Bookmarks 03-May-2010

Scholars, Scholarship, and the Scholarly Enterprise in the Digital Age
Richard N. Katz. EDUCAUSE Review. March/April 2010.

Although information technology has had an undeniably salutary effect on scholarship and on the life of the scholar, new practices — enabled by technology — threaten to erode scholarship, isolate scholars, and marginalize the rightful place of the scholarly enterprise in an age dominated by knowledge and innovation. Within the academy and in society, technology may be fostering new practices that are sharpening contradictions within the community of scholars. Is the modern college or university, for example, centrally important as a storehouse of knowledge? As a purveyor of expertise? As a cultural arbiter? Despite the fact that many of our finest institutions continue to lead society in these ways, the overall answer to these questions is “no.”

gml: This essay is well worth reading. I suspect it will generate considerable discussion and raise the hackles of many college and university stewards. Some of the conclusions seem questionable, but not worth quibbling about here. It’s particularly telling, I think, that Katz distinguishes “scholarly enterprises” from “institutions” and sees a vibrant future for the former and a more uncertain future for the latter. The essay concludes with a daunting list of “ifs” that need resolution for higher education institutions to thrive (emphasis in original) :

We are the “lucky” ones: as our old world dissolves, at least we can participate in resolving the new one. If we can once again create a galvanizing metaphor, a general educational philosophy, a set of carefully constructed and widely accepted academic standards, a consensus on the nature of our footprint, a supporting and flexible delivery system, and a portfolio of global partners, then higher education and its institutions will prosper in the Digital Age.

Katz, unfortunately I think, considers educational change in the context of technology, when that is only one of many critical factors that will help shape tomorrow. Meaning that the tasks ahead for higher education institutions will likely be even more difficult than Katz anticipates.