The Great Upheaval: Higher Education's Past, Present, and Uncertain Future

by Arthur Levine, Scott Van Pelt

The United States is in the midst of a profound transformation the likes of which hasn't been seen since the Industrial Revolution, when America's classical colleges adapted to meet the needs of an emerging industrial economy. Today, as the world shifts to an increasingly interconnected knowledge economy, the intersecting forces of technological innovation, globalization, and demographic change create vast new challenges, opportunities, and uncertainties. In this great upheaval, the nation's most enduring social institutions are at a crossroads.

In The Great Upheaval, Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt examine higher and postsecondary education to see how it has changed to become what it is today--and how it might be refitted for an uncertain future. Taking a unique historical, cross-industry perspective, Levine and Van Pelt perform a 360-degree survey of American higher education. Combining historical, trend, and comparative analysis of other business sectors, they ask

- how much will colleges and universities change, what will change, and how will these changes occur?
- will institutions of higher learning be able to adapt to the challenges they face, or will they be disrupted by them?
- will the industrial model of higher education be repaired or replaced?
- why is higher education more important than ever?

The book is neither an attempt to advocate for a particular future direction nor a warning about that future. Rather, it looks objectively at the contexts in which higher education has operated--and will continue to operate. It also seeks to identify likely developments that will aid those involved in steering higher education forward, as well as the many millions of Americans who have a stake in its future.

Concluding with a detailed agenda for action, The Great Upheaval is aimed at policy makers, college administrators, faculty, trustees, and students, as well as general readers and people who work for nonprofits facing the same big changes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, History, Audiobook, Technology, Business

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

As sad and silly a piece of self-interested fear-mongering as we are likely to encounter. The pretense at historical context is thin and provincial, the comparison to for-profit (product oriented) industries absurd, and the putative lessons are meaningless sound bites over 25 years old. It’s astounding that this could get published, much less be taken seriously. Skip this one, read Kids These Days by Malcolm Harris and Generous Thinking by Kathleen Fitzpatrick. And when someone (like Levine) who’s been on the board of an LMS tells you the future of Higher Education is digital remember you’re listening to an advertisement for the future that huckster wants you to want.

[Books Over People · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, where to begin?


I would never, cite myself in a book. If want to write a new edition to a book, sure, I can see referring back to research I did and then update it for the new edition, but to use myself as a resource for a new book I am writing is totally wagging the dog. How can they argue that this book is not activism when the have a self-reverential view like this?

The authors contradict themselves at every turn. They write that this book is ahistorical and then have 90 pages “looking backward” and giving a historical record of higher education. Admittedly, that section was interesting but, based on their own thesis, this section is superfluous. Maybe they were paid by the word.

They give a whole background on the industrial revolution assuming the readers have not learned what that is, but drop the Hatch act in as a casual aside. Which is it? Are you readers aware of history or not? It can’t be both.

Does higher education need to adapt? Sure. Are students customers? Is education the “knowledge economy?” Absolutely not. If higher education is all about chasing trends, as these authors argue it is, then, colleges should just become degree mills and give the customers what they want. A worthless degree. If the trend is, “I want a degree but I don’t want to work for it” or “my degree is just a piece of paper I need to get a job” then sure, give the paper away and send a bunch of undereducated folks into the world so they can be manipulated. The people who wrote this book are part of the elite who clearly don’t want any competition. Keep the “masses” at bay and control the message.

If the predictions in this book come to pass, we will be living in an Orwellian nightmare where only the Inner Party really knows what is going on, while the Proles work mindlessly. We already have an elite who make the rules. Education is supposed to be the great equalizer. Being a well rounded person gives one the chance to do more than one thing and break into new areas. This book advocates that we don’t need well rounded people. We need worker bees and nothing else. Students claim they want to “learn a skill” because they’ve been told that is all they can expect AND because they’ve been priced out of higher education.

Of course higher ed needs a cost reduction, but that means quit building rock walls and lazy rivers. It means teaching students what they need to learn to succeed WHILE teaching them a skill. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Vocational eduction is a great option, but it isn’t the only option. Students should choose this. Workers should choose this. This book simply says, the liberal arts are a waste of time and money, except you know, for the people who already have one of those degrees.

[Amy Finley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding read about the past, present, and potential future directions for higher education. For those of us in higher education, this is certainly a clarion call - we must change quickly to meet the demands of tomorrow.

