TODAY’S HIGHER EDUCATION AT A CROSSROADS - The critical point and paradigm shift in the educator’s role
Observing the different progress rates of the available data, information and knowledge (on one side) and human capacity to process these available data, information and knowledge (on the other side), the author becomes aware of the higher pace of the first –in the midst of impetus of new communication and information technologies –and argues that, at this point in time, we are eye-witnessing a real education paradigm shift. The education system is at a critical point in time (call it critical point in education –CPE) when the educator’s role must change from knowledge repository to skilled, expert knowledge explorer and identifier, switching from teaching the subject to teach students how to pick the right and relevant information related to the subject –from the ocean of available data. The current corona-crisis –which started by the time when the ideas for this chapter were put together –made this question more acute, asking for re-thinking the education system and educator’s role. This chapter launches the thesis of the education paradigm shift –in that respect of the educator’s role in the predictable future, to provoke a discussion, and to open a research path, for higher education strategists, policy makers, scholars and educators.