Do we continue to commit ourselves to project based learning – the emerging definition of “learn by doing”?
We must ensure that we remain leaders and innovators in higher education pedagogy, this must be part of Cal Poly being the best. Learn-By-Doing is a core part of a Cal Poly education and a well-known part of our identity differentiating us from other institutions. LBD provides our students hands-on active learning beyond and complementing their work in the classroom and their co-curricular activities. Like all aspects of our pedagogy, we must continue to improve and enhance LBD to intentionally mobilize higher levels of learning. Project-based learning (PBL) can be classified as a mode of LBD; and capstone projects are an example of PBL. But LBD, PBL, and capstone experiences are opportunities for a deeper, richer education to develop the whole-system thinker, comprehensive polytechnic graduate for the future. We should explore introducing these integrative experiences early in a student’s time with us, perhaps as a foundational part of all our curricula.
