| I have to laugh when I think of the times I watched | | | | functions remain distinctive, essential contributions to |
| the television program, "Flash Gordon," as he putted | | | | society; they form the basis of an unwritten social |
| through outer space in his make-believe space ship, | | | | compact, by which, in exchange for the effective |
| talking on his make-believe wireless radio, and | | | | and responsible provision of those services, the public |
| dressed in his make-believe space suit. Well, I'm not | | | | supports the university, contributes to its finance, |
| laughing anymore. Today we have shuttled | | | | accepts its professional judgment and scholarly |
| astronauts into outer space, have men living in a | | | | certification, and grants it a unique degree of |
| Space Station, have space suites that take your | | | | institutional autonomy and scholarly freedom. To |
| temperature and gauge your heart rate, and wireless | | | | experience education is learning, to exercise |
| communication devices that send pictures to Planet | | | | knowledge is freedom, and to combine them is |
| Earth. Far fetched from reality? Not anymore. As we | | | | wisdom. |
| speak, the future is starring us in the face, waiting to | | | | 2. Teaching/learning environments-more hands on |
| see how we will promote her in the next 5-10 years. | | | | As post secondary educators relinquish |
| How did science-fiction become reality over the past | | | | hands-on-chalk-board teaching styles and establish |
| 50 years? Let's consider one aspect of innovation: | | | | group teaching models, students will develop a |
| the learning environment - post secondary education. | | | | greater understanding of the theme of the class |
| Why post secondary education, you may ask? As | | | | environment as well as the professor in developing an |
| post secondary education population increases, | | | | understanding of the class cultures' stance in learning. |
| programs to accommodate students will develop into | | | | Educators are discovering that inclusive learning styles |
| curriculum that affords students the freedom to | | | | are revamping the teaching model and becoming a |
| create and design systems they toy with on a daily | | | | positive influence in retention, better grades, |
| basis. Are there risks involved in this adaptation | | | | camaraderie among students, and a greater respect |
| process? There are risks involved when change | | | | for the professor. As professors learn to develop |
| occurs, and leadership should be aware of how to | | | | relationships with students, interaction will transpire, |
| diplomatically confront the risk areas that could slow | | | | lecturing will be condensed into a time frame and |
| down progress. Some of the risks that could be | | | | interactive learning between students and professor |
| encountered due to change are:o Systems riskso | | | | will enhance the classroom environment. |
| Subsystem riskso Peopleo Financial/economic riskso | | | | 3. Global expansion capability-internal and external |
| Societal/Cultural risks | | | | Students are surrounded by virtual global |
| If communication between systems, subsystems, | | | | environments or are impacted by global elements: the |
| people, and cultures within the organizational | | | | clothes they wear are made overseas, the games |
| environment has established a strong communication | | | | they play on their electronic toys are created |
| system, risks factors will be at a minimum as long as | | | | overseas, the war games they play are created to |
| the creative teams are honest and upfront about | | | | identify with global war games, etc. The only draw |
| their reservations to change. | | | | back to this scenario is a truly global learning |
| Let's look into the future through 'futureoculers' and | | | | experience. What they are seeing is not what they |
| see how the universe of learning can be brought into | | | | are getting; a real time global experience. James |
| the present. I want to introduce to you five (5) key | | | | Morrison writes that in order to meet unprecedented |
| trends that I believe affect the current learning | | | | demand for access, colleges and universities need to |
| environment, can create change, and renovate the | | | | expand their use of IT tools via online learning, which |
| perspective of learners and educators for students | | | | will enable them to teach more students without |
| of the future. These trends could be the key in | | | | building more classrooms. Moreover, in order for |
| creating a new perspective in post secondary | | | | professors to prepare their pupils for success in the |
| education for an institution. The key trends are:o | | | | global economy, they need to ensure that students |
| Competitive classroom learning environments - | | | | can access, analyze, process, and communicate |
| campus on-site/online/distanto Increase in | | | | information; use information technology tools; work |
| technological toolso Teaching/learning | | | | with people from different cultural backgrounds; and |
| environments-more hands ono Global expansion | | | | engage in continuous, self-directed learning. |
| capability-internal and externalo Student input in the | | | | Christopher Hayter writes that post secondary |
| creative learning process | | | | schools need to be 'Globally Focused' for the 21st |
| Navigational Systems | | | | century that includes a global marketplace and be |
| Before the five (5) key trends are defined, there | | | | internationally focused. This means ensuring that skills |
| needs to be an acknowledgement of how the trends | | | | needed to compete in a global marketplace are |
| will be supported and regulated through a changing | | | | taught and that the mastery of such skills by |
