollment growing, Becker College will be

able to take advantage of this opportunity to increase their enrollment as well.

3) Economically Correct – the opportunity exists for Becker College to address and react

to the affordability issue that is affecting higher education in the United States,

making it more and more difficult for high school graduates to go on to college.

4) Marketing Nitch - Becker College has the opportunity to embrace the change of the

non-traditional student and to create its own little nitch in the postsecondary

marketplace.

5) Global Position – The opportunity exists for Becker College to open their doors

globally without having to move or build physically. Online learning will allow

Becker College to hire adjunct faculty all over the world. A highly reputable

professor may consider teaching an online course, rather than move to a new location.

This is a golden opportunity for Becker College to make a mark in the world globally

and would satisfy one of the many visions of the college’s president Dr. Robert

Johnson.


If Becker College chooses not to transform into a future- oriented, educational

organization by adding online courses, the college will become complacent and stagnant. The

college will not distinguish itself in the marketplace and will suffer the consequences of resisting

change and planning ahead. The enrollment will not necessarily decline without online course

offerings. However, the increase in enrollment objectives set by the college’s President can be

more easily achieved if online courses are offered.

Plan for Change

In order to plan for these changes, Becker College will need to take some aggressive

steps to promote and offer on line learning. First the college should hire another Instructional

Designer to completely design online courses in the Business department area first. Second, the

college needs to come up with a marketing plan which will target the non-traditional student.

Thirdly, all faculty members should be trained on how to design and instruct an on line course.

Fourthly, the college should seek out to hire instructors from around the globe with exceptional

world renowned reputations, especially for the college’s business department and possibly more

specifically the new Big Data Analytics specialization. Finally, the college needs to address the

tuition cost of an online course by making it more affordable and attractive and therefore, better

positioning Becker College into an already competitive market place.

Call to Action

The first and second call to action for Becker College is to hire an Instructional Designer

and the second is to come up with a very specific and target focused marketing plan. The future

vision of education is that the numbers of the traditional student will decrease while the non-

traditional student continues to grow. Becker College needs to be on track with these changes


and to be the leader of the pack. Becker College’s future of education will depend on

distinguishing itself in this extremely competitive higher education environment. By providing

online courses, Becker College’s future in education over the next five years is better than

promising.


AppendixScanning Tool

Data Collection Findings & Notes Potential Impact

List the journal article, US census data, industry report, newspaper article, etc.

What does your research indicate? How does it apply to your organization?

H - HighM - MediumL - LowU - Undetermined

Time Frame of Impact:Current

1 - 2 years3 - 5 years5 + years

Type:Positive + Negative - Unknown

Impact:Increasing > Unchanged = Decreasing <

Unknown

Relative Importance:

CriticalImportant

Un-importantUnknown

Public PolicyAdd the trends and ideas you find down this column in each category. Then fill in your notes across the table to help you organize your research and thoughts to help with your futuring technique of choice and the scenario.

Economic

Affordability IssuesKey Questions on the Obama Admin. 2014 Education Budget Request

Obama - cut tuition costs H Current Negative Increasing Critical

online learning costs Online Challenge in Higher Ed cheaper than face/ face? M 3-5 Unknown Unknown Important

advanced learning for society

US Adult Higher Ed One Context of Lifelong Learning

Adv. Degrees better for US country M 5+ Increasing Increasing Important

Financial CrisisKey Questions on the Obama Admin. 2014 Education Budget Request

Presidents proposal for student loans and grants and tuition reduction

H Current Negative Increasing Critical

Social & Demographics

change from traditonal to non traditional student, the adult learner

US Adult Higher Ed One Context of Lifelong Learning

Growing in numbers H Current Positive Increasing Important

Hispanic population

Use of E-Learning Tools for Improving Hispanic Students Academic Performance

significant numbers M 1-2 Positive Increasing Important

Technological

Online learning Online Learning in Higher Ed controlling tuition costs M Current Positive Increasing Important

Online learning Online Challenge to Higher Ed. global attracton M 3-5 Unknown Unknown Unknown

Online learning Comm./ College job preparation H 3-5 Positive Increasing Important

Online learning Adv/ Disadv. Of Teaching and Learning Online flexible and convenient H 3-5 Positive Increasing Important

Online learningUse of Educational Technology in Promoting Distance Education

future of online is bright M 3-5 Positive Increasing Important

MOOC's Online Challenge to Higher Ed.

skeptical, decline in enrollment numbes M Current Negative Increasing Important

Other?

Implication and importance


References

Becker College. (n.d). BeThe Change, Be The Mission, Be You. Admissions Brochure.

Becker College. (n.d.). Becker College History. Retrieved from

http://www.becker.edu/about/history.

Becker College. (2013). President’s Report 2013. Retrieved from

http://www.becker.edu/about/president’sreport.

Bowen, William; Chingos, Matthew; Lack, Kelly; Nygren, Thomas (2013, Spring). Online

Learning in Higher Education. Education Next, 13 (2), 58-64.

Bonvillian, W., & Singer, S. (2013). The Online Challenge to Higher Education. Issues in

Science & Technology, 29 (4), 23-30.

Castillo, Marco. (2013, Fall)... At issue: Online Education and the New Community College

Student. The Community College Enterprise.

Falk, Charles; Blaylock, Bruce. (2010). Strategically Planning Campuses for the “Newer

Students” in Higher Education. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 14(3),

15-38.

Houle, David. (2008, May 10). What is a futurist? By futurist David Houle. You Tube

Podcast retrieved from http://youtube.com/watch?v=jqyysb8nqMQ.

Hunt, Joyce. (2008, Summer). The Advantages and Disadvantages of Teaching and Learning

On-Line. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin.

http://www.becker.edu/about/president's


Kasworm, Carol. (2012). US Adult Higher Education: One Context of Lifelong Learning

International Journal of Continuing Education & Lifelong Learning, 5(1), 1-19.

Mietzner, D. & Reger, G. (2005). Advantages and Disadvantages of Scenario Approaches

for strategic foresight. International Journal Technology Intelligence and Planning,

1, 92, 220-239.

The Princeton Review: The Best 378 Colleges: 2014 Edition. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.princetonreview.com.

Rashid, Muhammad; Elahi, Uzma (2012, January). Use of Educational Technology in Promoting

Distance Education. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 13 (1), 79-86.

Sobrero, P. (2004). The Steps of Futuring. Journal of Extension.

Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.worcesterchamber.org

World Future Society (n.d.). World Future Society – Dictionary of Foresight.

https://www.worcesterchamber.org/

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