Module 2 Reflections

After reflecting on the discussions thus far, how have your ideas about DE as a business and/or students as customers been influenced? What---or even who---influenced your ideas the most?

No, I originally had the idea before starting the course that a student was some different identity and that a student in no way, shape, or form could be a customer. However, I decided based on the definition of a customer and many of the module 1 readings that a student was a customer. I read the article from Courtney and Courtney (n.d.) and despite their direction towards the taxpayer being the customer, I have maintained the belief that the learner is the customer.


Looking back on the debate on whether the student is a customer, who do you think had the stronger arguments and why?

Maybe being a bit biased in this one, I believe the student being the customer arguments had the most momentum and the strongest argument. One of my class mates referred to the fact that the learner can leave due to dissatisfaction at any point in time. If the learner can change institutions and the taxpayer cannot just walk away from the obligation to pay taxes for the education, isn't the learner in the customer role? Afterall we as a society pay for other social programs such as WIC, does this mean that someone who goes to the grocery store and uses WIC will not be the customer, the taxpayer will? Throughout the readings I felt that much of the research surrounding other entities being the customer in higher education were a bit far fetched.

How does what you have learned in this module influenced your thinking about your business case? Has this new knowledge influenced and/or guided your approach or understanding of what you will need to consider in your business case? If so, what specifically has influenced your thinking?

I don't beleive that this modules specifically influenced how I am thinking about my business project. I do beleive that it is making me think about the learner and how I will be targeting my learner more. Additionally, it has made me rethink the role of the learner as a major target market. Originally, I was set on the institution being the largest market for my product; however, the learner makes the institution.