SAMPLE QUESTION 5

As you read the passage below, consider how the author uses

• evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.
• reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence.
• stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

             Education Reimagined

1.       Since 2012—the year of Massive Open Online courses (MOOCs)—the discourse on the success of open online education and its implications for traditional colleges has been mixed, and often conflicting. While some raved that e-learning platforms would dismantle and revolutionize the university overnight, others doubted their maturation and assimilation into the job market. In response to the influx of online learning platforms that offer free content, President Obama called upon online learning as a key ingredient in redefining higher education, stating colleges must, “embrace innovative new ways to prepare our students for a 21^st century economy and maintain a high level of quality without breaking the bank.” Although open online courses have failed to transform higher education in the abrupt manner that many reformers predicted, the current push for discernible and accessible digital credentials from accredited institutions will be a turning point in education.

2.       The open educational movement really took off in 2008; and, within just a few short years, providers like courser, Udacity and edX emerged among hundreds of other self-paced, virtual education platforms including the immensely popular Khan Academy, that offer quality learning at a great price, free. Now, students could enjoy learning outside of a formal education environment with asynchronous and unconstrained access to free content. And many took Advantage. Coursera, associated with Stanford University, boasts that it currently offers more than 1,000 free courses. Udacity, similarly connected with Stanford, specializes in vocational courses for professionals who can choose to pay a fee for a certificate of completion to submit to employers. MIT and Harvard introduced edX, a nonprofit provider that now has more than three million users. Then, in November 2012, the University of Miami launched the first high school MOOC to assist students in preparing for the SAT.

3.       As programs expanded and quality increased, many speculated that MOOCs would be the vanguard for a reduction in rising costs of higher education that could potentially replace the business model of education. Others pointed to the meager 10% completion rate common among MOOCs and the unceasing admission rates and rising tuition costs in traditional universities, and chalked open online education up to a fleeting fad. Thus far, neither prediction has manifested, but the former is seemingly more indicative of current trends than the latter. Stanford celebrates several courses that have “graduated” over 20,000 students; and, as distance education moves toward reputable degree-granting, these numbers will soar. In collaborative e-platforms, more students than ever are watching video lectures, participating in discussion boards, engaging in peer-review exercises, and taking up interactive blogging. Imagine unlimited access to a college education for anyone who can get in front of a computer screen.

4.       The prophesized revolution will come with the next step in open online course: the reconception of education. Students are failing to turn to the cheaper, more convenient online platform because it is yet to lead to jobs. More than a broad, encompassing education for personal growth and intellectual stimulation, students are paying for degrees that get jobs. A lag with employers is expected and understandable; the conventional diploma is well-tested and time-honored, so naturally employers are skeptical of change. Moreover, ways to recognize and measure quality in online education had to be established. But now, as online education becomes accredited and archives make it easy for employers to see students’ work and achievements, open online education is in position to overtake its predecessor. Digital credentials and reputable degrees and certificates mean that employers can not only rest assured that employees have extensive training and knowledge, but will also, for the first time, be able to effortlessly glimpse academic accomplishments, rather than try to decipher the meaningless acronyms on standardized transcripts. 

   

5.         While it is still unlikely to happen overnight, employer-friendly online platforms are already working to bridge the gap. Acknowledgement and recognition of accredited virtual education leaves a lot of questions for the traditional university model. If students are afforded quality education at unbeatable costs without having to move on campus and are competing for first-rate jobs, there will be little incentive to attend the expensive, corporeal universities where memories created are only outshone by debt accumulated. Highly education will soon become accessible for the masses and “college” will look very different, for students, instructors and employers.

Write a response that demonstrates how the author makes an argument to persuade an audience that a liberal arts education is valuable. In your response, analyze how the author uses at least one of the features from the essay directions (or features of your own choosing) to develop a logical and persuasive argument. Be certain that your response cites relevant aspects of the source text.

       

       Your response should not give your personal opinion on the merit of the source text, but instead show how the author crafts an argument to persuade readers.