Although I have participated in online interactions and blog posting sessions previously, I had never made as many blog entries as frequently as were required for this class. In my current position I have used various technological platforms for teaching and professional development such as Blackboard and Mylanguagelab.com, both of which demand that students make regular contributions to and participate in discussion boards.
After signing up for The Chronicle and Inside Higher Ed online I became overwhelmed by the daily updates and emails that I received. However, I learned to scan and prioritize the various stories and news that were of interest to me and applicable to our selected topics.
Blogging for this class was an interesting and challenging process, both intellectually and practically. Once general topics were determined, I had to think not only about what my interests were but also had to substantiate, analyze and in some cases critique each topic thoroughly. What was most interesting was the fact that even if I were familiar with a specific topic I needed to research it further in order to provide the most current state of affairs. Thus, this process provided both individual and group learning experiences about various topics in higher education.
The topics we discussed and blogged for this class were in my opinion relevant and varied. They were related to specific issues faced by faculty, administrators and student affairs professionals in public and private higher learning institutions in the U.S and internationally. The interaction and engagement of all students via their blog entries and follow-up comments provided real life applicability of the topics discussed. This interaction provided me with a rich and substantial learning experience.
There were several topics that interested me more than others, either because of my previous training and education, or because of my interest in learning more about these specific topics. This was reflected in my contributions to and participation in this class.
The first blog was about the The Cost of Higher Education Beyond the U.S. It provided information about how public higher education institutions in the U.S and overseas should be viewed as vital resources to the democratic and civic life of the nations against the current trend to privatize education at all levels.
The second was about the online multilingual encyclopedia Wikipedia and how this technological web-based could be described as one of the most revolutionary and democratic web forums in the 21st century for the dissemination of knowledge.
The third was about Undocumented Students in Higher Education. This blog argued that a healthy society’s obligation is to afford opportunities for all to attain the highest degree of education relevant to their interests and needs. Thus undocumented students deserve equal opportunities to access the institutions of higher education, and therefore contribute to the socioeconomic development of our communities, and our society.
The fourth was about Latina/o Students Serving Institutions: A Better Understanding. The central argument of this blog was how the pursuit of UNC to obtain Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS) status would benefit not only Latina/o students, but also the institution and the community as a whole.
The last of my “best” blog topics alluded to social democracy and argued how this system would mitigate the worldwide social protests by promoting equality and social and economic justice. Worldwide Social Protests: How Is Higher Education Affected?
The overall experience of this class is positive, not only from the teacher-student relationship, but also because of the effective learning outcomes. Blogging proved to be an effective and rewarding pedagogical experience. This could have not been accomplished without the face-to-face interactions that guided our topics and our discussions. The expertise and experience of all students made this class highly interactive and productive. The online setting required for this class allowed for all participants to express their opinion and perspectives freely and equally. This promoted highly motivated interaction and engagement of all individuals. All blog entries were respected and all contributed to the overall success of this class. Clearly, we all learned from each other in the process. Providing blog entries that were consistent with the requirements of the class demanded intellectual effort, practical knowledge, and in many instances continuous research with respect to the most current issues in higher education. This process was challenging, rewarding and contributed to the effectiveness of the class. Participants’ perspectives enhanced the richness and variety of the topics discussed. Furthermore, student participation made me aware of some relevant cultural aspects of the U.S. higher education system. One of which is the dominant and often unquestioned role college athletics play in academic life.
4. Summary of what I have learned this semester
There are many aspects of the blog postings that were fundamental in my learning experience. I became more familiar with current issues in higher education not only from a theoretical perspective but also from a practical viewpoint, since all students were able to provide their own insightful and reflective perspective on specific topics.
I learned not only about issues facing higher education institutions but also as a class we were able to provide in depth discussions on issues encountered by student affairs practitioners, faculty, students and all stakeholders involved in higher education. This allowed all participants to evaluate specific issues and also provided informed perspectives about them.
I also learned that contemporary issues affecting public and private higher education institutions are not simple and easily approachable. Instead, they are complex and in many instances far-reaching challenges related to the political, socioeconomic, cultural, historical, philosophical, financial and legal contexts facing societies. The environment of a specific time and place in history is a determining factor.
I learned that the issue of college athletics captivates the American public in ways that could be unthinkable in other higher education systems in the world. College athletics play a major role in many instances as students decide which college or university to attend, and are intrinsically linked to the competitive nature of professional sports.
I corroborated through this experience that each individual has different opinions and perspectives and these varied from one extreme of the ideological spectrum to the other. However, within a professional and academic context all participants were able to embrace democratic values which allowed for all individuals to express freely and equally their own opinion.
The face-to-face readings and discussions provided an opportunity to learn about specific concepts that supported particular trends that connected or related to contemporary challenges and issues facing higher education.
This educational experience reinforced my conviction that well-supported data is necessary to advance an argument and influence positive public policy changes. I reinforced my commitment to equal access to public higher education and affordability within a context of social justice and democratic values. Furthermore, I learned that because of the current efforts made by extreme capitalist strategies to privatize and corporatize public higher education, thus I must continue to advocate for underrepresented students, faculty and administrators to be equally treated within a social justice context. Overall, my learning experience in this class has been filled with rich interactions with my classmates and instructor. Their comments and opinions offered me a better understanding of current issues facing the institutions of higher education within the U.S. and beyond its borders.
The following is a list of the blogs entries I made for this class
| Blog Category | Blog Entry | Blog Date |
| Access and the cost of higher education | The Cost of Higher Education Beyond the U.S. | Saturday, September 24th, |
| International Higher Education | Wikipedia | Sunday, October 2nd, |
| Technology in Our Colleges and Universities | Steve Jobs: Technological Progress…For Whom? | Sunday, October 9th |
| Access and the cost of higher education | Undocumented Students in Higher Education | Tuesday, October 25th |
| Higher Education in Colorado | Faculty and Administrators in Higher Education: Poles Apart? | Sunday, October 30th |
| Higher Education in Colorado | Latina/o Students Serving Institutions: A Better Understanding | Tuesday, November 8th |
| Protest and Conflict | Worldwide Social Protests: How is Higher Education Affected? | Tuesday, November 15th |
| International Higher Education | Public Higher Education: A Case in Mexico | Wednesday, November 16th |
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