SmartBlog on Education – Katharine Haber
“Is the purpose of college to get an education or a job? Debate over this question is not new, but a new answer is needed, said Jeffrey Selingo, professor of practice at Arizona State University, during his presentation, “Redesigning the Overworked Bachelor’s Degree.” Selingo, a former editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education, envisions a redesigned bachelor’s degree that addresses the need to provide students with a broad education, yet also provides them with the practical skills they need to land their first job in the 21st century. Under a new model, programs would provide students with skills in areas such as problem solving, decision making, critical thinking and analytical reasoning — skills some employers say are lacking in today’s college graduates…While some schools may be forced to make such changes to survive, Selingo explained that a number of higher-education institutions already are piloting innovative alternatives to the bachelor’s degree that are designed to better meet the needs of today’s economy.”(more)