In my first post in this series on the future of education, I highlighted four notable themes from the ASU GSV Summit related to the need for a universal learning system. This week I explore “just in time” (JIT) education. While you may be familiar with “just in time” teaching, a more common concept for a teaching strategy that facilitates more active learning during class time, “just in time” education is something different. JIT teaching strategies rely on using a feedback loop to enhance learning during class. Student are provided with assignments to complete prior to class, typically online, that enable to teacher to review student performance and questions prior to class. Thus enabling class time to be used to target learning in areas directly related to student needs (Brame, n.d.). JIT education, on the other hand, is a strategy for providing the education individuals need exactly when they need to apply in it. JIT is not a novel concept. Developed in the 1970s as a management strategy and referred to as JIT training, early adoption occurred in manufacturing as the accelerating pace of change created a need for access to the latest information and technology paired with training for employees to ensure effective, timely application (Jones, 2001; Andriotis, n.d.).
Adapting this concept to higher education, Salomonsson, Franci, Lieblein, and Furufren (2005) call for JIT education to provide a more relevant education for students that provides the concepts and tools students need, exactly when they need them. This approach differs from a traditional method of teaching that provides a wide range of skills and knowledge intending to equip a student with a toolbox that they will later draw on to enhance future learning. While there is certainly value to general education and a strong foundation to support learning, when we apply JIT education to degree programs and graduate level learning, this approach is used to identify those foundational concepts truly needed by students for the specific degree they are pursuing. Additionally, this method includes identifying intended use of the concepts and then weaving application into the learning process so students learning from doing and can connect the concepts to past and present experiences. As Vest (2013) recognizes, this framework for education extends beyond degree programs. Advances in technology occur so frequently that lifelong learning is necessary to maintain effectiveness of professionals across disciplines.
When Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University, gave his key note speech at the ASU SGV Summit and discussed the need for JITE, he made a call for businesses and education to collaborate to meet this need. This requires applying technology to make education accessible to all, anywhere, and anytime (Cho, Schmelzer, & McMahon, 2002). It also warrants more flexible ways of providing education such as through micro-credentials that build towards a larger degree, executive and professional education with value to employers and employees, and policies that support ongoing learning through accelerated learning such as shorter and more frequent term starts, a wider variety of payment options, and learning environments that suit the needs of the increasing diverse population that stands to benefit from JIT education (Vest, 2013; IBL News, 2019; CAEL, n.d.).
At American College of Education, we strive to serve all learners online through accessible affordable high-quality programs. A typical term is five-weeks, applications are accepted right up until the term start, and we have adapted our entire student support model to meet a range of needs such as flexible hours of availability, varying familiarity with technology, and more (this could be an entire post by itself). But there is more we can do. The future of employer – college partnerships, micro-credentials, and executive education hold exciting possibilities.
In the next post in this series, I’ll explore the concept of boundary spanning organizations, another key component of sustaining higher education and meeting the evolving needs of students and employers.
References
Andriotis, N. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.efrontlearning.com/blog/2017/10/just-time-training-best-practices-adopt-business.html
Brames, C. (n.d.). Just-in-time teaching. Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/just-in-time-teaching-jitt/
CAEL. (n.d.). Ten principles for effectively serving adults. Retrieved from https://www.cael.org/higher-education-ten-principles
Cho, W., Schmelzer, C., & Mcmahon, P. (2002). Preparing Hospitality Managers for the 21st Century: The Merging of Just-in-Time Education, Criticalthinking, and Collaborative Learning. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 26(1), 23-37.
IBL News. (2019, April 9). Michael Crow at ASU GSV: Technologies andpolicies we need to transform education. Retrieved from https://iblnews.org/2019/04/09/michael-crow-at-asu-gsv-technologies-we-need-to-transform-education/
Jones, M. (2001). Just-in-time Training. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 3(4), 480-487.
Salomonsson, L., Francis, C., Lieblein, G., & Furugren, B. (2005). Just in Time Education. NACTA Journal, 49(4), 5-13. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43765992
Vest, C. (2013). Just-in-Time Education. ASEE Prism, 22(5), 52.
