Note:  This article is from a series on change with strategic implications for higher education.

• PART I:  HIGHER EDUCATION'S "CROSSROAD"
• PART II:  WHY A MOOC?
• PART III:  BY THE NUMBERS
• PART IV:  ARE DEV CAMPS A SIGN?

In "Dev Camps" I think I may have discovered higher education's next-generation MOOC! 

MOOC's have generated much discussion of late, offering free learning to tens of thousands of students at a time.  I was early to discuss MOOCs previously in "Part II:  Why a MOOC?", and slow to dismiss MOOCS despite many encumbrances identified to include high attrition rates, learning assessment issues, academic integrity, viable business models, missing credit and accreditation, and placement. 

To be clear, it is not the encumbered MOOC itself that I saw as a major threat to higher education, but rather what MOOCs portend. 

By analogy, consider that in 1995 web pages were dismissed by many as nothing more than digital brochures, capable of producing little other value.  Shortly after, however, the rapid innovation and development accompanying technology disruption occurred, and ecommerce was born. 

Here I liken MOOCs to early web pages, and have thus been scouting for signs of next generation iterations.  Dev Camps could well be one of these signs.  These intense programming experiences offer a product traditionally associated with higher education, and deliver that product at a much lower price point and time frame.  Dev Camps show early promise to be successful, without burdens of accreditation, credit, or transcripts.  

Dev Camps have a few catches, although previous computer programming skill is not one.  Candidates must be willing to commit 1,000 hours in the nine-weeks to learning, leaving only 500 hours for "errata" (e.g., sleep).  The work expectation is 80-100 hours each week.  Class time alone is Monday through Friday from 9:00AM through 6:00PM.  Fees do not include room or board.  There are no age or nationality requirements, although less than 20% of the video-applications are accepted.  Dev Camps do not pretend to be a school, and as such are not accredited, and offer no credit.  They will, however, connect 90% of the students with high-paying employers.  So, in a nutshell, Dev Camps bridge training to employment with laser precision, and without "all that other school-stuff."

What are Dev Camps?

Dev Bootcamp is one example of computer-programming schools spreading out from San Francisco.  These camps turn students into programmers in less than three months, with starting salaries between $80,000 and $100,000.

Dev Bootcamp, for example, teaches "Ruby on Rails " in three phases.  Phase 1 is Basic Ruby and programming fundamentals.  Phase 2 introduces the web and front-end development (including HTML CSS and JavaScript), and Phase 3 puts it all together through the Rails framework.  Admissions are rolling, so every three-weeks another "16-20 boots" are admitted to replace those graduating.  Each new cohort is assigned two teachers and a facilitator. A little time each day is spent learning from books and tutorials, but most time is spent working in small groups solving problems and challenges, and building applications.

Perhaps better than universities, these programs make complete mind-body connections, and as such include "yoga, stretching, and even basic meditation and mindfulness training."  My personal experience from a two-week boot camp that did not consider this was permanent ulnar nerve damage!  Computing is very tough on the body, and good habits are important.

Good news for colleges?

Dev Bootcamp's web site states their motivation is because, "...college is broken. Recruitment is broken."  Ironically, however, there could be very good news here for agile colleges, especially in urban areas.  Traditional colleges work primarily on a nine-month cycle, and have unused infrastructure sitting idle over the summer.  With relatively little investment, colleges could leverage this infrastructure to offer intense learning experiences in programming and beyond.

LINK

Chea, Terence (2013) Coding boot camps promise to launch tech careers, The Associated Press, April 12, downloaded from http://apne.ws/110i4Jc

Image Credit: xymonau at RGBStock

CRITERIA

Since April 5, 1917, any United States Armed Force member acting in that capacity that has been wounded or killed is eligible to be awarded the Purple Heart in the name of the President of the United States.

DESIGN

The current Purple Heart medal was developed by General Douglas MacArthur in 1932, and designed by Army heraldic specialist Miss Elisabeth Will in the Office of the Quartermaster General.

A metal, plastic, or enamel heart replaced Washington's original fabric design.  The heart of rich purple is bordered with gold, and features a bust of Washington at the center.  The use of purple was "associated with royalty and would stand out on any uniform."