[Sarah Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 2021, this book attempts to review the future of higher education and project future changes colleges and universities are facing in the coming years, as accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It presents an overview of higher education's history in the United States, a review of where it stands currently, and some thoughts on where it could go and what strategies might meet with the most success to keep higher education relevant in the coming decades.

I want to preface my review by saying I read this at the behest of my employer and am approaching it as somehow who participated in traditional liberal arts education and as someone who works in higher education at the community college level. I do think the authors raise several valid points and hopefully inspire readers who may be in positions to effect change to think about how they should proceed with their work. In particular, their thoughts on being responsive to students' demands regarding higher education, including convenience, service, a quality product, and low cost (135). Additionally, the book's urging that higher education must increasingly move away from the idea of completion being based on time or credits must be heeded.

However, in other ways, this book felt like a lot of fear mongering. Higher education in America has existed for four hundred years. I believe the need for it is even in more demand given the technical nature of most jobs in today's world. In addition, while change can be slow to arrive, higher education has proven its ability to change and grow over time. Sure, some colleges and universities will fall by the wayside, but certainly many will carry on. Also, they seem to contradict themselves at times. For instance, the introduction insists that this is a forward-facing book and they're not going to waste time dwelling on higher education's history and then proceed to provide a rather inept, very broad strokes ninety-page history.

[Mike Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because it was suggested to me by some colleagues at work. We are going to have a discussion with the author.

In general I say the book is..."not wrong". That is, higher education has been undergoing a disruption for some time, and the COVID pandemic helped that disruption find another gear. The book had a looking backward, looking sideways, and looking forward set up.

Looking back on the establishment of colleges was interesting. Colleges came before High Schools. Thats a new one on me. But they do make the point that the current model of higher education is set up in an Industrial Era, with an emphasis on the clock. The knowledge economy is outcomes based, and how it takes to achieve them is immaterial. Being able to things faster and more efficiently is everyone's goal, but not in higher education.

As a book, this was written and came out shortly after COVID, and it feels like it needs an addendum immediately. The section on Artificial Intelligence was all about job loss due to automation and that does not reflect the current academic thinking about AI in education. Its more about academic honesty.

In short, this book is too long where it should be short, and too short where it needed depth. Looking at just one industry (music) would have sufficiently made the point. Adding newspapers and film just made the same point in another way.

This is a concept where a book is probably not the best medium for getting the point across. Each of those looking sideways chapters could have been an appendix.

I look forward to talking about this book with my faculty.

[C.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of Higher Education. I learned so much about the history of colleges and universities in our country, giving me plenty to think about the future. There is SO much work to do and this book does a great job and staying focused on the facts and reality while laying out a possible path for the future.

[Emily Laswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part 1 was a very slow and difficult read, especially for me, a person whose least favorite subject had always been history. I did enjoy parts 2-4 and found them challenging my thought process and applicable to higher education.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This pompous book is full of prognostications of the fate of higher ed. Nostradamus they are not.
While some of these trends are indeed happening, the future they envision is not as readily achieved as they purport. And, it’s bleak.
Learning is not solely about content or competencies (or perhaps even primarily). It’s about gaining greater skills of critical thought and synthesizing across disciplines.
Higher education in the US has problems. This enumerates some but I would not recommend looking to this book for solutions.

[Stephen Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fine. There were some oddities, like the authors repeatedly referencing their own research, and some grammatical errors. I got tired of reading the words “knowledge economy” and “time based education”. I also feel that the book could’ve been 100 pages shorter. The middle third was extremely repetitive. The authors were also melodramatic in their portrayal of the demise of higher education, and think that microcredentials and unregulated online certificates will replace degrees and pave the way forward, which I have a hard time going along with. Still an interesting read for thought.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history but also depressing. Interesting how the arguments against change from academia are the same over the years….

[Jess Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduction: As a seasoned administrator and passionate educator, I embarked on a journey through "The Great Upheaval: Higher Education's Past, Present, and Uncertain Future," a thought-provoking book recommended to me by my former supervisor, whose insights have always been invaluable. Authored by Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt, this work offers a comprehensive analysis of the higher education landscape, delving into its historical context, present challenges, and the uncertainties it faces in the digital age.

