Ignita Veritas University (IV University) provides classical education of academic scholarship, by traditional methods of interactive education as activity-based learning. These teaching methods are applied through institutional Faculty studies driven by professional mentorship, and thus cannot be made available to the general public.
Students are privately selected for limited openings by invitation, and accepted by recommendation, from the internal network of institutions affiliated with the intergovernmental organization (IGO) Ignita Veritas United (IVU).
Accordingly, the present topic is provided only for information, for public transparency of the substance and merits of the traditional academic degrees of classical scholarship which are earned under the available Faculty programs.
For detailed information on IV University academic authorities and faculty studies of classical scholarship, see the University Overview and Faculty Studies report.
The modern emphasis on classroom-based teaching driven by formulaic standardized curriculums has been widely criticized:
George Bernard Shaw (1905) famously said âHe who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.â [1] Woody Allen (1977) popularized this as âThose who canât do, teach.â [2] Laurence J. Peter (1977), describing government regulation of curriculums, added âAnd those who canât teach, teach the teachers.â [3]
The classical solution of achieving scholarly mastery through interactive activity-based learning remains the proven key to higher education since ancient times:
Sophocles (ca. 450 BC) said âOne learns by doing a thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try.â Aristotle (ca. 350 BC) said âThe things we have to learn before we do them, we learn by doing them.â [4] Lord Chesterfield (1774 AD) said âThe knowledge of the world is only to be acquired in the world, and not in a closetâ (i.e. not in a classroom) [5].
This ancient concept of âInteractive Educationâ is reflected in the modern era by the iconic Professor Albert Einstein (ca. 1920), who said: âExample isnât another way to teach, it is the only way to teach.â; âI never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.â
Continuing this long established tradition of academia, and answering the popular modern expression, the IV University motto for classical scholarship is: âThose who can do, must teach, as the best learning is by doing.â
Since the 13th century, the institutional structure of a university, âin its earliest stage of developmentâ was essentially a âscholastic guild⊠of teachers and scholars⊠on the analogy of the trades guildsâ [6].
Confirming the core purpose of applied scholarship on real-world projects by active work practicing the professions, medieval universities were essentially a âself-regulating, independent corporation of scholarsâ, âfounded by royal and imperial charter to serve the needs of government.â [7]
The historical record thus evidences that education was actually the product of internship and mentorship, resulting from the active practice of scholarly professions: The learning environment was provided as a derivative benefit of the professors conducting their scholarly trade.
Accordingly, a University was primarily an institution of âdoingâ practical work, which created the conditions for the secondary function of âteachingâ through applied scholarship during the course of active work on real-world projects.
The principle of scholarship in action as Interactive Education was reaffirmed by the Committee on Higher Education of the British government (1963), which declared the âessentialâ functions of universities to be practical âinstruction in skillsâ, through applied âresearch in balance with teachingâ. [8]
The classical methods of Interactive Education were developed into modern institutional practices by the educational psychologist Professor John Dewey (1938). Professor Dewey demonstrated that true education applies academic content through studies organized in the context of interactive activity-based learning, providing education by practical experience:
Education is the result of âcontinuity of experienceâ structured âin a directionâ of âdevelopmentâ and âgrowthâ in a particular field or profession, supported by the âenvironmentâ of organized experiences, and driven by the âmoving force of experienceâ through âcontact and communicationâ, focused on practical âinteractionâ with the subject matter by applied studies. [9]
Essential practices of Interactive Education were further developed by the Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori (from 1897), and formally adopted in institutional academia in the United States (in 1931 and 1960) as the âMontessori Methodâ [10].
Core elements of the Montessori Method include âinteractionâ with a development oriented âenvironmentâ of âcommunicationâ and âexplorationâ, through project specific âworkâ as âpurposeful activityâ, as the key to stimulate natural âhuman tendenciesâ for âself-perfectionâ [11].
A peer-reviewed study (2003) of educational institutions found that the Montessori method of Interactive Education has âthe largest positive effects on achievement of all programs evaluated.â [12] Another institutional study (2003) found that âMontessori education fosters social and academic skills that are equal or superior to those fostered by a pool of other types of schools.â [13]
The Montessori method is most notable for its concept of the educational environment, characterized by âmixed age groupsâ, âstudent choice of activityâ within a ârange of optionsâ, focused âblocks of work timeâ, âspecialized educational materialsâ advancing the project based activities, a âdiscovery modelâ of âworking with materialsâ specific to the projects, and âfreedom of movementâ within a personalized environment [14].
