I am proud of my current Midwest Entrepreneurs class because they represent great promise for the future. As part of a learning organization these students depend on faculty guides to discover meaningful knowledge. It is analogous to learning a language from skilled native speaker versus listening to CD–the coaching makes the difference. As an instructor I am their coach and mentor in learning what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

But what makes something meaningful to learn? Here are a few short answers I have heard from current students: Does the knowledge or skill add purpose or direction to their lives? Is it something that will help them be successful? I consistently challenge myself to find new methods of helping students gain knowledge of entrepreneurial methods, then we apply that knowledge so it will stick. These activities involve follow-up discussions, activities, assignments or tasks related to that area. Examine some of the student comments on this blog as an example of student work in Midwest Entrepreneurs.

Gaining knowledge is a gift but applying it takes time and practice. All of us make mistakes and get tired. Most of us fear failure even though it is by failure that we learn the most meaningful lessons. Be careful what you dream for, you may get it. These students have heard this repeated over and over by our guest speakers.

Can the lessons learned from the guest entrepreneurs really help students successfully apply the skills they honed while here at Monmouth? For most of these students the answer is a resounding “yes”. These students don’t even have to graduate in May and start a new company to appreciate this gift.
Below is one reason Monmouth is different. It is why I think the knowledge they are gaining will stick in their minds long after graduation day:

Humans have two types of memory: spatial and rote. From my experience, the difference between today’s graduates and the average 22 year-old is the graduate can apply their knowledge to solve problems–even when the relevant facts are embedded into a complex problem or challenge. It is analogous to the ability to solve a quantitative word problem instead of a straight computation.

That is why our business graduates are often more valuable to employers than other candidates. It is also the reason we graduate so many future entrepreneurs such as Kevin Goodwin (Sonosite CEO) and Walter Huff (HBO President).

The main purpose of a Monmouth business education is for students to gain knowledge and construct meaning from facts or figures, not just memorize the “right” answers (or regurgitates someone else’s meaning). The focus is on why, rather than how something is done a certain way. Why? Because the methods and practices will change, but the ability to analyze and solve problems is something we practice continually….no  we drill it into our graduates.
How is that different from any other learning system?
“Normal” students are taught at a young age that education is a means to an end. How many times have you heard “If you have to cut corners or cram for an exam, it is fine”? It is rationalized because the end of graduating with a degree or achieving an “A” grade justifies those short-cuts to success.
The end for “normal” students is a high paying job or valuable skill, not the acquisition of knowledge. A degree is a degree, right? I believe Monmouth is different. But it is ironic that these parents and instructors teach their children to skip steps, cut corners, or even be unethical. This kind of behavior is justified/rationalized in their minds–even though these kids will need real skills and capabilities to respond to life’s challenges.

It is a counterfeit business education and it’s spreading like wildfire around our country. I believe real skills and capabilities come from the knowledge students’ gain through practice. Cutting corners is accepted based on the high cost of failure. It costs a lot to attend any college or university. No one starts out thinking they will quit school. The dropout rate at Monmouth is relatively low, but most institutions only graduate 40% of those that start. Why? The education they are receiving becomes meaningless or marginalized while escalating in cost.

Many students start college by dreaming big but are tripped up by natural barriers to gaining useful knowledge and experience. Many are academically dismissed for poor performance because they lacked to role models in their darkest hours. The “going got tough and they quit” principle applies here.

Why is it so difficult to make one’s education meaningful? One answer is the student doesn’t appreciate the gift of knowledge they are receiving. Remember the story of young man who wanted the wisdom and knowledge of Socrates.

Students become discouraged easily. It is not unusual for them to be discouraged when they fail an exam or do poorly on an assignment. How do they know they are really learning something of future value? It is not as easy as it sounds. Instructors like myself have a difficult time creating exams that truly sift the wheat (quality learning) from the chaff (route memorization).  Creating  open ended/essay oriented tests  or grading presentations are time-consuming and more difficult to grade. It is easy to create an exam with a series of true/false questions or multiple choice from a test bank and run it through a “scan-tron” machine that will automatically grade the results.

