We don’t need no education?
What’s the purpose of education today? Is it any different than what it was for previous generations?
Data and human knowledge are expanding at an exponential rate. At the same time, the human connection is weakening. The more we work, the less we feel fulfilled; the more we dig, the less we know. Does that resonate in your corner?
Two of the most important facets of post-secondary education today are enabling students to be better problem-solvers and collaborators. Professors in many disciplines, and particularly in STEM fields, engineering to a great deal, are feeling the pressure of wanting to cover what they genuinely consider important in a subject they teach; and it’s helpless. It’s just no longer possible to “download the knowledge” in the infinitesimally small amount of time we have term after term in interactions with students. Blackboards and digital slides alike!
Much has been studied and published in the area of [engineering] education. This is why leading institutions such as Queen’s University are focusing much attention on new approaches involving experiential learning, real-world professional experience, design thinking, and more and more teamwork.
One of the most intelligent, visionary, and successful minds I have ever known is the Tesla and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. Elon lived in Kingston where he started his post-secondary education at Queen’s University between 1989 and 1991.
Recalling his two student years in Canada, Musk notes, “In the first two years at university, you learn a lot about a great many things. One particular thing that I learned at Queen’s — both from faculty and students was how to work collaboratively with smart people and make use of the Socratic method to achieve commonality of purpose.”
Despite moving to the US prior to graduation, Elon attributes his genius sense of innovation and savant problem-solving skills in part to the collaborative working environment he encountered while at Queen’s.
To create long-lasting value for our students, we may structure our courses into modules with real-world examples and built-in experiential learning with clearly articulated outcomes and goals. We need to promote professional experience opportunities like industry-sponsored projects, engineering summer jobs, and longer internships often and enthusiastically.
And nothing creates awareness and eagerness towards these experiences and their value to accelerate professional growth better than having those who do it share their success stories with their peers. In class and outside! So I call out on all our students and alumni to pay it forward by sharing their stories. Whenever you can; whenever possible. We’re here to listen; we’re here to share.