What, where and why are the key words in the study of things. Why does the sun rise in the east? What are the factors causing inflation? Where are the healthiest people living and why are they so healthy?
Education should begin with a question, leading to an answer. The answer can include a means of resolving issues.
Why study French or English literature? Students should know why they are required to or are being offered the opportunity to learn. What is the relevance to the student is a question those offering teaching must answer, not just study and teach because it is there!
The role of faculty is to answer questions and students must understand and accept why answering the asked questions will be personally enhancing.
Starting in the early elementary grades and continuing through the educational process students should be trained how and why to question. Teachers are not necessarily authority figures. They are simply more studied or experienced path finders, having the ability to help students avoid making mistakes.
Study which is based on “why” includes the ability to possibly create something, once it has been established that there is either or both a social and/or personal benefit in doing so.
If there is not an anticipated benefit to the student in the study of a subject it is both difficult and unreasonable to expect a student’s positive participation in the process of study. If participation in the study is in response to a student’s question of why, then the study is more likely to be successful for all concerned.
Virtual instruction can serve a student body anywhere and everywhere, and at times which are convenient for the student. The student is the customer and the faculty the purveyors of information, based on experience or study.
The student cost for the education can be degree or unit of study based. The greater the number of students, the greater the revenue, but not necessarily the expense of development or distribution. Education can become a very good business, benefitting all involved.
Due to the virtuality of the WVU the faculty can be both fulltime and casual. They can be employed by other educational institutions or qualified experts, not necessarily professional educators. They can be compensated for service and do not have to be employee benefit recipients.
The administration of WVU can be anywhere or multilocational. The success of WVU will be based on both student benefit conveyed and marketing skills manifest by WVU.
WVU can be either not-for-profit or commercial. It could be cooperatively owned by its faculty and administrators or by a Google, Disney, Apple, Harvard, or Amazon. WVU could be either privately owned or publicly financed and traded.
WVU could be a great opportunity, which has been caused by a great need.
Arthur Lipper, Chairman arthurlipper@gmail.com
British Far East Holdings Ltd.