Earlier this month I graduated from Baylor University...and realized the
decided gaps in my education. All at once I became unemployedand with a
$60k undergraduate education, felt decidly overrated. For an organization
that is the literal meaning of a learning organization, I feel that there
are gaps in what I have learned.
Problems in Universities
I agree that the educational processes in universities are flawed. The
old listen and regurgitate continues. However, through the guidance of
more than one professor, I was taught more than a few things that will
continue to stick with me. Continually in many of my classes we tried to
figure out where will the world go in the future and especially Baylor.
Baylor has not, and I doubt; will ever get rid of the tenure system.
Currently, students are asked to evaluate their professors. The problem
with this is that professors do not feel that students (their clients)
should have the right to evaluate them. The evaluations coupled with
several other criteria; including self-evaulations and other staff and
faculty evaluations, help determine the professors pay increase for the
upcoming year.
Lack of practical experience the main problems for most Grads
However, I feel that the main problem with most degree programs on the
collegiate level is that an internship is not required. I have a Human
Resource Major and a Corporate Communication minor. I can spout out all
of the theory in the world and compare and contrast it to Maslow's
hierachy of needs. But I have not been required to construct an employee
handbook (which I did on my own) or figure out how to determine pay
ranges. All of these are essential functions that I will have to perform
in the future. I learned the basic theory behind these functions but not
how to do them.
How can the business world and educational system help for the future?
I firmly believe that educational institutes should require internships
and more hands on activities. How else is one supposed to get experience.
The corporate community can help by offering more internships. This
really does help the corporation become a learning organization bringing
in new ideas and someone with tons of energy to help drive these new ideas
can only benefit the company.
"Faith can move mountains. Doubt can create them."
- Anonymous
--Jonette Alexander <jmalexander@popalex1.linknet.net>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>