the current state of university education in america: where should japanese universities go from...

The Current State of University Education in America:Where Should Japanese Universities Go from Here?

Topics:1. Overview2. Global Influence3. Student Perspective4. Use of Technology5. Summary: Considerations for Japan

The American University System

Overview

is an institution of higher education and research which grants academic degrees.

derived from the Latin word meaning “community of teachers and scholars.”

University

1. Develop the highest degree of creative thought.

2. Contribute to society by solving real world problems.

Purpose

Academic Freedom

Freedom to teach or communicate ideas or

facts without fear.

Creative Thought

Creative thoughtleads to innovation.

Innovation solves real world

problems.

Creative ThoughtNoble Prizes

+

=177

+

Creative ThoughtNoble Prizes

+

=146

+

State University System “In State”

is a group of public universitiessupported by an individual state.

The majority of public universities are state funded. Each state has at least one.

University

Out-Of-State Public Universities

are universities located and funded in a state other than your own. The tuition is

higher for students attending schools out-of-state.

University

The University of North Carolina at Chapel HillEstablished 1789 - Oldest Public University in America

The University of California, BerkeleyTop ranked public university in America.

Noble Prizes: 47

Private Universities

in the U.S. operate as educational and research nonprofit organizations.

University

Harvard UniversityTop ranked private university in America.

Noble Prizes: 46

Liberal Arts Degree

Students major in a particular discipline while exposed to a wide range of academic subjects including science and humanities.

University

Liberal Arts Degree

Develops knowledge about subjects that are considered essential for a free person to know in order to take an active part in

civic life and public debate.

Usually take 4 years to complete.

University

Technical Degrees:Very career oriented, with practical

hands-on training particular to a specific field of study. Usually take

two years to complete.

Technical Degrees:Top 5

1. Computer Specialist2. Dental Hygienist3. Fashion Designer4. Registered Nurse5. Environmental Engineering Technician

Academic Degrees:

Certificate 3 ~ 24 months Specialized trades such as chef,message therapist or welder.

Associate 2 yearsVocational or technical fields.

AA = Associate of ArtsAS = Associate of Science

AFA = Associate of Fine Arts

Bachelors 4 yearsRequire general studies classes.

BA = Bachelor of ArtsBS = Bachelor of Science

BFA = Bachelor of Fine Arts

Masters 2 yearsMaster an area of study.MBA = Master of Business Administration

MS = Master of ScienceMED = Master of Education

Doctoral 3 ~ 5 yearsQualifies holder to teach at the college level. Doctorate is latin for “to teach.”

Ph.D. = Doctor of Philosophy

Top 10 College Majors

1 Business Administration2 Psychology3 Nursing4 Biology5 Education6 English7 Economics8 Communications Studies9 Political Science

10 Computer Science

High School 88%Some College 57%

Associate and/or Bachelors 40%Bachelors 30%Masters 8%Doctoral 3%

20 Million Students4,500 Institutions

Universitas 21 ranked the United States as having the best higher education system

in the world in 2012.

More than 30 of thehighest-ranking 45 institutions are inthe United States.

MIT ranked topin the world.

MIT Alumni Companies 25,800+ WorldwideYearly Sales $2 trillion+

About the GDP of: Brazil or Italy

MIT Vision Statement:To use technology and knowledge to improve the human condition.

GlobalInfluence

International Students atAmerican Colleges and Universities

723,277

2000 - 2010

32%

2000/01 = 56,000

280%2010/11 = 158,000

Rank Country Number % of Total1 China 158,000 22%2 India 104,000 15%3 South Korea 74,000 10%4 Canada 28,000 4%5 Taiwan 25,000 4%6 Saudi Arabia 23,000 3%7 Japan 21,000 3%8 Vietnam 15,000 2%9 Mexico 14,000 2%

10 Turkey 12,000 1%

1 Business and Management2 Engineering3 Math and Computer Science4 Physical and Life Sciences5 Social Sciences

Top 5 Majors for International Students

The University of Southern California, Los AngelesLargest Number of International Students

8,600

Presidents 46Prime Ministers 29Ambassadors 30

317 world leaders form 115 countries

were educated in the USA.

This is a form of “soft power”

that helps improveAmericaʼs

relationship with countries throughout

the world.

American Students Abroad

270,604

American Students Abroad

UK Italy Spain France China Japan

33,000 28,000 25,000 17,000 13,000 6,000

Goucher CollegeAll students are required to study abroad.