| environment. According to de Kluyver, and Pearce, II, | | | | students is internationally benchmarked. It may also |
| having the right systems and processes/subsystems | | | | mean a new emphasis on learning languages and |
| enhances organizational effectiveness and facilitates | | | | understanding other cultures and the business |
| coping with change. Misaligned systems and | | | | practices of other countries. |
| processes can be a powerful drag on an | | | | More and more businesses are expanding into the |
| organization's ability to adapt. Therefore, check what | | | | global marketplace, opening corporate offices in |
| effect, if any, current systems and processes are | | | | foreign countries and hiring and training employees |
| likely to have on a company's ability to implement a | | | | from those countries. Are our college graduates being |
| particular strategy is well advised. Support systems | | | | trained to assimilate into cultures and work |
| such as a company's planning, budgeting, accounting, | | | | side-by-side with employees who may not be able to |
| information and reward and incentive systems can be | | | | relate to them? Developing curriculums |
| critical to successful strategy implementation. | | | | accommodating social and cultural entities will propel a |
| Although they do not by themselves define a | | | | student into higher realms of learning and create |
| sustainable competitive advantage, superior support | | | | change in the individual student as well as support |
| systems help a company adapt more quickly and | | | | their career for their future. |
| effectively to changing requirements. A well-designed | | | | 4. Student input in the creative learning process |
| planning system ensures that planning is an orderly | | | | Professors are the gatekeepers in education. |
| process, gets the right amount of attention by the | | | | However, as Baby Boomer Professors begin to exit |
| right executives, and has a balanced external and | | | | the educational workforce and head down the path |
| internal focus. Budgeting and accounting systems are | | | | of retirement, younger generation professors will |
| valuable in providing accurate historical data, setting | | | | take their place bringing with them innovative |
| benchmarks and targets, and defining measures of | | | | teaching methods that can expand the learning |
| performance. A state-of-the-art information system | | | | process. Are post secondary educators equipped to |
| supports all other corporate systems, and it facilitates | | | | prepare for the onslaught of younger generation |
| analysis as well as internal and external | | | | educators needed to be trained for this mega shift in |
| communications. Finally, a properly designed reward | | | | the workforce? Most important, will those professors |
| and incentive system is key to creating energy | | | | caught between Boomers and Xer's be willing to |
| through motivation and commitment. A process (or | | | | adapt to change in the education industry to |
| subsystem) is a systematic way of doing things. | | | | accommodate incoming generations? I believe |
| Processes can be formal or informal; they define | | | | younger generations will impact even the |
| organization roles and relationships, and they can | | | | technological industry and challenge change that will |
| facilitate or obstruct change. Some processes or | | | | equip them for their future. Previous generation |
| subsystems look beyond immediate issues of | | | | students slowly adapted to technological advances. |
| implementation to an explicit focus on developing a | | | | The good news is change can occur, and educators |
| stronger capacity for adapting to change. Processes | | | | can utilize life experiences from students familiar with |
| subsystems aimed at creating a learning organization | | | | technology tools and create fascinating learning |
| and at fostering continuous improvement are good | | | | environments. |
| examples. As an example, processes or subsystems | | | | 5. Increase in Technological tools |
| are functional and maintain the operation of the | | | | In an Executive Summary written for the National |
| system; the system may be Student Services and | | | | Governors Association in a report called "Innovation |
| the subsystem may be the Financial Aid office or | | | | America - A Compact for Post Secondary Education," |
| Admissions. Subsystems can be more in depth in | | | | the report reads that while post secondary education |
| relation to office operations, which involves employee | | | | in the United States has already achieved key |
| positions and their culture; financial advisors, academic | | | | successes in the innovation economy, the public post |
| advisors, guidance counselors. These operations are | | | | secondary education system overall risks falling |
| functions performed on the human level and could | | | | behind its counterparts in many other nations around |
| have a positive or negative impact in the | | | | the world-places where there have been massive |
| development of key trends. If employees are valued | | | | efforts to link post secondary education to the |
| and rewarded for their dedication and service, the | | | | specific innovation needs of industries and regions. |
| outcome will be responsible, committed employees | | | | According to this report, American post secondary |
| for the success of their subsystem. | | | | education is losing ground in the race to produce |
| The Navigator | | | | innovative and imaginative realms in education. Can |
| Every navigator needs a map, a plan, a driver to give | | | | this trend be counteracted? With the cooperation of |
| direction to for a successful trip. In this case, the | | | | post secondary educational institutions within each |
| driver is several elements:o Service integrity, | | | | community, leadership can create co-op learning |
