Public/private partnerships: a Trojan horse for higher education?
Article
First Online:
- 352 Downloads
- 1 Citations
Abstract
Partnering with private industry is presented as a sensible solution to some faculties at institutions of higher education during the current economic downturn. The authors discuss the historic context for increased efficiencies and provide descriptions of how two institutions responded to the prospect of “collaborating” with a corporation. In one case, a partnership forged without faculty consent resulted in dramatic changes in curriculum, class size, course delivery, and instructor authority. In a second case, a proposed partnership, championed by the central administration, was shown to be detrimental to program quality, institutional reputation, and faculty autonomy, and was soundly defeated.
Keywords
Privatization Higher education Online learning Public welfare EthicsReferences
- Berliner, D. (2009). Poverty and potential: Out-of-school factors and school success. Boulder and Tempe: Education and the Public Interest Center. Retrieved April 22, 2010 from http://epicpolicy.org/publication/poverty-and-potential.
- Callahan, R. (1962). Education and the cult of efficiency. Chicago: University of Chicago.Google Scholar
- Carroll, S., Krop, C., Arkes, J., Morrison, P., & Flanagan, A. (1995). California’s K-12 public schools: How are they doing? Santa Monica, CA: Rand.Google Scholar
- Clark, R. E. (2009). Translating research into new instructional technologies for higher education: The active ingredient process. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 21, 4–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Embanet, (2009). Can universities address the recession dilemma through online partnerships? Shaumburg, IL: Embanet.Google Scholar
- Finn, C, (2010, March 20). The Case for Saturday School. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 22, 2010 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704207504575130073852829574.html.
- Garrison, R., & Akyol, Z. (2009). Role of instructional technology in the transformation of higher education. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 21, 19–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- General Accounting Office. (1996). School facilities: Profiles of school condition by state. Washington, DC: General Accounting Office.Google Scholar
- Hanushek, E. (2009). Schoolhouses, courthouses, and statehouses: Solving the funding-achievement puzzle in America’s public schools. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
- Khadaroo, S. (2010, February 25). All teachers fired at R.I. school. Will that happen elsewhere? Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved April 21, 2010 from http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2010/0225/All-teachers-fired-at-R.I.-school.-Will-that-happen-elsewhere.
- Kozol, J. (2005). Shame of the nation. New York: Random House.Google Scholar
- McGorry, S. (2003). Measuring quality in online programs. Internet and Higher Education, 6, 159–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Molenda, M. (2009). Instructional technology must contribute to productivity. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 21, 80–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Peterson, P. (2009, September 8). What the public thinks of public schools, Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 22, 2010 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574400850103134572.html.
- Taylor, F. (1911). Principles of scientific management. Retrieved April 21, 2010 from http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6435.
- Ulmer, L., Watson, L., & Derby, D. (2007). Perceptions of higher education faculty members on the value of distance education. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 8(1), 59–70.Google Scholar
- Weaver, J. (1974). Scientific management and teacher education. Educational Forum, 38(4), 485–492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Copyright information
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010