It’s Time to Disrupt Higher Ed. Here’s How.
By Karl McDonnell, CEO, Strategic Education, Inc.
In just a generation, we’ve seen technology transform our personal lives – upending everything from how we work and communicate to how we shop and travel. While many sectors have embraced this disruption to keep up with the times and become better, stronger and more viable, higher education continues to operate on an outdated model. Sure, textbooks on iPads and video lessons are effective, but are educational providers giving students what they need to succeed both in school and in a career? Higher ed is overdue for disruption.
Disruption is especially relevant for adult learners, who are increasing in numbers. In fact, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of students aged 25 to 34 increased by 35% between 2001 and 2015, and between 2015 and 2026 are expected to increase another 11%. The student of yesterday looks nothing like the student of today, and certainly not the student of tomorrow. So what’s holding higher ed back?
Some schools may be hesitant to embrace technology and innovation because of the red tape that must be sorted through. For others, it might be the associated cost and antiquated infrastructure. To meet the needs of today’s students, higher education needs to have the same agility, responsiveness and willingness to invest as other industries.
Higher education must become a more digital, data-driven, inclusive and evolved environment in order to remain relevant. This means disrupting the way education providers think to focus on the following three themes:
- Economic mobility and employability
- Flexibility and affordability
- Engaging content
With this in mind, SEI set out to transform the traditional educational model – doing away with the constraints of bureaucracy. The result: a plan for improving employability of our students, enhanced tracking of return on investment (ROI), innovative new learning platforms, cost savings for our students, and positive student outcomes.
Economic mobility and employability
Unlike many college students straight out of high school, adult students may not have the time for self-discovery and the exploration of career possibilities. They typically enroll in a program for very practical reasons: to gain employable skills and advance professionally. They need access to affordable options that provide a measurable ROI and a pathway to increased economic mobility.
The higher education community, together with employers, needs to work together to focus on students’ ROI, as well as preparing them for employment after graduation. For example, Strayer and Capella Universities – both serving working adult students – have revamped their general studies curriculum to include teaching the skills and behaviors that employers identify as vital for any job, such as communication, data analysis and agility. The universities also include career path and debt counseling at the time of enrollment, so students can make informed decisions about the degree they choose.
This approach is helping to produce strong results. Researchers at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce just released new data showing Capella University in the top 2% (93 out of over 4500 schools) for “net present value” over 40 years – what the study calls “the most comprehensive benchmark for judging value.”
A student’s ROI on their education is absolutely critical for their career and their bottom line. If we want to ensure ROI, we need to make sure students complete the program they start. Predictive analytics has proven to be a powerful tool for this in higher ed. At Strayer University, technology helps faculty identify at-risk students sooner and tailor outreach techniques, resulting in stronger student performance and higher course completion rates.
Disruption also means investing in possibilities outside of university walls that could improve the experience and success of students. Through SEI Ventures, our new venture fund, we’ve invested in six start-ups doing just that: from creating new pathways to high wage healthcare jobs to enabling course-integrated internships to improving communication via AI enabled writing tools. These are investments in our students’ education-to-employment journeys.
Flexibility and affordability
Learners need flexibility to fit school into their busy schedules. They can’t always make in-person classes because every day can look different. That’s why the old model of seat time doesn’t work for everyone; how long a student sits does not necessarily tell you if they will be successful.
Competency-based direct assessment learning formats are making learning more accessible and affordable by providing flexible options at a reduced cost. Capella University’s FlexPath program provides a unique, subscription-based tuition model where students have full control to accelerate their courses based on their schedule and skill. The more courses they complete each 12-week session, the sooner they graduate and the less they pay. A five year review of the program shows that from 2013 to 2018, time to complete a FlexPath bachelor’s program was 59% faster than similar students in Capella’s equivalent credit hour bachelor’s program.
We can also reduce the time students spend on housekeeping tasks. Harnessing the power of AI, Strayer University created virtual assistant named Iriving to manage students’ administrative inquiries, freeing up time for faculty and coaches to help students with more critical matters. Since spring 2017, there has been an 82% success rate in Irving’s ability to understand and respond accurately and 89% of students were likely to use Irving again in the future.
Engaging content
The rise of online learning has been a game changer for education, but it also created an engagement challenge. To keep the attention of busy students of all generations, compelling and relevant content is a must. Adopting some of the best practices of binge worthy content at streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, Strayer University launched Strayer Studios in 2016 to infuse course curriculum with documentary-style films to engage students. Initial review of the program in 2017 shows that Studios content increased students’ online class attendance, completion of assignments and participation in class discussions. It also showed that 10% fewer Strayer students dropped courses that featured Studios content.
Disruption doesn’t require dismantling. The traditional education system remains an important foundation, but it must be improved. Just as with any industry, our success is determined by how well we meet the needs of those we serve. Our nation, our workforce and our students have evolved. It’s time for higher education to catch up.
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