Part I - Looking Backward: The authors skillfully guide readers through a transformative narrative, beginning with a look backward at the historical development of higher education. As a trained historian, I particularly appreciated the connections drawn between the patterns of slow adaptation and loss of relevance in the past and the potential dangers of repeating these mistakes in the present. It served as a stark reminder that we must learn from history to avoid being left behind by the rapidly evolving knowledge economy.

Part II - Looking Forward: In the following chapters, Levine and Van Pelt draw a panoramic view of higher education's future, inspired by the disruptions witnessed in the music, film, and newspaper industries. It becomes evident that institutions must embrace digital technology and evolve to meet the demands of the global, digital, knowledge economy. As they eloquently discuss the impacts of this change, I found myself pondering how higher education will transform, shifting from the traditional time-based and process-focused model to one centered around learner outcomes and competency-based education.

Part III - Looking Sideways (A Comparative Analysis): The authors provide a compelling comparative analysis of higher education with other industries, such as music, film, and newspapers. They discuss the disruptive effects of digital technology and how the same forces that reshaped these industries will also influence higher education. It is a wake-up call for educators and administrators to recognize that resisting change is no longer an option. In a world where consumer choice and competency-based education are gaining prominence, institutions must adapt or face obsolescence.

Part IV - Looking at the Panorama: The authors bring together the observations from the previous sections to paint a cohesive picture of higher education's future. The headline for the story is clear: higher education will change profoundly to meet the demands of the digital knowledge economy. I am reminded of the importance of recognizing the purpose of higher education and embracing new models that prioritize outcomes and personalized learning. It is a call to action for all stakeholders, policy-makers, and funders to work collaboratively and speed up the transition towards a more adaptive and responsive higher education system.

Coursera and the Road Ahead: One of the key takeaways from the book is the importance of adaptability. Higher education institutions must confront internal resistance and work around it, incentivizing those who embrace change and innovation. As an administrator, I believe it is crucial to foster an environment that encourages experimentation and welcomes new ideas. Platforms like Coursera offer an exciting glimpse into the future, with competency-based education and personalized certification becoming increasingly popular. I was so intrigued that I created an account and plan to enroll in the Spanish course sequence to refresh my language skills, both personally and professionally. Embracing such innovative approaches is essential as we navigate the uncertainties of higher education's future.
​
Conclusion: "The Great Upheaval" is a must-read for educators, administrators, and policy-makers in higher education. Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt have crafted a compelling analysis that calls for transformative action. They invite us to face the uncertainties of the future with an open mind, acknowledging that the challenges ahead will require collective efforts and adaptive responses. The transformation of higher education is underway, and this book serves as a guiding light for those seeking to shape its positive trajectory. It is an inspiring call to action for all hands on deck – to continue the momentum gained during the pandemic and prepare higher education for a thriving future.

​#HigherEducation #HigherEdInsights #BookReview #Coursera #CompetencyBasedEducation #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfEducation

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors of this book argue that higher education is facing disruptions from a changing economy and new technology. Those two forces are interrelated in some ways. For example, the one-and-done degree is no longer as useful in an economy where a changing technological landscape means workers often need some upskilling and reskilling.

As another example, the advent of online learning platforms means that education consumers are increasingly more interested in fully online degree programs—or in some cases just certificates or microcredentials—that offer more convenience, affordability, and direct relevance to their educational goals than a residential program at a conventional college or university.

Their argument has its merits, but the authors leave plenty of holes in it when they make it. They refer to conventional college and university education as "just-in-case" education; learners slog through all the minutiae of their chosen program, plus a gauntlet of general-education and elective courses, and finally apply a (supposedly) small percentage of that knowledge in their career. In contrast, things like a Google cybersecurity certificate fall into the category of "just-in-time" education; learners identify a career interest or opportunity to advance at work, and they get the focused, flexible, on-demand learning experience they need.

The dichotomy is a bit reductive and greatly downplays the value of a conventional degree program. David Epstein's book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World illustrates why there's still immense value in a well-rounded education—and in particular having stores of knowledge in multiple areas. It provides opportunities for synthesis and open-ended exploration. That's often the key to being a creative or innovative thinker. As one example, Steve Jobs credited a calligraphy course (which some might see as a red flag for frivolous learning) for the visions he had for Apple's product design.

