An Integrative Approach to Learning

Dear Colleagues and Friends of WCIU,

I recently came across the results of a study conducted by the AACU (American Association of Colleges and Universities). The study asked 500 business leaders about their opinions of recent graduates, related to how prepared the graduates were to be hired for jobs.

The great majority indicated that students were not ready, in particular:

"A relatively small shares of executives (15%) and hiring managers (13%) are "very satisfied" with graduates' abilities.... to apply what they learned in college to problems in the workplace."

And one of the major conclusions drawn from this was:

"We have to offer our students an integrative approach to learning so disciplines aren't viewed as siloed but instead as perspectives to the same end. The more practice we can give students working in teams on real-world problems, the more likely we think they are to succeed in the workplace."

As we continue to improve everything we do within WCIU (curriculum, faculty, systems, student services) I am also encouraged by what we currently do well.

Every course and assignment focuses our MA students on the application of what they are learning to what they are doing in their context: working on real world problems.

And our approach to learning has always been an integrated approach to the various disciplines, as anyone knows who has taken our foundational courses.

I believe the next season here will see us becoming even better at what we do well, so that we can see in practice more and more transformative solutions to the roots of human problems...

For a flourishing world...

Kevin Higgins