2008 Woodie Awards
Classroom Must Focus on Real World
Off UWire
Issue date: 11/6/03 Section: Opinions
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(U-WIRE) BLACKSBURG, Va. - Once upon a time, and in some cases now, some of us go to school for the sake of "school." Why do most of today's youth go to school? Because parents tell them to go. Most parents only do this because everyone else is going. Is this what school ought to be?
The business industry has long been complaining that "education" fails to achieve its purpose, which is to motivate students to work hard, to invent new ideas and to gain knowledge about the demands of the real world. In short, "school" fails to prepare students to be qualified candidates to succeed in the real world.
Indeed, surveys show the best students are rarely the most successful professionals in the business world. Not only that, but there is actually a significant gap between the school performance and business success. In perspective of statistics, the correlation coefficient between school performance and career performance is not very positive.
But this is not the way it is supposed to be.
On the other hand, many "A" students perform average as professionals, while many "C" students are very successful in the industry. More ridiculously, many very successful businessmen today are school dropouts or mediocre students.
Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Oracle founder Lawrence J. Ellison are among them. Even though these are examples of exceptions, these phenomena do remind us to reflect and review the current education system, maybe from a new perspective. At least we can say that many "C" students' potential can be achieved in the workplace.
If education is not what prepares students to succeed, why do we need it? Why do we spend so much time and money on it? Today's educational system is very test-oriented.
Most of the measurement of students' performance is based on paper or computer tests. In this teach-to-testing methodology, students' passion for achievement, creativity and leadership are ignored.
Can leadership be measured on paper? By GPA or points on tests? Or, can it be taught in the classroom? Many experts are optimistic. These characteristics can be achieved through learning and training but probably not through class in this current format.
The business industry has long been complaining that "education" fails to achieve its purpose, which is to motivate students to work hard, to invent new ideas and to gain knowledge about the demands of the real world. In short, "school" fails to prepare students to be qualified candidates to succeed in the real world.
Indeed, surveys show the best students are rarely the most successful professionals in the business world. Not only that, but there is actually a significant gap between the school performance and business success. In perspective of statistics, the correlation coefficient between school performance and career performance is not very positive.
But this is not the way it is supposed to be.
On the other hand, many "A" students perform average as professionals, while many "C" students are very successful in the industry. More ridiculously, many very successful businessmen today are school dropouts or mediocre students.
Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Oracle founder Lawrence J. Ellison are among them. Even though these are examples of exceptions, these phenomena do remind us to reflect and review the current education system, maybe from a new perspective. At least we can say that many "C" students' potential can be achieved in the workplace.
If education is not what prepares students to succeed, why do we need it? Why do we spend so much time and money on it? Today's educational system is very test-oriented.
Most of the measurement of students' performance is based on paper or computer tests. In this teach-to-testing methodology, students' passion for achievement, creativity and leadership are ignored.
Can leadership be measured on paper? By GPA or points on tests? Or, can it be taught in the classroom? Many experts are optimistic. These characteristics can be achieved through learning and training but probably not through class in this current format.