Baltimore, Maryland

StudentPerspective

?University Selection Process

Five Factors to Consider1. Qualifications for Admission

2. Academic Opportunities

3. Location and Setting

4. Campus Life

5. Cost and Funding Available

?1. Qualifications for Admission High School GPA SAT and ACT scores Extracurricular Activities

University Selection Process

?2. Academic OpportunitiesStudents must consider:

Academic majors The student to faculty ratio Opportunities to do research Honors and scholars programs Study abroad programs Internships for academic credit


?3.Location and SettingStudents must consider:

Urban or rural area Climate and weather Campus size Center of excellence in your field


City University of New York540,000Largest number of Students

?4. Campus LifeStudents must consider:

Academically rigorous Extracurricular activities Dining services Dormitories Sports Clubs Community service activities


?5. Cost and FundingStudents must consider:

Public universities Cost of living Financial aid Scholarships Work opportunities


How the average American FamilyPays for College

7%

9%

37%

10%

14%

23%

Parent Incomeand Savings

Parent Borrowing

Student Borrowing

Grants andScholarships

Friends andRelatives

Student Incomeand Saving

Average full time tuition, room and

board: $$32,0262011

$21,3732001

Full Time Students: $80%

Receive financial aid.

23%Work 20 or more hours per week.

Highly Selective Open Enrollment

Want the best students Everyone welcome

Require excellent high school GPA of 3.7+ with Hard Classes

Average state school requires a 2.5 GPA

Require high SAT or ACT scores Stanford University requires a 2040 - 2330 SAT or a 30 - 34 ACT

Average state school SAT 1540 or ACT 22

Require letters of recommendation Not required

Require an essay Not required

Demonstrated Leadership Ability Not required

Demonstrated Achievement other than academic Not required

Demonstrated Passion to Change the World Not required

Requirements

“Creative thinking involves two components:

courage and critical thinking.”-Marvin Minsky, co-founder of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT

Critical Thinking: is the process of improving

our ability to judge well. It provides a way for us to

learn from new experiences and to form sound beliefs

and judgements.

American UniversitiesEncourage the Development of

Critical Thinkers who can:1. judge the credibility of sources2. ask clarifying questions3. judge an argument4. develop a reasonable position regarding a belief or an action5. formulate plausible hypotheses6. plan and conduct experiments well7. draw conclusions with caution

Strategies American universitiesuse to development critical thinking skills

include encouraging class discussion and developing both verbal and written

communication skills.

1. Urge students to be reflective, to stop and think, instead of making snap judgments, or accepting the first idea that comes into their heads, or

automatically accepting whatever is presented in the media.

2. Gently ask such questions as “How do you know”, "What are the reasons?" and “Is that a good source of information?” thus prodding them to

have good reasons for their views and to seek reasons for others' views.

3. Emphasize alertness for alternative hypotheses, conclusions, explanations, sources of evidence, points of view, plans, etc.

Strategies to Develop Critical Thinking

Class Discussion

Group activities are frequently required in university classes. These activities include scientific experiments, business simulations, presentations

and group essays and reports.


Group Activities

Public speaking is a required class for most majors. In addition to public speaking many classes require students make presentations during class.

Presenting information in class requires a higher level of understanding. This process develops critical thinking. In addition, fellow classmates are often

required to ask questions and provide feedback.


Public Speaking


Writing SkillsThe development of competent writing skills is also required at American

universities. A common freshman writing class is Composition 101. This class is often required during a studentʼs first college term. Students are often

required to retake this class if they get a C grade or lower.

Most college classes require written reports and essays. Students receive lower grades if their essays are not well written. Most colleges have tutors at

Writing Centers to provide students with extra help with their writing assignments.

To meet the needs of our increasingly global job market American universities strongly encourage students to become international citizens. This is

encouraged in several ways. To begin with most colleges require students to study a foreign language for a least one year. Also, the number of students

studying abroad continues to increase.

Many universities have strategic plans that including increasing the number of faculty and students that teach and study abroad as well as increasing the

number of international students that attend.

Strategies to Develop Career Skills

International Citizens

Internship is a system of on-the-job training for white-collar and professional careers. The internship works as an exchange of services for experience

between the student and his or her employer.

Internships are a proven way to gain relevant knowledge, skills, and experience while establishing important connections in the field. Internships can be part time during the school term or full time over the summer break. Most internships are paid. Internships are a good way to improve studentsʼ resumes and can lead to

job offers after graduation.


Internships

80%Hired after graduation.

All universities have a career resources department. This department provides information about employment opportunities for students. These opportunities

include internships and jobs after graduation.


Career Services

Career Services Explore career options Help with resume preparation Job search Interview preparation Alumni networking

“Ask-an-alum” Career mentoring Job shadowing Networking opportunities

Technology

Online DegreeIs a degree earnedprimarily or entirely

online.

Online Courses

31%

What is online learning?Proportion of content

delivered online Type of course Typical Description

0% TraditionalCourse with no online technology

used; content delivered in writing or orally.

1% to 29% Web facilitatedCourse using Web-based technology to facilitate what is essentially a face-

to-face course; may use LMS (learning management system)

30% to 79% BlendedCourse that blends online and face-to-

face delivery; large proportion of content delivered online; uses forums,

online practices and quizzes; has fewer face-to-face meetings.

80+% OnlineCourse where most or all content is

delivered online; typically has no face-to-face meetings.

66%Learning Outcomes

At least as good as face-to-face

20%Learning Outcomes

Online Education is Superior

Blended CoursesGenerally get the best

learning outcomes.