It's also worth mentioning that what type of education is best for a learner is not solely the learner's decision. The learner might think the best path for them is a six-month dive into the world of project management, skipping all of the superfluous learning that a bachelor's in business would require. But what do employers think? Many will see the person with the business degree as someone who has demonstrated a stronger commitment to their career interest, as well as a demonstrated ability to complete a longer and more complex learning experience. The authors of The Great Upheaval ignored this point.

A section of their book focuses on "looking sideways" at other institutions that were disrupted by new technology and changing consumer behavior—namely, the movie, newspaper, and music industries. But the authors could have just as easily looked sideways at another industry—one that would have contradicted the narrative they were trying to craft. I'm talking about the book industry. The advent of e-books, as well as Kindles, Nooks, and reading apps for mobile devices, hasn't hurt the printed book industry the way people predicted. If anything, it solidified the appreciation for old-fashioned books. It became an industry that complemented traditional publishing instead of replacing it. The reasons are myriad, but one of them is that people have better information retention after reading a physical book, because the experience has more sensory and immersive qualities to it. The potential analogies to coursework—in person versus virtual—are obvious.

To argue that higher education is, in fact, floundering, the authors focus almost exclusively on U.S. examples of colleges and universities. Outside of the U.S., though, higher education is only in decline in countries with mature systems, like Japan, Korea, and Russia. Elsewhere higher education is still flourishing. That's another inconvenient fact that's conveniently ignored.

In spite of its many shortfalls, the book does offer some good food for thought. It offers better arguments against letter grades and time-focused (at the expense of outcomes-focused) learning. It makes a compelling case that colleges and universities should revamp degree programs and offer non-degree options for lifelong and non-traditional students. It's a good read, as long as you read it critically.

[Nate Pindell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great way to evaluate the potential that technology will further change higher education and post secondary education topography. As someone who works in higher education (with multiple hats) the discussion in this book at least provides a jumping off point for people to look at current held traditions and practices and ask "why?"

This book is not fear-mongering. Change is coming. What that looks like is still to be decided. And seeing change as something to be feared is what this book demonstrates has been problematic. The rallying cry to "return to normal" after COVID was the true problem for many.

Now people are demanding work life balance, alternative schedules than the 9-5/5days a week, and the one I can really get behind, an evaluation of what is considered workplace attire. I want to wear shorts on 100 degree days!

But the same is happening in higher education. It has been. Companies selling premade courses and question banks to faculty. Then companies selling the answers to those questions to students. Technology and for-profit groups are already invested in education. It's time for educators and policy makers to evaluate what the topography of higher education may look like and remove intrusions that threaten the integrity of education.

But most importantly how institutions can lead policy and education reform. Or at least provide a place for book clubs to start having conversations about such practices.

5/5 but damn near 4 because f**k citations in books that are incased in parenthesis (Me, 2022).

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful analysis of the past and present of higher education

Levine and Van Pelt give the reader a three-fold look at American higher education: tracing its history from colonial times through the major changes promoted by the Industrial Revolution through the present, projecting the future based on current trends, and comparing it with the rapid changes in the film, music, and newspaper industries.

Unlike some arguments about education that take an "everything old is stupid, and everything a Silicon Valley mogul wants is inevitable and good" (or the reverse), the authors appreciate the history of higher education while they are also frank about what they see as its weaknesses and reluctance to adapt to changing economic and social conditions. Sometimes their predictions about the future seem too confident, and some of their proposals might lower the quality of education. For example, they talk about the future of education going more towards pass-fail. This would probably work for the kinds of just-in-time job skill courses that people will need, but it's not obvious to me how a pass-fail approach would work well in teaching writing and research.

Nonetheless, Levine and Van Pelt were not writing to propose specific solutions but to portray the big picture of where we are and where we might be headed.

[J.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and well laid out for what each section will cover. And I think there are some good thoughts and things to be aware of in the changing landscape of higher ed. However, I agree more with Matt Bell's Jan 4, 2022 review of the book in _Inside Higher Ed_ when he writes

"Although Levine and Van Pelt acknowledge the difference in passing, the fact that public higher education is nonprofit—as opposed to the three knowledge industries to which they compare it—suggests that it serves a mission other than its own growth. It does. It serves a civic mission, based both on equity and on a notion of democratic citizenship. Balancing that civic mission with the more pragmatic need to prepare people for well-paying employment isn’t easy, especially in the face of political and demographic headwinds. But it’s a fundamentally different task than ginning up earnings per share.

