Why faculty can't save time

What do you think about this idea about why faculty can't save time?

The most requested topic of the year for faculty was how to save time, so we did an online conference on it this month. We had 300 participants from 88 institutions, a big success.

But it occured to me half-way through that faculty cannot save time, because much of the profession is based on the wrong but popular belief among Baby Boomers that "work" (homework, essays, projects, etc.) equals learning. 

In this century, learners cannot afford (money or time-wise) to spend valuable time in vasts amount of study.  They can only afford to learn it, and move on.  There's simply too much to learn, a more complex world, and the necessity to base one's action on outcomes and results.

So faculty create work for students, the more work the better.  And now have started complaining when that work bounces back at them, requiring them to do more work than ever.  Solution: focus on measuring learning, not behavior.  Your thoughts?

Comments

[Harold Jarche]

Don't focus on learning, and don't focus on behaviour. Focus on performance instead.

What kinds of performance are universities trying to encourage? If it's research skills, then measure research; etc. etc.