Preliminary groundwork for the new great debate

Campion, M. (2001) Preliminary groundwork for the new great debate. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, 16 (1). pp. 69-83.

Abstract

The article starts by conveying the sense of confusion that those working in universities currently face and feel. It then relates this to a far broader problematique - in essence, that within the university sector, a productivity consciousness is driving out the space for reflection and contemplation - core prerequisites for what is best about universities. The beginnings of an account of distance educators' failure to respond to this set of problems is offered, making reference en route to what it refers to as the 'learning cult'. This is followed by an effort to relate the dominant discourse in education to the development of capitalism through education's tightening relationship to employment. A brief account of the era subsequent to Fordism including changes that are seen to be occurring in the nature and distribution of work across the globe follows. This is seen to have implications for education and specifically for university education which result in a call for a 'New Great Debate' about education and its purposes, and a call for distance educators to play a part in initiating this debate.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Social Sciences and Humanities
Publisher:	Carfax Publishing Ltd.
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/34487

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