Matthew Kenney on Future of Education |
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OurBlook interview with online educator Dr. Matthew G. Kenney, president of Kenney College
MK: I think this is a time of tremendous opportunity, since focusing on a problem is the first step toward real change. There are many options available in accomplishing any objective, thus the emergence of voucher systems and charter schools should be part of the long-term mix. The main strength of the K-12 system is it provides access to education, which is something Americans often take for granted. I believe the biggest weakness is the fact that far too few students are proceeding to college. Cynicism needs to be replaced with optimism. Too many educators dwell on what they don't have, rather than being grateful for what they do have. What are the goals of the educational system, and are they what you think they should be? MK: Education is a human services profession, and at its most elemental level the goal is to develop the fundamental skills in students required to be a productive and successful member of society. In the Higher Ed world, the historical mission has been to create and disseminate knowledge, which I believe is a mission that is being fulfilled. Both are altruistic and important missions. As a society, we just need to get more students into college, and do a better job of keeping them there. My belief is the student loan process is far too complex. We know that college graduates are likely to earn a minimum of $1,000,000 more, over the course of a career, than high school graduates. Why not provide access to college for all high school graduates, and have students pay for it as a small percentage of their weekly pay after graduation? How has the major school reform movement ... No Child Left Behind ... impacted either positively or negatively the educational system? Should it be continued or scrapped? Are there any improvements that could be made? MK: The emphasis on measurement has been positive. If we're to improve, we have to recognize that we can't manage what we can't measure. The concept of rewarding those who perform the best is also good. Rewards and recognition play an important role in teacher satisfaction. You have an MBA and are the head of a totally online college. What in your business and educational experience made you see the need for this, how is your college faring, and how do you view the future of online education? MK: Kenney College Graduate School of Global Entrepreneurship was founded because traditional programs, both online and on-site, are geared to visual and auditory learners. Entrepreneurs, like myself, are predominantly kinesthetic learners. We represent about 5 percent of the population. My view was: Vast amounts of research support the fact that entrepreneurs think, learn and act differently, so why are we being taught the same? As a professor, my techniques to reach students with all learning styles was perceived very favorably by students, however, academic culture is resistant to change. Thus, I decided to launch a graduate school with faculty that understood the entrepreneurial mind. Each faculty member has both an earned doctorate and self-employment experience, which helps to link theory and practice. There are also various methodologies used to engage kinesthetic learners. This group, which has historically not been tailored to in Higher Ed, is the foundation of our college. The school is progressing well, as there has been a lot of support for what we're doing. Our school is literally changing the face of entrepreneurship education globally. This would not be possible without technology. The issue of whether online instruction is as good as on-site has been resolved. When it comes to achieving learning outcomes, online instruction has been proven, via meta-analysis, to be superior. This explains why the online segment of the market continues to grow in the USA at a pace much greater than on-site instruction. The acceptance of online instruction has been a little slower globally, but it's just a matter of time. We view the international market as a wonderful long-term opportunity. (Editor's note: kinesthetic education means a student learning by carrying out a physical activity rather than listening to a lecture or watching a demonstration.) Educationally, how does the United States compare to other countries? What methods and conceptual concerns from other countries could the U.S. incorporate into its educational models? MK: I can only speak to the Higher Ed segment, which I believe is the best in the world. There are many great colleges across the world, but clearly from my international experience, a degree from an American college has more prestige. However, our leaders should be looking at some of the European models for higher education insofar as enrolling more students into college. I'm not suggesting giving people a free college education, rather making it more attainable and streamlined. A college degree needs to be attainable for anyone who is willing to work hard. The return-on-investment is simply enormous. As a society we need to view tuition as an investment, not a cost. How might social media and ever-changing technology improve classrooms and the learning environment for teachers and students? How might they be impeding the educational process? MK: Social media are a great way of networking and stimulating collaboration. This has been proven. The problem I see is that, despite the effectiveness, social networking sites haven't developed a profitable business model. 50 million registered users and they can't turn a profit? I just don't see the profit margin that'll buffer today's most popular sites to withstand the next social networking free service. My prediction is that you'll see a move toward nonprofit social networking sites, much like a Wikipedia model. Nonprofits would then be subsidized by the charitable foundations established by corporations. The positive potential of technology is enormous, but the vast of colleges are missing the mark. If you look at any segment of the B2C world, there is more customization, not less. Colleges are developing online classes with 30:1 student/faculty ratios. This is, in my opinion as a marketing scholar and practitioner, bad business. This is why the attrition rate of online programs is higher than on-site programs. The Kenney College model emphasizes small classes online and individualized instruction, and we are confident colleges that want to succeed online simply need to follow our lead. Some online programs are experiencing 70 percent attrition, which is unacceptable. Will education in the U.S. get better or worse? MK: I believe it'll get better. Much is made of the problems faced by educators, but there are a lot of success stories, too. Is there anything else you'd like to say about any aspect of this topic? MK: Entrepreneurship is one of the fastest growing areas of scholarly research, and leaders in the K-12 sector could benefit enormously by developing strategies for developing entrepreneurship education into classes. We are working with several nonprofit organizations to develop programs to show teachers how to be more entrepreneurial, and teach entrepreneurship principles in classes that may not be business related. For example, more students might consider careers in the arts if they were shown how to do so profitably. I welcome your readers to contact me at www.kenneymba.com to discuss how we can help them. (Matt is president of Kenney College and has an MBA and doctorate in business. He was Johnson and Wales University's first entrepreneur-in-residence from 2002-2004 and is a visiting professor for Ramkhamhaeng University in Thailand. He is the author of the book "Entrepreneurship: Myths, Realities and Rewards.")
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Comments (2)
  written by online education , July 05, 2010
Amazing one, i appreciate this work....liberal arts degree
written by Charles Nightingale, March 04, 2010
I am in the post-WWII boom generation. I began my undergraduate studies in a traditional manner, then completed them non-traditionally, e.g. correspondence and tests, and resident courses here and there over my military career. I earned a MA in International Studies via the traditional resident route, and then began a doctoral program in policy studies. The academics were a piece of cake, more or less, but the comprehensive exam/dissertation did not exactly fit my learning strategy. I wound up taking an MPA with a certificate in policy studies. I wonder if any one or institution is exploring an alternative to this traditional model of academics/comps/dissertation for Ph.D. that is effective and more objectively measurable, and perhaps better suited to different learning strategies.
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Many people in the United States are highly concerned about improving the quality of education. They believe schools are underfunded and students are under-performing, and some have shown their dismay by joining the voucher and charter school movements. What do you think is the state of education in America ... its strengths and weaknesses?
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