Two interesting tangential conversations kicked off on Twitter this morning during Anya Kamanetz keynote at the CETIS Conference. One on the validity of comparing the challenges currently facing Higher Education to changes in the music industry and the other on the role of the church in founding education institutions and the effect of the Reformation on the church. So for those who missed these fascinating (yes really!) discussions on twitter, here they are again…

Comparison with the music industry

Anya made that point that although recording industry sales have slumped people are now spending more and more money on downloads and ticket sales to attend live performances. So although artists may receive less income from sales of recorded music they gain more income from live performances. Paul Walk of UKOLN felt comparing education to the music industry was unhelpful and David Kernohan argued about the validity of Anya’s assertion within the music industry itself. However Mike Ellis of Eduserv argued that this is indeed a reasonable model for comparison.

paulwalk Paul Walk
oh…. another comparison with the music industry

dkernohan David Kernohan
musicians don’t mind about not selling music as they make money from live performance!! Not many musicians agree.

paulwalk Paul Walk
can we have a rule: no bogus comparisons to (mostly speculative) points about music industry business models?

m1ke_ellis Mike Ellis
@paulwalk don’t see it as that bogus – question is about openness, where the value is in the chain, how to cope

paulwalk Paul Walk
@m1ke_ellis music industry is pretty much passive entertainment. Hope HE hasn’t reached that sorry state yet…

m1ke_ellis Mike Ellis
@paulwalk you’re being too specific, surely? The point was surely not about the mode of use but the env in which the content lives

paulwalk Paul Walk
@m1ke_ellis I think the mode of use is crucial to figure out appropriate business models though

The Church, the Reformation and Educational Institutions

Early in her keynote Anya made the point that our current educational paradigm has changed little from the 11th century when educational institutions were founded by the church. I forget the details but somehow this kicked off a discussion on twitter about the impact of the reformation on the church and the role of the church in the formation of educational institutions.

KavuBob JohnRobertson
AK: “the cathedral of rationality”, sage on stage pointed to 1088ad illustration of origins; scarcity of knowledge

dkernohan David Kernohan
of course, churches *founded* universities to meet their needs as employers. (sound familiar?)

KavuBob JohnRobertson
@dkernohan yes, but (in Scotland post-reformation) there was an intent to educate whole populous->v. high literacy rates from 15thC

dkernohan David Kernohan
– comparing HE reform to the Reformation. Not sure the Reformation worked that well for the church, all told?

sheilmcn Sheila MacNeill
@dkernohan was thinking much the same thing

KavuBob JohnRobertson
Reformation just got hijacked to become the right to sit at home and watch football on Sundays #innerchurchhistoriancringe

philbarker Phil Barker
@dkernohan well, reformation certainly lead to *more* churches

KavuBob JohnRobertson
@dkernohan @sheilmcn i’d argue that- led to fresh thinking & renewed spirituality on both sides of the Ref split & more critical engagement

KavuBob JohnRobertson
@dkernohan @sheilmcn though perhaps no one has a neutral stance on that question

dkernohan David Kernohan
@KavuBob @sheilmcn aye, but also to several bloody wars, insurrections, torture…

sheilmcn Sheila MacNeill
@dkernohan @KavuBob I’m off to watch tv