Most online programs are virtually identical, with faculty becoming commodities.
“Authentic, differentiated, visionary programs are driving the future of higher education. Now, more than ever, institutions need to create something that is unique and of value,” writes in eCampus News Furqan Nazeeri, a partner at Extension Engine, an educational consulting firm and edX provider based in Cambridge, MA.
This consultant explains that institutions are stuck on standardization because “they have a governance structure that tends to favor the minimization of change and the reduction of risk.”
“Scaling offerings through online programs or courses has become an inherent part of growth for public, private, and non-traditional colleges and universities. And for some, it is even a matter of survival.”
In this context, he advises differentiating every learning experience “by creating authentic, adaptive, engaging, customized programs that embrace your institution’s distinctive approach to education.”
• eCampus News: The single biggest mistake universities make when going online