| reputationo Affordability with an open door concept | | | | environments that can be supported through |
| Hughes and Beatty relate drivers as Strategic drivers; | | | | e-learning and online teaching that can provide virtual |
| those relatively few determinants of sustainable | | | | reality technology to enhance real-time learning |
| competitive advantage for a particular organization in | | | | environments. Through Business Development |
| a particular industry or competitive environment (also | | | | operations currently established in post secondary |
| called factors of competitive success, key success | | | | institutions, a shared technology program can be |
| factors, key value propositions). The reason for | | | | created that will afford students access to ongoing |
| identifying a relatively small number of strategic | | | | virtual business environment settings and prepare |
| drivers for an organization is primarily to ensure that | | | | students with knowledge and insight into a specific |
| people become focused about what pattern of | | | | industry. As students prepare to transfer, graduate, |
| inherently limited investments will give the greatest | | | | or seek employment after completing a certification |
| strategic leverage and competitive advantage. Drivers | | | | program, virtual experience in the job market can |
| can change over time, or the relative emphasis on | | | | help a student assimilate education and work |
| those drivers can change, as an organization satisfies | | | | experience to their advantage. This concept could |
| its key driver. In the case of post secondary | | | | challenge Human Resource departments to create |
| education, drivers help measure success rates in the | | | | new mandates in accepting virtual-experienced college |
| area of course completion ratio, student retention, | | | | graduates as they enter the workforce. |
| and transfer acceptance into a university and/or the | | | | Reaching the Destination |
| successful employment of students. Because change | | | | As Flash Gordan lands his Spacecraft on unclaimed |
| is so rampant in education, it is wise for leadership to | | | | territory, you imagine yourself slowly turning the |
| anticipate change and develop a spirit of foresight to | | | | handle to the spaceship with your spaceship gloves, |
| keep up with global trends. | | | | opening the door with explosive anticipation. Your |
| Drivers can help identify the integrity of internal and | | | | heart racing, sweat running down your brow, and |
| external functions of systems and subsystems, as | | | | your eyes at half mask waiting to see a new world; |
| mentioned previously, by identifying entity types that | | | | a world filled with beauty and potential when |
| feed the drivers' success. They are:o Clientele | | | | suddenly, the television shuts off and your Mom is |
| Industry - external Market - feeder high schools, | | | | standing in front of you telling you to get up and go |
| cultural and socio-economic demographic and | | | | clean your room and stop daydreaming! Ah, Mom, |
| geographic populations | | | | you say to yourself, you just destroyed my |
| - Competitors - local and online educational systems | | | | imaginary planet! Oh, by the way, did I mention that |
| - Nature of Industry - promote a learning community | | | | this was you as a child growing up and using your |
| - Governmental influences - licensed curriculum | | | | imagination? |
| programs supported by local, state, and federal funds | | | | Now that I've created a visual world of potential for |
| - Economic and social influences - job market, | | | | you can you see the power within to see the future |
| employers, outreach programso College Planning and | | | | from the present and help others visualize the |
| Environment - internal | | | | potential benefits of change in their lives and the lives |
| - Capacity - Open door environment | | | | of others in an organization? T. Irene Sanders states |
| - Products and services - high demand curriculum | | | | that thinking in pictures helps us link our intuitive |
| programs that meet, local, state, and federal high | | | | sense of events in the world with our intellectual |
| demand employment needs | | | | understanding. Now, more than ever, we need to |
| - Market position - Promote on and off-campus | | | | integrate the techniques of imagination and the skill |
| activities that attract clientele | | | | of intuition with our analytic competencies to help us |
| - Customers - traditional and non-traditional credit and | | | | see and understand the complexities that vex us |
| non-credit students | | | | daily. Visualization is the key to insight and |
| - Systems, processes, and structures - trained staff | | | | foresight-and the next revolution in strategic thinking |
| and state-of-the art technical systems | | | | and planning. |
| - Leadership - integrity-driven, compassionate | | | | Can you SEE the systems, subsystems, drivers, and |
| leadership teams | | | | the five (5) trends with a visual perspective in a post |
| - Organizational culture - promote on-campus | | | | secondary educational environment? This is the |
| activities promoting a proactive environment for | | | | nature of Strategic Thinking, which can or is taking |
| students | | | | place in your organization; a cognitive process |
| According to Hughes and Beatty, these functions can | | | | required for the collection, interpretation, generation, |
| assimilate into the Vision, Mission, and Values | | | | and evaluation of information and ideas that shape an |
| statements to define the key strategic drivers for | | | | organization's sustainable competitive advantage. The |
| developing successful environments. | | | | need to stay abreast of progress, technology, and |
| Navigating Towards a Destination | | | | global opportunities will be the change in drivers that |
