The Bar, The Beer Store, and Bacon: an Analogy for Education

During John U. Bacon's Tedx Ann Arbor talk he makes a great analogy that makes the case for the importance of brick and mortar, face-to-face education. In his talk he notes that on Michigan's campus there is a pub right next to the convenience store. Both sell beer. Even though the convenience store is far cheaper, people still go to the bar. They pay more because they have a an entirely different experience around their beer. They socialize . They discuss. They commiserate. There is context around their beer. Knowledge-only sources like Khan Academy or other online education offerings are like the beer at the convenience store. You can consume the same substance but you don't have the same context or atmosphere that the bar provides. You can however take it to a party or host your own, building your own context if you will. To get the most out of online education, you have to do the same thing.

Personally, I think there is a place for both. Beer is in both bars and beer stores. There is knowledge to be had on campuses and online.

Here is John's talk. He is a favorite sports author of mine. He loves Michigan Football and the liberal arts....a couple of my favorite things too. Beer and bacon aren't bad either...in context of course.