“Harvard Adopts Chalk”: The Importance of Brand

By John Ebersole - EvoLLLution. It has often been noted that institutions of higher education are prone to “follow the leader” behavior, especially when it comes to innovation and the acceptance of new ideas. What the big-name institutions say, adopt and do is seen as providing a type of legitimacy that can be used as “cover” for decision-makers at lesser-known schools. If Harvard, Stanford or MIT are doing something new (say, MOOCs), then it’s seen as acceptable for others. More...