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Parkland ready to adapt to the future of learning
By ZELEMA HARRIS
In a book published last year called "The Dream Society,"
the author writes, "Businesses need to imagine their futures the way
good novelists imagine their stories." Considering the phenomenal advances
in technology – Parkland did not have e-mail when I started here, nor
did we offer courses online, distance education via interactive video, or
such career programs as biomedical equipment technology, Web site management
or precision ag technology, to name just a few – it appears that using
one's imagination has been elevated to the status of good strategic
planning.
I am certain that my predecessor and Parkland founding
President, William M. Staerkel, had the 21st century in mind when he ensured
that the college offered state-of-the-art programs and that the architectural
design for the campus would be timeless. Dr. Staerkel was a visionary leader
and we have continued to "imagine" and prepare Parkland for the
21st century.
Over the next hundred years, Parkland first and foremost will be a learning entity. Note that I did not say "learning institution." "Institution" conjures up an image of bricks and mortar. Over the next century, we will continue to see learning occur in places other than traditional buildings.
Learning will be continual, starting with children who find wonder and delight in Parkland's William M. Staerkel Planetarium, where they will one day be able to "visit" other planets and galaxies thanks to new technology. In the next hundred years, perhaps the Staerkel Planetarium will offer actual space flights.
Far-fetched? Look around you. If someone a few years ago had described the concept of the Internet to you, it probably would have sounded outlandish, as if it came out of a dream. That's exactly what it was: a dream fueled by someone's imagination.
The learning continuum will include older adults and retirees. The word "retirement" will become outdated or, at the very least, redefined. People in their 50s and 60s may "retire" from one career, but with health advances and more active lives, we will see older adults become more fully engaged in life. I often am asked to speak to "seniors groups" in our community. I can tell you that none of the groups I speak to are more lively, more inquisitive or more interesting than than these older adults. They are thirsty for more learning, and we are delighted that so many are turning to Parkland to "quench" their thirst.
The line separating high school from college will blur. Parkland already has several dual-credit options for students attending high school within our district. But let's take our imagination farther. Will there be "high schools"?
Will there be "community colleges"? Will there be "colleges and universities"? I believe these educational bodies will continue to exist, with new configurations and a more seamless approach to providing lifelong learning opportunities.
Learning in the next hundred years will happen everywhere, especially in the home. Over the next hundred years, Parkland will create learning programs that can be accessed from home or anywhere a computer is available (which will be everywhere). We already have seen a phenomenal interest in online learning.
Consider these numbers: In fall 1999, there were 506 enrollments in Parkland's online courses. Just one semester later, there were 873 enrollments in online courses. Without question, online learning is the fastest-growing segment of Parkland's learning community. We intentionally have limited enrollment so that we can continue to provide the kind of learning support available to students in traditional classrooms.
What will be Parkland's connection to the work force? We have entered the era of partnerships, certainly within our community and our college district. Over the next century, Parkland's partnerships will include global connections. Our work force already is international, and we must prepare students to live and work in a global society.
You can see the future with these examples from today: Parkland has a training agreement with Cisco Systems Inc., the world's leading provider of hardware and software for the Internet. We just signed an agreement with Microsoft to offer their certified systems engineer training. McLeod USA came to us, asking us to create a telecommunications technician program. As new types of jobs emerge, Parkland will develop training so that there are enough skilled professionals to fill these jobs.
Since Parkland opened its doors in 1967, we have taken pride in serving the agricultural community. In the next hundred years, Parkland will be a center for agricultural innovation and technical training.
Our Agricultural Complex, scheduled to begin construction in spring 2000, will not only provide technical training for farmers and agribusiness professionals in East Central Illinois, it will serve companies and individuals worldwide, mainly through online learning. With the use of high technology, we are taking agricultural education into the 21st century.
As we move forward, we must take special care not to leave people or groups of people behind. Today, there are millions of people, either unemployed or underemployed, who find themselves on the "wrong" side of the Digital Divide. Parkland will continue to honor its mission of providing access to education to all who want it. Furthermore, we will play a larger role in providing people with 21st-century work-force skills.
Funding will become more important in this century, especially since we must stay technologically current. I believe Parkland's assertive efforts to forge partnerships will be a major benefit when it comes to funding.
Parkland's strengths will continue to build in the next hundred years. The quality of our faculty, our emphasis on learning, our responsiveness to the community – these will be just as needed in the 21st century as they have been since Parkland was established.
Parkland's next hundred years will be marked by innovation, access, ever-changing educational programs to meet the needs of the time, and dedicated faculty and staff who believe in the life-enhancing power of learning.
The News-Gazette welcomes comments from readers on the
issues raised in this article. Please send your comments to: Editor, The
News-Gazette, 15 Main St., P.O. Box 677, Champaign, IL 61824-0677. Send
comments by e-mail to news@news-gazette.com.
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