We can’t expect the market to solve for that. If it could, it would have by now."

Higher ed can't be just an immediate ROI for parents/students because some returns aren't known until so much later in life. Overall, I think anyone in higher ed should read this.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

"During the Theodore Roosevelt presidency, Eliot's secretary was heard to say, 'President Eliot is in Washington meeting with Mr. Roosevelt.'" (76)

"And so it went, until 1906 when the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, funded by $10 million from Andrew Carnegie and chaired by Eliot, fixed on the definition of a unit and set the standards that would establish common practices in the nation's schools and colleges. ... The Carnegie definition, anchored in the promise of a pension for faculty, stuck." (91)

"Every institution or institutions in partnership need to establish a skunkworks to continuously determine where the puck is going to be, both in the short and long run -- that is, a unit charged with monitoring the institution's environment and developing solutions to respond to changes." (265)

[Carm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really important read for the work that I do in education; I am honestly surprised it was not assigned to me earlier as I began my career in the role I am in now. Not only did it provide important context for Institutional Planning and innovation - the exact work that I do - it also provided a framework for how to view educational institutions and what business we are in or even who are audience really is. For me, the interesting comparison point came from analyzing the "case studies" if you will of film, music and news industries. It was important for me to be able to see an application of the models discussed throughout the book in real life examples.

This content has really be politicized in the recent administration as well, and provides some interesting assessments for the work of planning, innovation and assessment in higher education.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

An eye-opening and insightful look into the challenges facing higher education in the 21st century. Not a book I would have picked up were it not for it being required reading for a work-related leadership retreat. But I’m glad I did, as I appreciate working at a university that wants its employees to be well aware of these radical changes underway as we plan for a better future for our students to come.

[Rachel Nicole Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

***PROFOUND***
There is so much to think about and consider when working in higher education. I appreciate this analysis and book so much for breaking down the different parts of it all. I love working in higher education and I am always looking at ways to better myself. This book will definitely continue to be one I go back to to look at the details and better how I am presenting as a faculty member.

~xo,
Rach

[Julian Weitzenfeld]

There's a lengthy and unnecessary first section to show us that things change over time, but the review of changes in higher education in the later nineteenth and twentieth centuries is useful. And it views "higher education" as a social category, as in what comes after secondary education, rather than by analysis of social needs being met. There's really no interest in it as a home for the preservation and extension of knowledge.

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written history of the formation of the US post High School education system, including its foundation and changes over the past 400 years. Comparisons are made to to three media forms, how they were challenged and changed, and a similar route that the educational system must take to continue to be relevant. Can be applied to the non-profit sector as well.

[Glenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal. As a higher education professional I found it extremely enlightening and comprehensive, but I think anyone would get a lot out of this read. I appreciated the perspective on looking backward, forward, and sideways and the full picture it gave to the changing landscape of higher education in North America.

[Andrew T. Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Information! Great Read!

I thought the authors did a wonderful job of laying the historical and forward looking perspective on Higher Education. I am excited to see if the transformation predictions by the authors of this all important industry come true.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are still a lot of educators who want to bury their heads and pretend higher ed is somehow going to escape the avalanche of change coming. While I’m not sure any of us can accurately predict where we are going exactly, we need to be opening our eyes that we cannot do business as usual.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrifying. If these guys are correct about the future of higher ed, I'm not sure I know what can be done about anything. There are a lot of fads in higher ed. I wonder if this is just one of many, or actually might be correct.

[George O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Education for a Knowledge-Seeking World

Excellent panoramic view of the changing US and its changing higher ed industry over time, and good suggestions as how to facilitate the changes that are needed now.

[Bryan Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

We hosted one of the authors on the Future Trends Forum this week for conversation.
Here's the full recording.

[Kaylee]

DNF
I was supposed to read this for a book club, but I just couldn't get interested. I might give it another shot someday.

[Tracy Brower · Rating 2 out of 5]

Super dry with a long historical review and so much redundancy overall (so very much redundancy...sigh). None of this feels new, cutting edge, visionary or surprising.

[Alissa Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for work to consider how our community college can evolve for the future. Really enjoyed the format of the book - history, impacting factors, comparative case studies, and next steps.