A recent article in Education Dive debates whether institutions should encourage entrepreneurship. We don’t even know why this ‘debate’ is still ‘raging’. The dissenters have already missed the boat and are on their way to becoming academic dinosaurs.
Institutions can create opportunities for students to learn without having to spend tons of moolah. It is all about having some creativity and sparking drive in students to get off their behinds, get out there and get their hands dirty. At one time, we even had an incubation unit which costs money, but we have learnt from our vocational colleagues, how to drive practical learning on a shoestring.
Of course, lessons and learning need to be carefully designed so that students derive maximum benefit out of it. It is no longer acceptable just to throw a list of books and reading materials at students and say ‘Read and learn!’.
Technology has been a massive enabler on all levels and in all fields. As an example, someone can turn selling things on E-bay into a business. If you sell a €3 shirt for €5, you are making a profit. However, if it cost you €2 for postage, you broke even. What about your time doing this? If you could earn €7.50 an hour working in a café, then you should add the cost of ‘pay’ to your product. By doing that, you would realise that your €5 shirt is still not making enough to be a worthwhile cause. And, we haven’t even gone into the aspects of payment, time-value of money, logistics, storage, ethics, etc. It is just one simple example which provides a large range of lessons.
Our Horticulture programme doesn’t require you to send in your plants! It’s online learning, critics cry. How is that practical? Well, you can still demonstrate your proficiency by sending in photographs and videos of your handiwork. For example, you can begin a tree grafting process, and take photos/videos each step of the way. After 4 weeks, the results of your ability will be starkly apparent. Our tutors can even spot problems as you go along and make suggestions before something permanent happens.
The human mind and spirit are amazing. Where there is a will, there is a way. Learning by doing is the way forward. Why let box-ticking mandarins tell you why and how to learn?