We have recently invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in instructional technology so that Monmouth instructors can use the best tools and techniques. But without a thirst for knowledge, the greatest technology cannot make up for a student or instructors’ sloppiness or laziness. As a teacher, I talk about not cutting corners, and being a life-time learner. Recently I was told by President Ditzler that those speeches, sound like “blah, blah, blah, integrated learning, and blah, blah, blah, life-time learning” to parents and some of our students. It isn’t real to them. In other words this idea that “knowledge is gift” fell on deaf ears. But on graduation day, parents are often grateful we held up a higher standard and expected their children to combine the learning and theories from one discipline to another and demonstrate an ability to understand and solve complex problems.
That is why I am so grateful for our visiting alumni and guest entrepreneurs.

Hearing their stories, their commitment to learning and the opportunity to gain knowledge about their industry, customers, and market forces has been inspiring.
It is helping us mold a great group of  2011 graduates.

Scientists believe in testing theories and assumptions. This testing applies metaphorically to all aspects of life. We are constantly learning from our mistakes. Good habits reinforce successful patterns of living. At Monmouth, our faculty is constantly improving their pedagogy. We teach by engaging students based on the instructor’s knowledge, along with outside resources like a texts or videos. Bringing in speakers is one of the highest forms of knowledge creation since the entrepreneurs demonstrate their knowledge and passion. Each presentation starts with an overview of the business, major problems, and the market opportunity. It is another thing that sets Monmouth apart.

When instructors want students to remember important concepts beyond the final exam, experiential learning is the best. But we can’t always find the ideal internship, simulation, or hands-on activity to hone the student’s skills. In Midwest Entrepreneurs, the guest speakers fill that void. They can illustrate what sacrifices are worthwhile and what price must be paid to succeed. So I see this method of learning equally worthwhile to experiential learning. With this crop of graduates, bringing in outside speakers is a catalyst for intellectual growth. The guest speakers make the difference. They bring in fresh material every week. According to the feedback I have received, the freshness is what is so exciting. These conversations with the entrepreneurs really get through to students because it is what’s happening now in the marketplace.

Importantly, Monmouth students connect theory to current practice, and these visiting entrepreneurs can change perspectives and instill desire. These women and men truly “connect” with our students in meaningful ways.
How is our discussions and experiences in Midwest Entrepreneurs different than witnessing a good lecture or requiring students to regurgitate facts from their notes?

In my past experience, some of my most brilliant colleagues assumed that because they were making an effort to “teach” from their latest cutting edge research, students must be learning something a great value. But the lesson wasn’t relevant to the student or not delivered at a level that the student could digest. It didn’t get through even if it was brilliant stuff to the so-called “experts” in the field of study.
Teachers at other institutions will claim that because their students were reading their text or memorized portions of the most widely acclaimed text in the field, they must have learned something of great value. Both assumptions appear to be false more often than not. Students quickly forget the facts they memorized, or lacked the background to understand the great oration from class.

But when these entrepreneurs engage students and answer their questions, something magical happens. The students see the value of the knowledge and understand it for what it is–a gift. They gain the desire to withstand any necessary struggle to solve problems and meet new challenges. It is why I love what I do.

While working on this blog I came across following quote in the 1973 movie The Paper Chase based on the author’s experiences as a student at Harvard Law:

“Here we use the Socratic method: I call on you; I ask you a question; you answer it.

Why don’t I just give you a (brilliant) lecture? Why don’t I give you the answers to complex problems?

Through my questions you can learn to teach yourselves.

By this method of questioning-answering, questioning-answering, we seek to develop in you the ability to analyze that vast complex of facts that constitutes the relationships of members within society.” Professor Kingsfield in the Paper Chase