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INTJs and the Changing Face of Education
One of the interesting developments in higher education is the rise of MOOCs—super cows that
devour—okay, okay, the truth. MOOCs are Massively Open Online Courses. You may have heard
of MMOGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Games) such as World of Warcraft. MOOCs differ from
MMOGs in that they are somewhat less fun, and hence have a higher dropout rate.
Here's how a MOOC works. A group of people (professors, media designers, etc.) get together and
create an online course that features some or all of the following: recorded lectures, automated
homework and quizzes, peer-graded assignments, interactive exercises, and yes, games. (We'll say
more about "gamification" later.)
What makes MOOCs so special? Well, you may have noticed that it is now possible for a single
individual to distribute a file at zero cost to everyone in the world with just the use of an internet
connection. The file may have cost millions of dollars to produce, but once it has been produced, it
can be reproduced infinitely for free. Suppose the file in question happened to be a college
education?
And here is where MOOCs come in. A college course that would cost one person thousands of
dollars to take "in real life" can be taken for free on the internet by millions. Although institutions
have been understandably reluctant to grant college credit for MOOCs, it is generally agreed that
this development is imminent.
So how will MOOCs change the personality scene?
Two words: personalized education. One problem with the education system is that it delivers a
one-type-fits-all experience. Elementary school teachers are mostly ESFJ, 268 high school teachers
are predominantly Guardian, 269 and college professors favor NJ. 270 (The latter fact explains why
many INTJs (in fact, most intuitives) enjoy the college environment more than the high school
environment.) However, there is a problem with this approach in that certain type-based learning
styles are favored for success thanks to the type preferences of the teachers. The Artisans, in
particular, have a learning style that is the anathema of Guardian teachers. Obviously this is a
problem for the Artisans, because the Guardians run school up till college. Other types, like the
INTJs, are natural learning machines. They often find that school is too slow for them and suffer
boredom as their potential goes unfulfilled.
MOOCs change this equation by 1.) giving a student a huge selection of teachers to choose from,
and 2.) dropping the teacher from the equation entirely. In the latter case, much of the teaching and
grading is handled by a more-or-less-typeless computer program. Everyone can progress at their
own speed, and fast learners are no longer held back.
But this is only part of the solution. Suppose it were possible to give a MOOC program its own
type? For example, suppose that the structure and delivery of a MOOC was adapted to the learning
style favored by INTJs, ESTPs, ISFJs, etc? This isn't as far off as one might think; thanks to data
mining and machine learning, it is possible for a program to study its user and create a customized
experience for them. In fact, one group has already created a cellphone interface that learns its
user's MBTI personality and adapts to match. 271 MOOCs will someday make it possible for each
type to learn in the way that suits them best.
268 McCutcheon, Schmidt & Bolden in Kent & Fisher, 1997
269 Hoffman & Betkouski in Kent & Fisher, 1997
270 DiTibeiro; Sears, Kennedy, & Kaye in Beckham, 2012
271 Lee, Choi & Stonier, 2012