While the Montessori method is widely known for its success with children in preparatory and secondary schools, its proven effectiveness has even more practical applications to adult education, by extrapolating and expanding its principles into the larger framework of the adult world.
For this reason, Ignita Veritas University has become the first academic institution to apply the Montessori method to higher education in undergraduate and post-graduate programs of university faculties.
The most effective elements of the Interactive Education âenvironmentâ of the Montessori Method are focused âblocks of work timeâ, which must fit into an adult studentâs lifestyle and schedule, and âfreedom of movementâ within a personalized environment.
These educational advantages are fully accommodated and best provided by the widely accepted practice of âTelecommutingâ, which greatly enhances the well-established tradition of âDistance Learningâ.
In the modern business and professional world, commuting to work by traveling to a workplace location is increasingly replaced by âTelecommutingâ. This enables full participation in active work, through mobile and Internet communications, featuring technologies such as group collaboration platforms, screen sharing, and video conferencing.
Telecommuting thus provides a wide range of strong interpersonal interactions, fostering meaningful and highly effective working relationships, with maximum productivity.
The growing popular criticism of travel commuting, which is called âthe rat raceâ in American slang, was expressed by the comedian Lily Tomlin (1977): âThe trouble with the rat race, is that even if you win, youâre still a rat.â [15]
The solution to this problem was promoted by the professional motto, popularized by many major American corporations adopting Telecommuting programs for employees (since 1995): âWork is something you do, not something you travel to.â [16]
The United States government enacted the Telework Enhancement Act (2010) into law, actually requiring US federal agencies to offer Telecommuting as an option, citing benefits to â(1) Improve continuity of operations, (2) Promote management effectiveness, and (3) Enhance work-life balance.â [17]
A demographic study (2012) found that 30% of workers worldwide use Telecommuting, including 20% who âtelecommute frequentlyâ, and 10% who âwork from home every dayâ. Only 20% believe that their profession actually requires working from a central workplace location (i.e. medical practice), such that 80% believe Telecommuting would allow them full productivity further enhanced by greater flexibility. [18]
An economic study (2013) found that 48% of business managers worldwide work by Telecommuting for at least half of their working week, citing the benefits of âgreater productivityâ and âlower operating costsâ [19]. Research estimates (for 2016) that at least 43% of the American workforce makes a living primarily by Telecommuting [20].
Just as national industry, commerce and even government is reliably driven by Telecommuting providing the highest level of productivity, quality higher education by university institutions can be effectively provided through Telecommuting applied in the practice of Distance Learning.
Applying this highly successful model of productivity to the sphere of education, and reflecting its popular expression from modern entrepreneurship, the IV University motto for academic studies is: âEducation is what you study, not a place you travel to.â
The tradition of Distance Learning, earning educational degrees by correspondence, was first established at University of London as the âExternal Programmeâ chartered by Queen Victoria in 1858 AD.
The 19th century English writer Charles Dickens famously dubbed this External Studies program the âPeopleâs Universityâ, because it provided remote access to higher education for economically disadvantaged students internationally. [21]
The British model of international studies by correspondence was first adopted in the United States ca. 1892 AD by Columbia University in New York [22].
The effectiveness and academic weight of Distance Learning since the Victorian era has withstood the test of time:
The UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), auditing the London âExternal Systemâ in 2005, rated the Distance Learning system and its resulting degrees as meriting âbroad confidenceâ, the highest rating as âthe best verdict any institution can be given by the auditorsâ. [23]
Distance Learning studies have been proven to be equally or more effective than classroom based programs [24], and especially effective when the instructors have substantial skills and experience [25].
Many prominent figures earned their university degrees by Distance Learning through the London âExternal Programmeâ, including the writer Herbert George âH.G.â Wells (1890) [26], Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela [27], President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, President A.N.R. Robinson of Trinidad who promoted creation of the International Criminal Court, Chief Judge Frederic N. Smalkin of the US Federal District Court of Maryland, and Judge Edward Williams of the Supreme Court of Queensland Australia.
All Ignita Veritas University academic degree programs meet or exceed all international standards of the EU European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), UK Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ), UN Guidelines for Cross-Border Higher Education (Section 2), and 2010 Lisbon Convention Criteria for Assessment of Foreign Qualifications (Articles 36-37).
All IV University academic degrees are earned by completing modular course credits, and scholarly research and academic writing of professional Thesis or Dissertation works, which meet or exceed all customary international standards for the relevant diplomas.