| With the recognition of systems, subsystems, and | | | | will validate the creative elements needed to stay |
| drivers, we can see our destination in the distance | | | | attuned in a global perspective. The author's intention |
| and their value in building a foundation to support the | | | | of introducing Flash Gordan into the paper was to |
| five key trends. The five (5) key trends will help | | | | create a visual image and demonstrate imagination |
| define strategic thinking in a global perspective; the | | | | fulfillment to a present day reality. Is there anything |
| understanding of futuristic thinking that encompasses: | | | | out there that cannot be done if it is fine tuned and |
| risk taking, imagination, creativity, communication | | | | prepared for a service of excellence? What are the |
| among leadership, and a perspective of how the | | | | risks involved by not exercising strategic thinking in |
| future can fit into today's agenda. The five (5) key | | | | the elements mentioned in this article? |
| trends are: | | | | Education is not about the present it's about the |
| 1. Competitive Classroom Learning Environments - | | | | future. The five (5) trends are only a beginning |
| campus on-site/online/distant | | | | adventure into an unknown space. Do you remember |
| One of the major attractions in education today is to | | | | when you were in college and wished things were |
| accommodate a student at every level: academically, | | | | done differently, be more exciting, more |
| financially, and socially. These three environments are | | | | adventurous? Consider the age groups becoming |
| the mainstream of why one school is selected over | | | | proficient in technology. Will post secondary |
| another school. Today there is a change in tide. | | | | educators be prepared to teach/instruct future |
| Students who once competed for seats in post | | | | students? Educators must invite strategic thinking into |
| secondary schools are becoming a valued asset as | | | | the system and take the risks needed to build post |
| post secondary schools compete between each | | | | secondary education back into the global futuristic |
| other for students. High schools are no longer the | | | | race of achievement. In an article written by Arthur |
| only feeder into colleges. Today, students are coming | | | | Hauptman entitled "Strategies for Improving Student |
| from home schools, career schools, charter schools, | | | | Success in Post secondary Education" (07), he |
| high risk schools, private schools, religious schools, | | | | concluded his report listing four elements: |
| work environments, and ATB tested environments. | | | | 1. While there is a growing rhetorical commitment to |
| So, how can the educational system attract students | | | | student success, the reality is that policies often do |
| and keep them motivated in an interactive learning | | | | not mirror the rhetoric. Whether intentional or not, |
| environment they can grow in? Wacker and Taylor | | | | policies in many states are at best benign and often |
| writes that the story of every great enterprise | | | | antithetical to improving student success. |
| begins with the delivery of a promise, and every | | | | 2. Policy focus in most states has been to lower |
| product a great enterprise makes is nothing but an | | | | tuitions or the provision of student financial aid. This |
| artifact of the truth of that promise. So what great | | | | ignores the importance of ensuring adequate supply |
| enterprise can be created to attract new students? | | | | of seats to accommodate all students as well as |
| By creating learning/teaching environments, post | | | | providing a proper set of incentives that encourage |
| secondary schools can prepare students to meet the | | | | institutions to recruit, enroll, and graduate the |
| demands of everyday life and their life in the | | | | students who are most at-risk. |
| community. Schools can consider incorporating a | | | | 3. Some progress has been made in developing |
| learning model to enable professors and/or | | | | contemporary practices that have great potential for |
| community leaders/entrepreneurs to team teach in | | | | providing the right incentives in place of redress this |
| the classroom/online environment. Team Teaching will | | | | traditional imbalance. But much more needs to be |
| contribute valuable views into the learning | | | | done in this regard. |
| environment, as well as, give students the working | | | | 4. Efforts to create incentives for students to be |
| community's real-time perspective. In an excerpt | | | | better prepared and for institutions to enroll and |
| from "The University at the Millennium: The Glion | | | | graduate more at-risk students have the potential for |
| Declaration" (1998) quoted by Frank H.T. Rhodes, | | | | greatly improving rates of retention and degree |
| President Emeritus of Cornell University, for the | | | | completion. |
| Louisiana State Board of Regents report, Dr. Rhodes | | | | Can the five trends be a stepping stone in rebuilding |
| wrote that universities are learning communities, | | | | or strengthening the weakest link in the system? The |
| created and supported because of the need of | | | | evidence of deficiency is public, and that's a good |
| students to learn, the benefit to scholars of | | | | start. Educators have the choice to rebuild and |
| intellectual community, and the importance to society | | | | prepare for the advancement of our future; our |
| of new knowledge, educated leaders, informed | | | | students. I encourage you to take the five (5) trends |
| citizens, expert professional skills and training, and | | | | and see how they can accommodate your institute |
| individual certification and accreditation. Those | | | | of higher learning. |