Education has been in the news lately. The New York Post reports that only 17 percent of this year's college graduates had jobs lined up before graduation. A Federal Reserve study indicates a large and increasing fraction of college graduates are unemployed or under-employed and that these rates are rising. Tuition is rising at three times the rate of inflation. Student debt is running at astronomical levels. The president is attempting to reduce discomfort by permitting students to pay off student loans later or at reduced rates.
Yet, education remains popular. State and national officials and policy advocates continually list education as the essential determinant of economic progress. This supposition is, in a way, true. But doesn't it matter whether the education is thorough, of high quality and applicable to the problems we have before us?
And, from the standpoint of students, society and parents, do investments in education always produce a positive return?
Proper education has long been an essential catalyst to technological accomplishment, community prosperity and world order. But with today's tepid employment opportunities for emerging college graduates along with mushrooming student debt, it may be time for those of us in education to examine the value proposition we are offering to our customers.
There are two kinds of education; substantive and delusional. Substantive education is meaningful, thorough and provides useful knowledge and skills which are usable in later life. The essential quality of substantive education is rigor and enough actual practice to attain proficiency. Substantive education is difficult. It can occur in technical fields, but also in the humanities and social sciences.
Delusional education provides illusory credibility, an easy degree in something following the superficial completion of a shallower and less insightful educational experience. Rigor is replaced by simplicity. Proficiency gives way to simple awareness. Hence delusional education arms students with the mistaken impression that mere possession of a degree is, by itself, a ticket to success and prosperity — which is not only delusional but will not be what employers are seeking.
A few weeks ago, I attended the display of 25 senior class engineering projects at the University of St. Thomas engineering school. The projects were all sponsored by companies or institutions; 3M, Mayo Clinic, Banner Engineering, Stratasys, Starkey, Emerson, Par Systems, and many others. Every senior participates in yearlong projects involving serious engineering efforts aimed at new products and solving real-world problems. The projects displayed involved measurement, material selection, cost-effectiveness, heat transfer, robotics and manufacturing. Almost all students had jobs before graduation. Such education is substantive.
There are many other substantive educational programs and there are many dedicated and competent educators. Some of these are at the K-12 level. Some are at the university level. Many in Minnesota are in the technical colleges. But most of the dedicated educators I know admit that it is time for us to productively critique our own product. We are delivering an educational product that is supposed to last a lifetime. It is important for our customers to get what they are paying for. Is there any possibility that too much delusional education is simply delaying entry into maturity and responsibility?
