Converging technologies in higher education: paradigm for the "new" liberal arts?

Full Abstract

This article discusses the historic relationship between the practical arts (technology) and the mental (liberal) arts, suggesting that Converging Technologies is a new higher education paradigm that integrates the arts, humanities, and sciences with modern technology. It explains that the paradigm really includes all fields in higher education from philosophy to art to music to modern languages and beyond. To implement a transformation of this magnitude, it is necessary to understand the psychology of change in academia. Union College in Schenectady, New York, implemented a Converging Technologies Educational Paradigm in five steps:
(1) create a compelling vision, (2) communicate the vision, (3) empower the faculty, (4) create short-term successes, and (5) institutionalize the results. This case study of Union College demonstrates it is possible to build a pillar of educational excellence based on Converging Technologies.

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Author information

Author/s: Balmer, Robert T (RT);

Affiliation: Union College, Schenectady, New York 12308, USA. balmerr(-atsign-)union.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Ann N Y Acad Sci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Dec; vol 1093 (issue ) : pp 74-83

Dates: Created 2007/02/21; Completed 2007/03/28;

PMID: 17312252, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Education, Professional - trends
Engineering - education; trends
Forecasting

Interdisciplinary Communication
Research - education; trends
Technology - education; trends

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