University of Saskatchewan students get hands-on learning opportunity

SASKATOON – A call for universities to offer students more real-world learning experiences is reinforcing an effort the University of Saskatchewan has undertaken in the last decade, according to an administrator. The organization Universities Canada announced Wednesday new commitments “aimed at helping Canadians achieve economic, social and personal fulfilment through higher education, research and innovation.”

“Universities are at their best when they serve as connectors and catalysts, bringing together ideas and resources,” stated Elizabeth Cannon, the group’s president, in a written media release Wednesday. Universities Canada represents 97 institutions, including the University of Saskatchewan (U of S).

One new commitment pointed to institutions working to collaborate further with groups outside of campus. U of S administrator Patti McDougall said it’s a message the university has already acted on.

“I think it just reinforces the path we’re on and I think that’s probably how it was intended,” said McDougall, the U of S vice-provost of teaching and learning.

Roughly 150 courses a year contain an element of “experiential learning” according to McDougall. She indicated that the U of S had a goal of increasing that number in the years to come.

“We know that it’s important so let’s go after it and build some additional experiences,” said McDougall.

The U of S Edwards School of Business is one college that makes “an effort to give every single student in every major an opportunity for experiential learning,” according to Daphne Taras, the school’s dean.

“They really roll up their sleeves in unpredictable settings where it’s not scripted, they have to work really hard and they get real life experience,” said Taras.

“Real life is messier than what happens in a classroom.”

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Currently a class of students in the business school is helping manage a $1.4 million portfolio. It’s one example of how the university can merge experiential learning into a course load, according to administrators.

“This allows us the practicality that maybe isn’t found in a lot of other university courses,” said Fuji Stokes, a fourth year finance student who is in the class.

Stokes said he hopes to work in a similar field in the future and believes experience from the class will help him with job prospects once he graduates at the end of the year.

“This gives us a leg up maybe on some other schools or other students,” said Stokes.

“There is no recruiter that doesn’t look at a student resume that has experiential opportunities highlighted on the resume that doesn’t clue into that and then make that the basis of the interview,” added Taras.