Klaus Schulte: Inspiring Students and Cultivating Careers with Data Skills
Student demand expanded Tableau from one course to all.
160 students a year are learning data skills.
Former students attribute their careers to their Tableau education.
With the rising demand for data skills, professors are taking the lead in educating and empowering students within classrooms. Among them is Klaus Schulte, a Tableau Visionary and Professor at Münster University's School of Business. Klaus emphasizes the importance of imparting data visualization skills to the upcoming cohort of business and data leaders. His success owes much to Tableau for Teaching, a free program providing essential resources such as complimentary software, learning materials, and structured curricula.
Established in 1971, FH Münster University of Applied Sciences stands today as one of Germany's most extensive and accomplished institutions. Professor Schulte's expertise lies in 'Controlling in Data Visualization,' catering to both Undergraduate and Masters level students. His programs focus on crucial areas such as Data Literacy, Data Preparation, and Data Visualization using Tableau
At FH Münster University of Applied Sciences, the goal is to become the foremost institution for practical education and research. The university emphasizes a commitment to quality across all aspects: ‘Quality sets the standards for our teaching, with our wide range of courses being oriented towards demand.’ The excellence of Tableau Academic resources has been widely acknowledged, evident in the increasing adoption of Tableau throughout the business school.
It all started with one small course. Now I teach Tableau and Data Visualization in all our programs, from Bachelor to Master. Every student at the Münster School of Business now can choose such a course and learn these skills, which are becoming increasingly important in practice.
Empowering his Data Preparation & Data Visualization students with the right tools for success
In 2017, Klaus embarked on his Tableau journey, first encountering the tool at a Tableau Academic Workshop held at Münster University. Prior to this, students relied on Excel, which had limitations in managing datasets. Recognizing his expertise in data control and analysis, and the students' interest in applying theoretical concepts analytically, Schulte identified Tableau as the most powerful tool available for visual analysis on the market.
Captivated by Tableau's robust visual analytics and user-friendly interface, Klaus recognized its potential to educate and motivate his students across various subjects, he remarked, "Tableau's intuitive nature and the blank canvas it provides are advantageous as there are no limitations. You can explore any direction; everything is possible." Within a year, Klaus conducted his inaugural lecture with Tableau. Since then, he's never turned away, evolving into a Tableau Visionary, acclaimed scholar, and a guiding force for the next cohort of Tableau Ambassadors.
Teaching solutions: learn to prepare, shape, access, and visualize data
Klaus initiates his course by instructing Münster students on data preparation, shaping, accessing, and visualization. "I prioritize providing them with foundational knowledge, but it's crucial for them to invest time in honing their skills for personal growth," he asserts. Encouraging self-directed skill development enables Klaus to concentrate on imparting what distinguishes an excellent data analyst: managing, enhancing, implementing, and effectively making the data ‘speak’.
The supply of information is one of the core tasks of controlling, my professional focus at Münster University of Applied Sciences. In this context, I offer courses in Bachelor and Master on data visualization with hands-on training in Tableau. This data visualization is a very creative process. After all, controllers are no longer number crunchers, but business partners. They creatively find new ways to unlock potential savings and move companies forward.
By the end of the semester, students are tasked with finding a dataset, cleansing it with Tableau Prep and creating a dashboard to answer a specific question. This assignment allows students to enhance their data proficiency while delving deeper into a topic they've chosen. By urging his students to explore diverse data sources across multiple subjects, it provides an opportunity to delve into problems that genuinely intrigue them, such as:
Linkin Park by Finn Dörnenburg
Free licenses, training and the Tableau Community - key ingredients for successful learning
Klaus explains that what Tableau has to offer the Academic sector is priceless. “The Tableau Academic Team’s work with university instructors works so well, which is why I keep using it. The licensing process is seamless." Tableau extends free licenses along with a comprehensive range of pre-designed courses and modules covering various subjects. These resources include lecture slides, assignments, discussion board activities, and Tableau demonstrations. Klaus leverages these educational materials to enhance his teaching and equip students for the Tableau Desktop Specialist exam, an industry recognized certification offering an extra edge in the job market. Furthermore, through Tableau's Academic programs, students and professors receive a 20% discount towards this exam plus complimentary e-learning to aid their preparations.
"I encourage students to join Tableau community initiatives such as Makeover Monday and Workout Wednesday, as well as to sign up for Viz of the Day to look for inspiration." Klaus credits Tableau Public as a key process in his learning journey. “It was one of the first things I did to open a page. It's a huge source of inspiration to me, and I encourage my students to join up and sign up to Viz of the Day to get inspired.”
The Tableau community has been instrumental in my Tableau journey. As a Tableau Visionary, I reached this level of expertise only thanks to countless resources created by the community. I recommend these invaluable teaching materials to my fellow instructors as a great resource for their own learning and teaching.
As a Tableau Visionary, Klaus stands as a respected figure within the Tableau Community, serving as an inspiration for educators aiming to innovate in their teaching methods. His outstanding contributions in both academia and the Tableau Community have attracted numerous universities seeking his expertise in conducting workshops to advocate for Tableau's use in education.
Klaus acknowledges the significance of equipping fellow instructors with these skills to better prepare students for the job market. To facilitate this knowledge sharing, he hosts internal 'lunch and learn' sessions within his institution. These sessions serve as a platform for professors to exchange teaching methodologies and share best practices for integrating Tableau effectively into the classroom."
Creating lasting effects on students career paths
Klaus's impactful teaching reflects in his students, who have transitioned into careers in data analytics and actively engaged within the Tableau Community. One such student, Franz Kayser, highlights the invaluable nature of learning Tableau during his university tenure. He emphasizes how the hands-on guidance from an expert in a classroom setting allowed for personalized learning, concrete question asking, and independent exploration between lessons, greatly impacting his career trajectory. inspired by learning from a Tableau visionary, Franz became a Tableau Student Ambassador, where through workshops, he continues to share the joy of data analytics, inspiring fellow students to join the community.
Christine Rietmann, a former student at Münster University, attributes her career success to learning Tableau. It led Christine to her first job in the field and now works in Data Analytics for an e-commerce platform in Germany.
Without Professor Schulte and Tableau, I probably wouldn't be a data analyst today, or at least I wouldn't have taken this path directly after my studies. In class I was able to work directly with the tool and independently analyze and visualize our first data sets, this is where I discovered my passion for the world of data.
One of her creations, "The Devil’s Cycle," exemplifies the work she developed in Professor Schulte's class:
Empowering students with data skills over the years
The enthusiasm surrounding learning data analytics is palpable, evident from the burgeoning popularity of the courses and positive student feedback. According to Klaus, “Everything I do also flows into teaching. The focus is still on introducing as many students as possible to Tableau. More and more companies in the region are now using Tableau - so there should be numerous practical projects with old and new partners.”
As the landscape of Data and AI constantly evolves, it's crucial for students to focus on mastering fundamental data skills. ‘It's not just about visualization; it's also about accessing, preparing, shaping, and structuring data for analysis.’ Klaus emphasizes teaching students foundational skills because even as tools evolve, strong data skills will continue to be crucial in the future of AI.