ORIGINS

The Purple Heart is the oldest known United States military decoration still in use.  The award's roots and use of purple can be traced to George Washington's efforts to recognize all soldiers in the Continental Army, as opposed to the European practice of recognizing only those of high rank.  Washington created the "Badge of Military Merit," which he described:

The General ever desirous to cherish a virtuous ambition in his soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of Military Merit, directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings over the left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding. Not only instances of unusual gallantry, but also of extraordinary fidelity and essential service in any way shall meet with a due reward.

Three people received the Badge of Military Merit during the American Revolutionary War from General Washington.  Other recipients have been noted in studies of discharge papers.

DEBATE

There is movement to recognize Traumatic Brain Injury eligibility for the Purple Heart medal.  [see http://www.recognizethesacrifice.org/ ]

RECIPIENTS

Award recipients include athletes (Pat Tillman, Rocky Bleier), politicians (John F. Kennedy, John Kerry), generals (Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell, Chuck Yeager), artists (Rod Serling, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., James Arness),  and Medal of Honor recipients (Salvatore Giunta, Audie Murphy).

Over half of the estimated 1.7 million total Purple Heart awards to date went to World War II recipients.

LINKS

• http://www.purpleheart.org/DownLoads/HistoryOfThePurpleHeart.pdf
• http://www.purpleheart.org/Downloads/Raymond%20Badge%20of%20Merit.pdf
• http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129711544
• http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/washington-creates-the-purple-heart
• http://www.purplehearts.net/id6.html

As an undergraduate, it was quite rare to discover peers with AP credits earned by taking exams while in high school.  Since then I am fascinated that students now earn more than just a few AP credits!

This may be changing, however, if Dartmouth College is a bellwether.  Dartmouth recently announced they will no longer grant AP credit, citing concerns of protecting the eight-semester experience (http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/some-colleges-weigh-value-ap-credits).  This comes at an interesting time when colleges are under pressure to accept a growing number of transfer students with credits from other institutions, as well as growth in MOOCs and other alternative educational experiences.

By the way, I would like to take this time to introduce Marion Bressler, and share my lone AP experience.  Mrs. Bressler was a fascinating lecturer in AP History, and was able to mesmerize a large section of high school students for an entire year.  I was not surprised to learn from her obituary that she was a national pioneer in the AP movement, worked with ETS as a consultant, and even taught Joe Paterno's athletes.

I have tried to incorporate Mrs. Bressler's sense of trust and mentoring with my students.  From her I know that learning is a path, and not a race.  She was never condescending or dismissive.  She did more to prepare me for many years of college than any other high school experience.  I am grateful that I had the chance to thank her a few years ago when our paths crossed.  She lit up and fondly remembered her students, our time together, and what we had accomplished.  She had every right to be proud of her time with her students.  We are better for it.

Note:  This article is from a series on change with strategic implications for higher education.

• PART I:  HIGHER EDUCATION'S "CROSSROAD"
• PART II:  WHY A MOOC?
• PART III:  BY THE NUMBERS
• PART IV:  ARE DEV CAMPS A SIGN?

Higher education enrollment concerns stem from a peak in college-bound high school graduates, combined with growth in alternatives, such as on-line and for-profit degrees.  Also looming are growing concerns from a mediocre economy and student debt burden.    

Groups tracking education statistics include the Department of Education, College Board, and Chronicle of Higher Education.  For reference, the National Center for Education Statistics' College Navigator search engine cites over four hundred post-secondary options in Pennsylvania alone; ninety-three of these offer bachelors programs or majors in computer or information sciences and support services. 

In 2009-10, the most popular bachelor's degree granted nationwide was business (357,354); for comparison, 39,589 were conferred in computer and information sciences.

PSU, University Park

With 38,594 undergraduates, U.S. News ranks Penn State's University Park as the fifth largest campus. For 2012, over 28,000 students applied for 7,200 University Park seats.   Each year over half of the University Park graduates first began at one of the other nineteen campus locations.

Figure 1 Image Source:  http://bit.ly/NJpkGF

Penn State Live reported a modest undergraduate enrollment growth in 2011. In Figure 1, after Pennsylvania (4,260), the 2010 biggest state contributors were New Jersey (792), New York (453), and Maryland (318). 