All IV University degree programs require partial Academic Residency of double the international standard (25%-50% of credits during residency), available through a decentralized network of Faculty offices and facilities worldwide, fulfilling customary standards for resident studies as provided by conventional campus-based universities.
All Transfer Credits are accepted only from institutional academic studies including research and writing, under qualified instructors at recognized educational institutions, which are relevant as equivalent Faculty Study Modules towards completion of the degree program.
[1] George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy (1903), âMaxims for Revolutionistsâ, Brentatoâs, New York (1905), p.230.
[2] Woody Allen, Film: Annie Hall, United Artists, Hollywood (1977), line spoken by Woody Allen as the character Alvy Singer.
[3] Laurence J. Peter, Peterâs Quotations: Ideas for Our Time , William Morrow & Co. (1977).
[4] Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics (ca. 350 BC), Penguin Classics (2004).
[5] Lord Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman (1774), Letter â04 October 1746â.
[6] Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, New York (1911), Volume 27, âUniversitiesâ, p.748.
[7] Darleen Pryds, Studia as Royal Offices: Mediterranean Universities of Medieval Europe, published in: Courtenay, Miethke & Priest, Universities and Schooling in Medieval Society: Education and Society in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Brill Press, Leiden, Netherlands (2000), Part 2, pp.83-99.
[8] UK Committee on Higher Education, Higher Education: Report of the Committee Appointed by the Prime Minister, Her Majestyâs Stationery Office (HMSO), London (1963), The âRobbins Reportâ issued under the Chairman Lord Robbins (1961-1963), presented to Parliament by the Prime Minister by Command of Her Majesty, Cmnd. 2154.
[9] Prof. John Dewey, Experience & Education, Kappa Delta Pi Publications (1938), Collier Books, New York (1963), Chapter 1: âTraditional vs Progressive Educationâ, Chapter 3: âCriteria of Experienceâ.
[10] Rita Kramer, Maria Montessori, University of Chicago Press (1976).
[11] Mario Montessori, The Human Tendencies and Montessori Education, Association Montessori Internationale, Amsterdam (1966).
[12] G.D. Borman, Comprehensive School Reform and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis, Journal âReview of Education Researchâ, Sage Publications, California, Volume 73, Issue 2 (2003), pp.125-230; American Educational Research Journal, Chicago, No. 42 (2005), at p.673.
[13] Angeline Lillard & Nicole Else-Quest, Evaluating Montessori Education, Journal âScienceâ, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Washington DC, Volume 313 (29 September 2006), pp.1893-1894.
[14] Official Brochures: AMI School Standards, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), Alexandria, Virginia (2011); Introduction to Montessori, American Montessori Society (AMS), New York (2011).
[15] People Magazine, Lily Tomlin: âIs This the Country to Whom Iâm Speaking?â, Time Inc., New York, People: Volume 8, Number 26 (December 1977).
[16] Woody Leonhard, The Underground Guide to Telecommuting, Addison-Wesley Publishing (1995).
[17] United States, Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, 5 USC 57, 41 USC 253, Public Law 111-292 (09 December 2010).
[18] Patricia Reaney, About One in Five Workers Worldwide Telecommute, Ipsos & Reuters Poll, Reuters Technology News, New York (24 January 2012); Ipsos Poll of 11,383 respondents in 24 countries, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East.
[19] Regus Poll, Remote Working is Here to Stay, Regus Global Economic Indicator (11 September 2013); Poll of 26,000 respondents in 90 countries.
[20] Ted Schadler, US Telecommuting Forecast: 2009-2016, Forrester Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts (11 March 2009).
[21] Tatum Anderson, History Lessons at the Peopleâs University, Guardian Abroad (28 July 2014).
[22] Von V. Pittman, Correspondence Study in the American University: A Second Historiographical Perspective, published in: Moore & Anderson (Editors), Handbook of Distance Education, 2nd Revised Edition, Routledge Press (2003), pp.21-36.
[23] University of London Press Release: Vote of Confidence in Delivering World-Wide Education for the University of London (10 April 2006).
[24] Tuan Nguyen, The Effectiveness of Online Learning: Beyond No Significant Difference and Future Horizons, Merlot Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Volume 11, Issue 2 (June 2015), pp.309-319.
[25] P. Orr, Distance Supervision: Research Findings and Considerations, Journal âThe Arts in Psychotherapyâ, Volume 37 (2010), pp.106-111.
[26] Nicholas Ruddick, The Time Machine, Broadview Press, Ontario (2001).
[27] Tatum Anderson, History Lessons at the Peopleâs University, Guardian Abroad (28 July 2014).
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