Blueprints & Road Maps: Architecture for the University in Cyberspace

Publication Date

Summary

by Parker Rossman

University of Yale, USA

November, 1999

grossman@mail.coin.missouri.edu

Abstract

In the context of changes that are likely to come into higher education as a result of the convergence of information age technologies, this paper discusses one of many possible scenarios for the restructuring of the university, especially in cyberspace. The redesigned or restructured university will begin, by this scenario, with a global consortium in cyberspace, above or beyond the existing university. Change will come slowly on campus but will accelerate in cyberspace. A global consortium will not replace the conventional university organisation into schools, departments and course subjects nor reduce the number of faculty positions because of global distance education (GDE) or distributed education. (On that term, see Hawkins 1999) Both conventional campus and distributed and distance education will continue to exist side by side. Variety will continue.

Each university and department could continue present teaching, research and would consult with other universities worldwide to select one or more areas of expertise for the emerging worldwide electronic encyclopedia which could be the door to the Internet.
Each university could also select one major global crisis area (such as the politics of ecology or hunger) for research, linking globally with other research universities to coordinate the use of global-scale tools for much larger-scale research.
In those areas of expertise each school could prepare "learning modules" (and continually updated electronic textbooks) for use in GDE and in on-campus courses, sharing them with other universities worldwide.
Each learner and faculty member would be helped to create a personal profile and personal learning "Knowledge Construct" to keep a comprehensive record of all personal learning and professional preparation and work.
The administration of the consortium would perhaps take place online and might include ways of connecting all personal profiles and knowledge constructs with others anywhere in the world who are working on the same problems.
One likely administrative structure is the 'Global University System,' proposed at a conference in Finland in the fall of 1999, presumes regional structures with first initiatives taken by designated universities in each region, such as Asia-Pacific.