Stephen Downes links to Tom Haskins saying Goodbye College Diplomas
Thank god that the time will soon arrive when a prospective employer will not be denied the pleasure of reading all my undergrad essays but will instead be able to compare that proof of my learning in detail with those of all of the other 126 applicants for his one available position rather than having to rely on brief summary documents “of a few words and transcript numbers”.
And that in my old age there will be no shortage of doctors qualified to treat my ailments by having met their own self-determined educational outcomes.
ok – let’s cut the sarcasm.
It’s not that I disagree with the idea that much may change in education over the next few years – including possibly more separation of instruction from accreditation and more options for “piecewise accreditation” by way of extended credit transfer agreements. Nor do I doubt that a suitable e-portfolio might serve to virtualize some aspects of what is assessed in a typical interview conversation. But I seriously doubt that some analogue of the diploma and transcript will not still be needed for the purpose of an employer selecting who qualifies for deeper consideration.