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Sounds like what you really want is more decentralized education networks, i.e. democratic free (as in freedom) schools. There's already several of these slowly

Sounds like what you really want is more decentralized education networks, i.e. democratic free (as in freedom) schools. There's already several of these slowly emerging across the U.S., and indeed carry the advantages of lecturing on all sorts of niche subjects without a formal bureaucracy and instead based on principles of self-governance with a coop-like structure. They're exceptionally adept at serving local communities and the lecturers or educators invited do not undergo a certification process (as is commonly advocated by laissez-faire and left-wing proponents alike). My suggestion would be to simply extend the accreditation process to such networks, and have more of them appear grassroots on the level of individual communities and neighborhoods.

randcraw 11y ago
Yes, I think the accreditation process probably should be central to any revisions/extensions of the current college system. That may have been the achilles heel of for-profit schools -- the lack of accreditation and their disinterest in delivering a product that must live up to recognized academic standards. Any entity or means that delivers a high quality education, and especially does so affordably, works for me. Ideally such accreditation would work to improve (or expand) the reputation of community college themselves. Too many provide a second rate experience, (probably due to their often demanding less from the student than the better four year schools do). If CCs were to offer some sort of degree beyond the Associate's by augmenting the existing CC workload (perhaps with courses and material arising from groups like Western Governors or even Kahn or Udacity) that met the standard of a good accredited university, that would be useful to many and a good start toward customizing their offerings while assuring academic repute and respectability.

randcraw 11y ago

Yes, I think the accreditation process probably should be central to any revisions/extensions of the current college system. That may have been the achilles heel of for-profit schools -- the lack of accreditation and their disinterest in delivering a product that must live up to recognized academic standards. Any entity or means that delivers a high quality education, and especially does so affordably, works for me. Ideally such accreditation would work to improve (or expand) the reputation of community college themselves. Too many provide a second rate experience, (probably due to their often demanding less from the student than the better four year schools do). If CCs were to offer some sort of degree beyond the Associate's by augmenting the existing CC workload (perhaps with courses and material arising from groups like Western Governors or even Kahn or Udacity) that met the standard of a good accredited university, that would be useful to many and a good start toward customizing their offerings while assuring academic repute and respectability.