Figure 2 shows the current decline for in-state high school graduates.  Out-of-state students are an opportunity to overcome increasing competition for Pennsylvania students amid stagnant demographics.

Another recruiting opportunity comes from "non-traditional" students, such as adult learners, veterans, and transfer students (i.e., students with eighteen or more credits); currently more than thirty percent of all students transfer.  To take advantage of this, policy changes may be needed to improve transfer receptiveness as well as providing success programs normally reserved for first year students.  For reference, Penn State's admissions office has created a transfer fact brochure.

IST, University Park

In addition to undergraduate minors and certificates, Penn State's College of IST offers a B.S Degree in Information Sciences and Technology (ISTBS), a B.S. Degree in Security and Risk Analysis (SRABS), and a B.A. Degree in Information Sciences and Technology (ISTBA).

The University Budget Office' Fall 2011 Penn State Fact Book reports 823 total IST undergraduates: 83 (first year), 158 (second year), 260 (third year), 275 (fourth year), and 47 (fifth year plus).   Note that here Penn State counts "unique" residential students, rather than degrees; students pursuing more than one degree or minor are only counted once, and credited to his or her primary degree college. 

Figure 3 Image Source:  http://bit.ly/Q6KLBK

Figure 3 reveals that IST's Fall 2011 University Park undergraduates came mostly from Pennsylvania followed by New Jersey, Maryland and New York.

Current College of IST (University Park campus) entrance policies include the following:

1. IST undergraduate math course requirements are more similar to students in the Smeal College of Business, rather than the College of Engineering.  However, high school applicants must meet the more rigorous College of Engineering SAT math standard, instead of the lower minimum used by the Smeal College of Business.
2. Students already enrolled at another Penn State college or campus must successfully complete three-course SRABS or ISTBS entrance-to-major requirements before the start of the junior year.
3. Students considering the ISTBA degree must apply before the end of the third semester and meet a two-course entrance-to-major requirement.
4. The College of IST does not accept transfer students (i.e., students with eighteen or more credits from a non-Penn State institution).

Readings

• Penn State Fact Book:  http://www.budget.psu.edu/FactBook/
• Penn State Transfer Student Brochure: http://admissions.psu.edu/pdf/publications/PennState_Transfer_Facts.pdf

In the classic case of an "industry" that is prime for disruption, our existing 1,000 year-old model of education will probably be radically different as a result of lower-cost, more efficient competitors that are able to deliver learning to a new generation. Maybe the traditional institution's role is in coordinating the open resources available for free rather than being simply a rigid house that is resistant to change.

"Futurist" John M. Jordan's Information, Technology, and Innovation: Resources for Growth in a Connected World is encyclopedic in coverage of trends and effects from digital transformation.  As a seasoned instructor, novices will benefit from Dr. Jordan's introduction and topic development.  However, advanced readers will also benefit both from the breadth of discussion, as well as the notes that accompany each chapter.

As an early fan of futurist George Gilder, I was pleased to see the book begin with the "second half of the chessboard" story.  Further insight into the book can be divined from its five sections:  Foundations, Work and Organization, Business Model Disruption, Technology Landscapes, and Some Big Questions. 

Many will agree that our economy moved from industrial to automation with the transistor invention.  This book helps support the important notion that we are now transforming from automation to a subsequent economy.  In particular, leaders and educators should pay heed to Dr. Jordan's "some big questions" section.  Here Dr. Jordan summarizes implications ranging from identity and privacy, to innovation.

I see a strong connection between any communication, logic, or philosophy class you may have had (i.e., speech or writing), and this research class.  What we wish to do is construct a convincing "argument" that will convince a particular audience to agree with our claim.

UNC has a nice article on "argument" ("expressing a point of view on a subject and supporting it with evidence") that you may want to review.

It is my perception that the ability to construct classical arguments has become diffused since the time of Socrates. Humorist Stephen Colbert (below) even invented the term "Truthiness" to describe a "truth" that a person claims to know intuitively "from the gut" or because it "feels right" without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts [Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Truthiness&oldid=492921182"]. 

I personally believe societal success requires more thoughtful development of beliefs and claims!

Dr. G.