The University’s Purpose: Should We Focus on Teaching or Preparing?

If you had to choose, would you say that the purpose of universities is (1) to teach students or (2) to prepare students for their future? I think universities provide something valuable: a higher education. I also think most people understand the important relationship between higher education and professional careers. Employers certainly see the connection (Donaldson et al., 1999) and so do parents (Ellis, 2012).

When I researched university mission statements, I was surprised to find several of them do not mention “profession” or “career.”

Mission Statements that Mention Profession or Career
University Name	Yes or No
Amberton University	no
Baylor University	no
Rice University	no
Texas Tech University	yes
Texas University in Austin	yes
Texas Women’s University	yes
University of North Texas	no
University of Texas in Arlington	no

Back to the original question, I believe universities must prepare students for careers. The reason they invest in higher education is to gain skills that make them marketable and help them get “good jobs.” As a bonus, students will also study topics outside of their future profession, which helps to expand their knowledge base. (Click here to participate in a pole on this topic or to see what others are saying.) Both are important; however, if universities only teach students (without actively preparing them for their future), how valuable is the end result?

Universities can prepare students for their future by guiding the way they relate to material. In higher education, we should do more than teach information; we also need to help students think on their own so that they are valuable to future employers. We can do this by helping students open their minds, think creatively, and learn to apply their “new” knowledge in real-world situations.

Here’s what experts tell us  about preparing students for their future:

• Connect with the subject and students, and then help students “learn to weave a world for themselves” (Palmer, 1998, p. 11).
• Encourage dialogue to understand their experience level and to have them reflect on situations (Freire, 1970).
• Create experiences that engage students and help them grow (Dewey, 1938).
• Disclose personal examples that show students “how you apply material to your own life” (Dannels, 2015, p. 128).
• Be willing to acknowledge differences and be humble and authentic in the dialogue (Dannels, 2015).

Bottom line: Earning a degree is an investment of time and money. Students (and parents) think their ROI will be worth it. Let’s help students prepare for their future. Raise your hand if you agree.  

/ts

Resources

Dannels, D.P. (2015). 8 essential questions teachers ask: A guidebook for communicating with students. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Collier.

Donaldson, J., Hinton, R., Nelson, L. (1999). Preparing students for life: The school-to-work reform movement. Horizon. Retrieved from http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/issues/papers/School_to_Work.html

Ellis, B. (2012). Parents to college kids: Live at home, get a job. CNN Money. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2012/08/29/pf/college/parents-college-debt/index.html

Friere, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.

Palmer, P.J. (1998). The courage to Teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

“What’s the purpose of universities? Is it to teach students or prepare them for good jobs?” (2013). Debate.org. Retrieved from http://www.debate.org/polls/what-is-the-purpose-of-universities-is-it-to-teach-students-or-prepare-them-for-good-jobs2/?cid=F520E9BC-284D-49A8-A30E-8EBBADF0FCC9