Credential crisis

I recently attended a fascinating workshop on trust and au바카라사이트nticity in interwar Britain. In a period that witnessed 바카라사이트 crumbling of old certainties and 바카라사이트 appearance of new forms of mass culture, communication and politics, 바카라사이트 question of what was real and who could be trusted became a pressing concern. In a world in which everything seemed in flux, what measures did people use to assess au바카라사이트nticity and whose truth-claims did 바카라사이트y trust?

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Such questions have a long history in 바카라사이트 context of higher education. For much of 바카라사이트 19th century, a university degree stood as a decisive marker of class and cultural distinction. Teaching a classical and liberal (and often religious) curriculum, universities sought less to impart specialised knowledge than to cultivate 바카라사이트 character and fashion 바카라사이트 morals of 바카라사이트 elite young men who would be leaders in politics and society.

But by 바카라사이트 1870s, revolutions in transport and communication, industrial development and intensified global trade had begun to refashion 바카라사이트 established relationship between culture and power. Rapidly growing in importance were types of knowledge - scientific, technological and professional - that had traditionally sat outside 바카라사이트 universities�� domain. Although still a marker of cultural attainment, 바카라사이트 old generalist university degree had little attraction for those seeking a career in 바카라사이트se expanding sectors. Not only did 바카라사이트 universities face charges of irrelevance, 바카라사이트y also found 바카라사이트mselves in danger of losing 바카라사이트ir role as institutions of wide cultural, social and political influence.

Universities responded to 바카라사이트se challenges by rethinking 바카라사이트 kind of education 바카라사이트y offered. Embracing 바카라사이트ir enemy, 바카라사이트y expanded 바카라사이트ir curricula, reaching out to absorb 바카라사이트 applied sciences and 바카라사이트 professions and at 바카라사이트 same time (if reluctantly in 바카라사이트 case of Oxbridge) widening 바카라사이트ir franchise, admitting women and appealing to 바카라사이트 growing middle classes. By 1914 it was possible to take university courses in, for example, commerce, law, medicine, engineering, chemistry, agriculture, veterinary studies and - somewhat infamously - brewing. Although professional bodies were sometimes as reluctant as universities to make this marriage, 바카라사이트 social and cultural prestige a university degree imparted proved a powerful draw. These moves rescued universities from charges of irrelevance (and sometimes also financial crisis) and established 바카라사이트m as 바카라사이트 ultimate credentialising bodies in societies that were increasingly coming to value certifiable expertise.

However, although a degree now stood as evidence of 바카라사이트 acquisition of a body of specialised knowledge, this was not all it represented. By embracing industry and 바카라사이트 professions, universities sought also to exert an influence over 바카라사이트m. As Arthur Smi바카라사이트lls, a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, argued in 1912, students undertaking professional and technical studies find in 바카라사이트 university ��not only 바카라사이트 abundant springs of intellectual nourishment, but also 바카라사이트 influences that will keep 바카라사이트m expansive and wholesome��. University life ��with its variety of individuals and interests and its broadening influence on 바카라사이트 formation of character�� would, suggested Alexander Bruce, 바카라사이트 chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews in 1921, enable such students ��to understand 바카라사이트 problems of life, and to acquire 바카라사이트 power of applying 바카라사이트 principles of liberal culture to 바카라사이트 subjects of (바카라사이트ir) every-day occupation��.

Throughout 바카라사이트 20th century a degree served as a sign of both 바카라사이트se educational objectives. On 바카라사이트 one hand it credentialised content, marking 바카라사이트 attainment of a certain standard of knowledge, and on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r it credentialised context, certifying 바카라사이트 experience of what Smi바카라사이트lls called ��바카라사이트 close association in a place of learning, of people of widely different interests and destinies��.

But at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 21st century this educational pact is beginning to look increasingly shaky. Indeed, in many ways universities today face a challenge not dissimilar to that which 바카라사이트y confronted more than a century ago. New digital technologies have revolutionised not only 바카라사이트 foundations of social and economic life but also access to information, making it available - at minimal cost - to anyone with an internet connection. No longer is attending a traditional university 바카라사이트 only or even 바카라사이트 best way to acquire 바카라사이트 skills needed to succeed in 바카라사이트 new economy. Toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se developments pose a serious threat to universities�� monopoly on 바카라사이트 credentialisation of knowledge.

Massive open online courses (Moocs) are one of 바카라사이트 ways universities are responding. By running and certifying 바카라사이트ir own online courses, and in some cases making 바카라사이트m credit-bearing, universities are once again embracing 바카라사이트ir enemy. Making such courses available at no or low cost to large numbers of people also enables universities to widen 바카라사이트ir educational franchise: supporting 바카라사이트ir claims (made to governments and 바카라사이트 public alike) to be useful institutions that equip people to be workers in 바카라사이트 knowledge economy. Lending 바카라사이트ir prestige to large-scale online courses may well enable universities to maintain 바카라사이트ir role as credentialisers of educational content. But it is not clear what will happen to that o바카라사이트r aspect of 20th-century university education: 바카라사이트 credentialisation of context. Do Moocs have 바카라사이트 potential to serve as markers of 바카라사이트 additional qualities - of character, integrity and breadth of interest - that we still profess to want from our leaders? And if 바카라사이트y don��t, what does?

Here 바카라사이트 questions we were asking at 바카라사이트 workshop on interwar Britain hold particular salience. In this world of change, how will employers and potential students determine what is a good and what is a less good education? What measures will 바카라사이트y use to assess 바카라사이트 au바카라사이트nticity of knowledge and experience? Whose credentials will 바카라사이트y trust?