MPIU Learning Philosophy

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The world's knowledge is dynamic and growing at an exponential rate. So, memorizing facts makes little sense, especially information that may be out-of-date quickly or is currently available on the Internet. Marco Polo International University has rejected memorizing facts as the way to learn and has successfully adopted a timeless and classical learning philosophy based on critical inquiry and creative thinking practiced in only a few of the world's finest universities. By developing and strengthening an individual's proven and compelling thinking abilities, we graduate the collaborative worthy critical thinkers who are so desperately needed by today's post-industrial societies. 

THE OXBRIDGE TUTORIAL  

Education is ­­­­the institutionalized process of learning. You can certainly learn on your own, but by attending university you have chosen to participate in an institutionalized approach to education.  

Historically, two varied approaches have evolved from the monastic education of the Middle Ages. The first is the lecture/test or rote learning approach where students take notes, selectively memorize the information, and later reproduce this on a written examination. The second is the tutorial approach where students research their own information, develop their analysis, orally defend their work and critique the work of other students and experts.  

The latter approach is called the Oxbridge tutorial (a composite of learning styles of both Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England). The modern lecture/test approach, besides being ineffective and inefficient, is fraught with the possibility of academic dishonesty. The tutorial approach allows great opportunity for genuine communication, critical thinking, and academically demanding assessments. 

Works commonly range from reading expert papers and thoroughly researching both sides of an issue online to writing essays on assigned topics. Independent learning is accomplished through substantial individualized research and writing where writing coaches are always available to assist students challenged by a particular writing assignment.  

Students are expected to present and defend their own opinions or critical arguments and to respond to constructive criticism. Tutorials mirror the classic Greek methods of Socrates, Plato and Plutarch which “taught” critical thinking and made education a fire to be kindled and not a vessel to be filled.  

At Marco Polo International University, we appropriately adapt the tutorial approach to self-paced online learning. Tests are relatively rare because exercising critical thinking is far superior to rote learning.  

FACULTY 

We believe that no one educational approach suits all learners, and we primarily utilize the highest recognized learning methods available to customize your education. Our faculty can determine which learning methods are best for individual learners and facilitate accordingly. MPIU recruits and retains faculty members who are effective in using the Oxbridge tutorial approach and who are not heavily stuck in didactic methods. Our faculty members are adroit and flexible in their abilities to use the different higher learning methods. 

CRITICAL THINKING 

Critical thinking is in short supply in today’s global society. A lack of critical thinking has contributed to many of the horrible ills that the world’s population is currently facing. Therefore, MPIU has consciously placed critical thinking at the center of our learning philosophy. We develop it through transformative methods (where questioning the status quo goes hand in hand with change), but it also begins with reflective methods (the ability to question) and ends with inventive methods (critical questions lead to creativity).  

Critical thinking is used to reconstruct the thinking of others by employing a subtle combination of intellectual processes such as: experience, observation, reflection, judgment, analysis, synthesis, logic, induction, deduction, and evaluation. The reconstruction of others’ thinking involves: identifying components, considering evidence, retracing reasoning, doubting logic, checking interpretations, assessing deception, avoiding assumptions, exercising humility, and adopting novel perspectives. Through this reconstruction, critical thinking helps discern whether or not learning is authentic, accurate, valid, and reliable. To determine this collective credibility, the learner draws on several criteria: clarity, precision, equality, depth, breadth, relevance, importance, consequence, and common sense. Critical thinking is a rigorous hallmark of our programs and a necessary prerequisite to self-learning discipline and creative thinking. 

CREATIVE THINKING 

One of Einstein’s paraphrased quotes suggested that significant problems will not be solved by the same level of thinking that created them. Maslow suggested that all problems will look similar (like nails), if we all have the same single tool (a hammer). Critical and creative thinking are both about achieving new levels of cognition and using new tools of problem solving. Creative thinking finds a better way to improve a theory, process, practice or system, once critical thinking has determined that the theory, process, practice or system needs upgrading.  

Creative thinking is used to generate fresh ideas and/or make new connections among existing ideas. These original ideas and their novel connections lead to their innovative application in a specific context (art or business). These innovations are extremely valuable in bringing about the improvements in theories, processes, practices or systems as noted above. Innovation arises from creativity, but creativity depends on critical thinking. At MPIU, we include all three in our learning programs. 

In order to understand the progression of learning, and the roles and responsibilities for students and faculty throughout the process, MPIU presents a more detailed philosophical examination of each of the four academic androgogies or methods of adult instruction. 

DIDACTIC METHODS 

While a lecture/test method is likely the most common form of learning used in American universities, it is not preferred at MPIU. We simply present it here so that prospective or current students and faculty can understand how our approach evolves beyond this mass production of education. MPIU programs will probably make use of this method on occasion, but sparingly. We will NOT base our unique educational approach on a foundation of lecturing and testing, because we believe that memorization of facts is a waste of time, energy and money in a world where information is easily accessed on the Internet. On average, our faculty may use didactic methods less than 10% of the time. 

In summary, didactic androgogy involves faculty controlled learning, so students passively accept the ideas of experts as absolute truth and think convergently toward the same opinions. Didactic teaching creates a world where the mass population thinks similarly and becomes mindless in their questioning of truth. Problem solving, critical thinking, and creative innovation are left to the experts. At MPIU, we believe that problem solving, critical thinking, and creative innovation should be an important trinity for everyone and that changing our world for the better requires that we all become capable problem solvers, critical thinkers, and creative innovators.

