Newspaper Op-Eds

I've been thinking a lot recently about a Tibetan yak herder I read about last summer in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Apparently this guy has a laptop and an Internet connection and is taking an online course offered by my alma mater, Yale - "The Philosophy of Love in the Western World," to be precise. I think that's remarkable - and admirable.

This man is what educators would call an "autodidact" - someone who is so motivated to learn that he can do it virtually on his own. OK, there are professors creating these online courses, but they are not personally invested in his education. They have put it out there for the taking, and he's taking it.

Courses like this are sometimes called MOOCs - "massively open online courses" - and can enjoy enrollments in the tens of thousands, sometimes more than 100,000. Get used to the term; it's enjoying its 15 minutes of fame. Who knows if it will become a permanent part of the educator's lexicon? There is a drawback to MOOCs: Course completion rates are low. (I've found estimates ranging from 2.5 to 12 percent.)

My reason for thinking about MOOCs is not because this is the right direction for my own small, liberal arts college, Muhlenberg. I have nothing against yak herders, but I know we're not in the business of pouring knowledge into the minds of autodidacts.

Our business model is challenging, of course. Costs are rising, and disposable income is not. But one thing we know is that the future health and strength of our college must be rooted in a clear understanding of our mission and how the market perceives and values our "brand."

Our mission is not simply to provide students with information, conveniently packaged in courses and offered in easily digestible portions over a four-year schedule. Information is essential to learning, of course, but it is simply one ingredient in the mix. We train our students to think, analyze, and learn; distinguish fact from opinion; articulate a strong argument or tear apart a weak one.

This is what we call "active learning." It doesn't take place in solitude (or even in the company of yaks), but in a community of learners. It requires professors who know their disciplines, but also their students. It is never simply about the transfer of content from an authoritative source to an uncritical recipient.

We're also about more than developing young minds: we develop values, nurture leadership skills, and model engaged citizenship. Greek life, athletics, student government, performing-arts groups, clubs, and community service are not time-killers to keep students out of mischief when they're not in class or the library, but an integral part of what we do. They are, at least so far, impossible to replicate online.

Do I think Muhlenberg will ultimately offer online courses? I would never say "never," but if and when we do, their purpose will be to give our students additional flexibility, not to replace the active learning that characterizes our community.