It’s something of a cliche to note that higher education is in need of disruption. A decade ago, Massive Open Online Courses promised to make college more affordable and accessible, yet MOOC-based degree programs don’t carry the social signal that a traditional program does. We talk about a new startup called BitDegree that isn’t trying to compete with traditional higher education, instead promising a potentially free education for aspiring programmers by partnering with companies looking to hire new talent and willing to design courses that will produce the skillsets they are looking for in that talent.

But whatever needs disrupting in the classroom, everyone can agree that our student loan system is broken. Graduates enter the workforce with piles of non-dischargeable loan debt, locking them into career tracks, discouraging entrepreneurship, and undermining long term financial security for Millennials and Generation Z. We explore alternative funding models, including income share agreements like that at Purdue University.

What is a MOOC? Are online classes as effective as in-person classes? Do online classes serve as a viable alternative to the 4-year college track? Are there problems associated with online education? Is there a value to the non-educational experiences on college campuses? What is a human capital contract? Could online education allow students to avoid overwhelming loans in the future?

Further Reading:

Feds in the Classroom: How Big Government Corrupts, Cripples, and Compromises American Education, written by Neal McCluskey

Public Schooling Battle Map, Cato Institute

Common Core Doesn’t Seem to Be Working; That May Be Just Fine, written by Neal McCluskey

Related Content:

The Case Against Education, Free Thoughts Podcast

The Education Apocalypse: How It Happened and How to Survive It, Free Thoughts Podcast

The State of State Education in America, Free Thoughts Podcast

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