First Quarter 20121,000,000iPads sold to high schoolsand colleges in America

“Education tends to be a conservative institution, but weʼre not seeing that

at all on the iPad. The adoption of the iPad in education is something Iʼve never seen in any

technology.” -Apple CEO Tim Cook

Most teachers are accustomed to a situation where the teacher is the center of the classroom

and the provider of knowledge. Now the iPad

allows teachers to put more of the responsibility of learning into the hands

of the students.

Six Scholarly Uses for iPad:1. Photographic-led researchThe iPad enables not only the presentation of photographs, but also their cataloging and bundling for research.

2. Teaching with screen-based mediaThe iPadʼs capacity to operate as a self-standing screen for time-shifting and space-shifting media makes it ideal for small-group teaching. It is unobtrusive and mobile.

3. Archived lecturesThe iPad has enhanced the usability of university video podcasts in research and teaching: when watching lectures recorded with a static camera, the platform offers an intimacy with the speaker.

4.Student portfoliosThe iPad offered a way for artists and media practitioners to carry and present their films, photographs, digital storytelling narratives, community media projects and soundscapes in interviews and consultancies.

5.Book readerTextbooks, books, newspapers and magazines can all be accessed on an iPad with the addition of engaging multimedia.

6. Full, portable Internet accessStudents have access to the power of the Internet. They can access online curricula via learning management systems conveniently anytime, any place.

Social Media

“The younger generation has grown up with social media. Itʼs like electricity, they expect it to exist.”

-a University of Notre Dame student

Five ways American Universities use Social Media1. Answer QuestionsAmerican colleges and universities use Facebook pages and Twitter accounts to communicate with current and perspective students. Students can ask questions and get answers quickly using social media. Also perspective students can network with current students to get student information about a particular university from the students perspective.

2. School NewsSchools can provide current news and information about events using social media. This news is available to students, family, visitors, and friends of the university.

3. NetworkingStudents can network with their schoolʼs alumni via social media.

4.Student surveysSocial media is a great way to quickly get student feedback regarding their opinions on school decisions related to them.

5.Professors use social media in classTwitter and Facebook are used by professors to engage students by answering class related questions, discussing projects and assignments.

Teacher-centered Student-centered

Broadcast Learning Interactive Learning

One-size-fits-all One-size-fits-one

Instruction: Learning about Instruction: Learning to be

Individualistic Learning Collaborative Learning

“Industrial Age” “Information Age”

Use of Digital Technologies

SummaryConsiderations for Japan

Academic Freedom - the freedom to engage in intellectual debate without fear of censorship or retaliation.

Liberal Arts Education - provides students with broad knowledge of the wider world. This leads to improved critical and creative thinking.

Global influence - American colleges and universities welcome students from around the world. Educating foreign citizens creates a deeper understanding of American around the world. Also American students and faculty are encourage to study abroad.

Critical Thinking - American colleges and universities emphasize critical thinking. There is a strong emphasis on class discussion, group activities, public speaking and writing skills.

Career Skills - American colleges and universities have resources available to help students prepare for and find employment.

Technology Enhanced Learning - American colleges and universities deploy the use of learning management systems, online curricula, iPads, and social media to empower students to become more involved in the learning process.

Powerful Characteristics:

Considerations for Japan:Entrance Exam:Currently the entrance exam system with an emphasis on memorization is interfering with studentsʼ development. Students need more time in high school to develop their written and oral Japanese communication skills and their English skills instead of focusing so much time on entrance exam preparation. The university admissions process in American looks at the whole student instead of a single test score.

Liberal Arts:Japanese colleges and universities often have narrowly focused majors. Exposing students to a broader liberal arts education will help students become more creative and better informed citizens.

Global Influence:Japanʼs Global 30 project is a positive step toward the internationalization of Japanʼs high education system. However, much more needs to be done to both increase the number of foreign students studying in Japan and the number of Japanese students studying abroad. South Korea with only half the population of Japan sends more than three times as many students to the United States. Japanese universities only have about 5% foreign teachers. This number needs to increase as well. Japan must become more globalized and less isolationist in order to compete economically in the future.

Considerations for Japan:

Critical Thinking:Ideally Japanese high schools improve their curricula to include a stronger emphasis on communication skills. These skills would lead to better prepared college students. Japanese colleges and universities must develop better critical thinking skills by changing to a more student-centric education model. This model includes more class discussion, group activities, oral and written skills development.

Career Preparation:Japanese industry and universities need to collaborate and change the current system of hiring students prior to their final year in college. This situation creates a disincentive for students to study during their senior year. This is a waste of potential skill development. An American-type internship system would be good to implement in Japan. Japanese college students could do an internship during their senior year and gain valuable job skills. College credit should be awarded for internships. Finally, Japanese colleges and universities need more fully developed career resources departments available to better prepare students for the job market.

Technology:Japanese colleges and universities need to study and adopt more of the technologies American universities are using. These include more online course work, and the use of iPads, social media and other digital technologies.