Cambridge University

This changes the way we look at education, especially tertiary education.

There is no reason why the standard academic textbook cannot be replaced by electronic versions constantly updated in a wikipedia type process by teams of academics (after all its all the same stuff and doesn’t need to be reinvented over and over again – Maths 101 is much the same in Cambridge, Harvard as at WITS), and made available to students for free, academic books are very expensive. Just think the best lecturers on specific topics writing their chapter and delivering lectures via services such as iTunes university.

It also changes the role of the traditional academic, doesn’t it? Allowing them to spend more time on research and more time tutoring, mentoring and guiding and less time preparing lectures and notes. It must also mean that the average quality of teaching will improve as the best teachers can spread their influence over millions of students around the world, instead of only those in their own classrooms.

So how will Schools, universities and colleges adapt? maybe their new role is to add value, student support instead of reinventing the academic wheel?

Textbooks available for free, lectures from the best and available to everyone also for free, now that is equality of opportunity.

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