Digital Diploma Mills; The Automation Of Higher Education

In the first book-length analysis of themeaning of the Internet for the future of higher education, Digital Diploma Mills cuts throughthe rhetorical claims that these developments will bring benefits for all. Theauthor's analysis shows how university teachers are losing control over what they teach,how they teach, and for what purpose. Rather than providing new opportunitiesfor students the online university represents new opportunities for investors toprofit while shifting the burden of paying for education from the public purseto the individual consumer. And this transformation of higher education is oftenbrought about through secretive agreements between corporations anduniversities, placing public money at the disposal of private profit. The authorlocates recent developments within a longer-term historical perspective, drawingout parallels between Internet education and the correspondence course movementof the early decades of the twentieth century. This timely work by the foremostcommentator on the social meaning of digital education is essential reading forall who are concerned with the future of the academic enterprise.