Writing papers is an important part of higher education. I should know. In my MBA program, each course has weekly papers that I have to write. This is understandable. Writing papers is the best way for the professors to gauge whether we understand the material taught and are able to use it in case analysis. I suggest, however, that there is a better way.

Writing essays helps us fine-tune our writing skills and more importantly, conveys our knowledge of a subject. How many papers, however, do I have to write for professors to be confident in my ability to write? The real reason I have to continue to write papers is because this is the only way for the professor to give their critique on my ability to use the information taught. That is, until now.

This is 2009. Professors should be utilizing the video revolution taking place on the web. Instead of having a paper due a week, have each student give a two minute video on their opinion for the assignment. It takes less time to create than a paper. It takes less time to critique. And most importantly, it requires students to communicate their opinion verbally. I’ve sadly met brilliant people who were not able to communicate effectively. Sure, they could write a hell of a paper, but who cares. We need a new focus of education on verbal communication. This is one small step that will not only improve education, but also improve the quality of students coming out of graduate programs.