Obama is going to spend more on eduation.

I see that President Obama is committing more money to education. He especially wants more students to attend college.
I am not convinced that Universities and Colleges are essential to further and continuing education,  especially in the Arts and Humanities. These institutions are often bastions of privilege. Professors can pursue obscure studies on subjects of little interest except to their peers, in other words, other people who are pursuing research on subjects of little interest. Students can get "credits" on courses that contain very little knowledge, but are often full of fads or the latest intellectual ideology.

Most of what is valuable in the humanities programs at colleges and universties can be acquired by a motivated learner reading on his or her own, or taking advantage of the Internet. Certainly this is true for language learning, and the related study of literature, culture, history etc.

I think it is time to look at other models that take advantage of 21st century technology and social interaction via the Internet. I think that what we are on to at LingQ, although we are just at the beginning, will help to create a really universal "university" where anyone who is really interested can learn, and can learn from the most motivating and talented teachers. Learners, teachers, and content will converge and be discovered on the Internet. Those learners who are not motivated need no longer be subsidized, and those teachers who just want to study some obscure subject  for the sake of being reviewed by their peers, and who are not interested in their students, will have to support their habit by themselves.

Comments

[igordesu]

Yes. I agree wholeheartedly. The stuff that passes for language education these days is pathetic. Kids that want to learn more can't, and kids that just don't care aren't abandoned like they should be.

[Edwin]

Came across this article a few days ago. Didn't read through it though. Yet the title already made me mad.

"Universities need higher fees to get through recession"

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/02/26/fee-hikes.html

[Vincent]

But Steve, how do we know what is 'obscure'?
I don't think that they should pay their research by themselves. Even though it seems obscure now, it can be useful later. Any knowledge that we gain is an enrichment for humanity.