REFLECTIVE METHODS 

Reflective androgogy is learner-centered, openly facilitative, and experiential. These methods include Socratic questioning, divergent thinking, problem solving, decision making, and extensive discussion in small group tutorials. MPIU faculty may use these reflective methods about 30% or more of the time order for students to apply their knowledge to familiar or known real world situations by repeatedly using new information and evaluating its effectiveness to solve problems, make decisions, or complete tasks. Typically, learners are highly motivated by reflective methods, since they feel like they are making a difference and get to control their own learning. Both of these make for intrinsically rewarded learning that is delivered “just-in-time” and “on-demand,” when the learner is ready to learn. 

Learner-centered means that learners’ needs are rightfully considered as key components for the shared decisions of: what to learn or teach, who to read, why knowledge is important, whether information is credible, where to find resources, how to study, and when to complete assignments. The faculty member and learner work together in order to decide each of these items, because they equally know what is in the learner’s best interests. The process of learning becomes more important than the product of memorized facts.  

Openly facilitative suggests that the faculty shifts from lecturing (expert or guru) to facilitating (counselor and mentor). Facilitating can be easily accomplished with a variety of techniques ranging from asking open-ended questions using the Socratic Method, through reflective journaling or blogging, to extensive small group discussions. A flexible curriculum is not predetermined, but evolves with the learner’s input and application to the real world. 

Experiential is more than mere experience. At MPIU, we want students to have action experiences and to add reflection to the experiential learning process. In experiential learning, students add new learning experiences to their own past experiences and the vicarious experiences of others.  

By reflecting on those collective experiences in small Socratic like discussions led by members MPIU professor teams, students come to think divergently or away from expert opinions and toward diverse or unique ideas of their own. This sets the stage for further independent thinking and self determined learning involving the next two higher learning methods in the MPIU learning philosophy.

TRANSFORMATIVE METHODS

Transformative androgogy involves self-determination, sound judgment and tutoring from MPIU professor team members involved. These methods include critical thinking, sound judgment, and intensive discussion in very small group tutorials to generate wisdom. Students can apply their knowledge, through critical analysis and/or evaluation of learning, to real world problems and decisions that are unfamiliar or unknown. Since the problems and decisions are very different from those they learned about, the students have the opportunity, as self- learners, to exercise free thinking and use sound judgment to resolve uncertainties.  

Self-determined means that the learner has demonstrated the maturity to take full responsibility for deciding: what to learn, who to read, why knowledge is important, whether information is credible, where to find resources, how to study, and when to complete assignments. In other words, students tailor their curricula as they become passionate about the subject matter of their chosen degree. Other students, the advising faculty member, outside experts, and emerging technologies can act as resources and supporters for the students. 

Faculty tutored suggests that the faculty member shifts from facilitating (counselor and mentor) to coaching (observer and advisor) and works one-on-one or in very small groups of students. Coaching means to observe, actively question, interactively dialogue with, and give advice to the student.

By learning for themselves, under the direction and auspices of faculty, of course, students come to think critically about their sources of information. Critical thinking is used to reconstruct the thinking of others and ones own thinking by employing a subtle combination of intellectual processes such as: experience, observation, reflection, judgment, analysis, synthesis, logic, induction, deduction, and evaluation. The reconstruction of thinking involves: identifying components, considering evidence, retracing reasoning, doubting logic, checking interpretations, assessing deception, avoiding assumptions, exercising humility, and adopting novel perspectives. Through this reconstruction, critical thinking helps discern whether or not learning is authentic, accurate, valid, and reliable. To determine this collective credibility, the learner draws on several criteria: clarity, precision, equality, depth, breadth, relevance, importance, consequence, and common sense. In addition to problem solving and critical thinking learners have substantial opportunity for creative innovation.

INVENTIVE METHODS 

Inventive androgogy involves active inquiry, critical and creative thinking, imagination and innovation which is often the natural extension of these elements. Students and professors alike explore new, uncharted territory where neither knows the what, who, why, whether, where, how and when of learning, and are motivated by the challenge of finding new solutions and bringing about new and clear thinking on issues of importance.  

Faculty contribution suggests that the faculty member shifts from observing and advising, or coaching, to participating in the learning journey as a colleague and partner.  

Imagination and innovation are important elements of the creative processes used to invent better ways of doing things. First, opportunities are envisioned by visualizing the intersection of emerging trends and growing needs. Second, possibilities and ideas are imagined through creative techniques like improvisation, brainstorming, attribute listing, forced relationships, extended effort, random intent, and deferred prejudices. Third, probabilities are brought to fruition by lateral reasoning to change perceptions and by careful planning for the positive and negative impacts of innovation as creative inventions are successfully implemented. Fourth, originalities arise when this is conducted in a climate of curiosity and with the suspension of killer statements or reasons why things won’t work.  

All of this requires that students think creatively and be willing to question expert thinking or have their own thinking critiqued by others. Creative thinking is used to generate fresh ideas and/or make new connections among existing ideas. These original ideas and their novel connections lead to their innovative application in a specific context (art, science, business and political leadership). 

CONCLUSION

Independent critical and creative thinking as well as the innovations they support are extremely valuable in making improvements in theories, processes, practices or systems as noted earlier. Innovation arises from creativity, but creativity depends on critical thinking. Learners who can solve problems, think critically, and innovate creatively are ready to graduate from MPIU as global citizens and champions of change who will make the world a better place.