Higher Education as Commodity or Space for Learning: Modelling Contradictions in Educational Practices

Abstract

In this article the authors reflect upon and critically examine signs of a contradiction in higher education which they discuss in terms of the tension between ‘use value’ and ‘exchange value’. Use value here represents learning as something valuable ‘in itself’, whereas exchange value represents learning as an achievement of grades and credits to be ‘traded’ on a market. Their aim in this article is to present a model based on the concepts of use value and exchange value, clarifying how they might relate to surface and deep approaches to learning. The model is suggested as a device to explore and analyse local tensions emanating from the contradiction. They also argue in favour of a pedagogical philosophy based on the notion of community.