Nonlinear form of learning is the best thing that could ever happen to a college student. When such an alternative as this comes up, it is no doubt received with mixed feelings by not only the students but the educators too. Jeffrey Selingo, in his essay, The New, Nonlinear Path through College, seeks to bring to focus the alternative ways that a college student can use to achieve professional knowledge in and out of school, in a linear and nonlinear way. Everyone wishes to be independent and self driven. This is so because without pressures from other people to perform well in academics, which has since time immemorial been regarded as the force behind student learning, one cannot be sure of ever attaining the highest level of education.
Self motivation can drive anyone to do their best and achieve the very best. This is true as seen in the case of Weezie Yancey Siegel. Through her own effort to do that which she loved, she may have achieved a fete many of her age mates who were spending their four year term in college may have attained. She is self driven and that has led her to do multiple courses on her own. She makes her own decisions on what to do and at what time, which is the opposite of what the set out curriculum offers ongoing college students. Her good example is an indicator that online learning has offered a very good option for a student to do multiple courses at the same time and academic prowess can be achieved in all the courses.
Selingo highlights the fact that most of these students transfer from one college to another in the course of their learning. This is seen when these learners move from colleges that offer their courses for a longer period of time to those that offer two year courses. It is clear that these students want to beat time and do these courses for a shorter period and if possible, do several courses simultaneously. Nonlinear alternatives are proving to gain momentum. The traditional degree courses that take a longer period of time are losing to the shorter college courses which has not been the norm in the recent past years. On the job training could be the best way of bringing forth all rounded students who have an idea of what is expected of them in the job market. This way they can be able to combine theory and practice therefore delivering the best of what training and learning can offer.
Of course one may need a degree so as to compete well with other degree holders when seeking employment. This is because, traditionally, a degree was considered the gate pass to formal employment. But it will be different if the employers could look at a person capabilities and not just the degree. Credits are not just enough to gauge whether a person can deliver on the job. It is a lot more different if students could be looked at the other way round that they can deliver before the degree is looked at. This will even translate to good performance on the job due to the fact that these graduates are self driven and are in a position to do that which is expected of them without getting unnecessary pressure from the bosses.
Work Cited
Selingo, Jeffrey. The New, Nonlinear Path through College. Web, 30th September, 2013. PDF File.
