Partnering in the Learning Marketspace

Citation

Fark, R. (2001), "Partnering in the Learning Marketspace", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 18 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn.2001.23918aac.007

Partnering in the Learning Marketspace

Ronald Fark

Partnering in the Learning Marketspace

This session provided a "blueprint" for institutions establishing a learning marketspace by presenting an action plan for forming and implementing successful e-partnerships. The presenters, Linda L. Baer, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (linda.baer@so.mnscu.edu); and Ann Hill Duin, Associate Provost and Director of Extended and Continuing Education, Iowa State University (ahduin@iastate.edu), have extensive experience in providing citizens with improved access to post-secondary instruction and other services made available by partner institutions and businesses. The material presented is based on research and study contained in their forthcoming book, The Learning Marketspace: Partnering for Lifelong Learners, authored by Baer, Duin, and Doreen Starke-Meyerring (Educause Leadership Strategic Series Vol. 4, Jossey-Bass Publishers).

To engage the audience, Baer and Duin distributed a survey that contained the recommended outline for institutions to follow to better understand who, how, and why to partner. Key elements within their proposed blueprint include determining priorities, identifying partners, preparing your institution, understanding terms of engagement, and recognizing e-partnership stages. The audience was asked to rank, using the survey, the various elements as they impacted their current partnership initiatives.

For determining partnering priorities, institutions need to consider cultural shifts in learning, their participation in a global economy, standardization and scalability, net-centric niches, and human relationships. Learners are demanding a cultural shift since their location and new tools are providing learners with new ways to manage knowledge. The new global economy requires education restructuring that addresses access and timely response to needs. For standardization and scalability, institutions need to create common and shared infrastructures and capitalize on strengths of their partners. In determining one's net-centric niche, take advantage of the unlimited dimensions of network space, and, through partnership, bring to market a different value proposition. Lastly, focus on human relationships. By communicating and developing strong relationships, partnering institutions can respond quickly to the needs of learners and engage them in the higher-education enterprise.

When identifying potential partners, an institution must determine if its audience is targeted or general. In addition, the institution needs to select either corporate or public partners based on the selected audience. In order to prepare for partnering, the institution must have leadership committed to the effort, commitment to learner-centered education, a climate that supports change, alignment of key decision makers, and buy-in by the faculty.

Important steps and questions need to be addressed to understand the terms of engagement of the partnership. The steps include a description of the partnership, its impact on the institution, and determining its impact on operations. What are the beliefs and assumptions for the partnership? Is there a vision and commitment to that vision at all levels to the partnership? Is collaboration more important than competition? Can the risks ­ financial, legal, and academic ­ be tolerated? Who has the ultimate authority and control? Can the institution change and adapt to support the partnership? Baer and Duin included a draft blueprint addressing these critical steps based on the Army's recent RFP to provide US Army personnel with on-demand access to e-learning courses.

Finally, the blueprint included recognizing e-partnership stages:

1. 1.

   grassroots;

2. 2.

   focal point;

3. 3.

   structure and deployment; and

4. 4.

   endgame.

Additional information provided by the presenters included managing polarity and leadership qualities. Polarity issues include public and private partnerships, higher education and business and industry, institutional and learner needs, fringe versus mainstream markets, existing structures versus new ones, technology versus relationships, global and parochial concerns, and intellectual and social capital. Leadership qualities are addressed in The Learning Marketspace.

Baer and Duin gave an excellent analogy for institutions to heed. There were two lakes, one vibrant and enticing, the other stagnant and dying. The stagnant lake did not have an outlet while the vibrant lake did. Baer and Duin, knowing that institutions are at an early stage in developing partnerships and outlets, have presented a potential blueprint for success in the learning marketspace.

Ronald Fark is Head of Reference, Brown University Library, Providence, Rhode Island. Ronald_Fark@brown.edu.