Consultant Learning:
A Model for Student Directed
Learning
Scott W. Kunkel
University of San Diego
© 2003 Scott W. Kunkel
Consultant Learning
• Empowers students and places them in
control of your own learning process.
• Turns the classroom into a laboratory for the
free enterprise system, using price as the
allocation mechanism for grades earned.
• Changes the grading dimension:
– from quality of work performed
– to quantity of excellent quality work performed.
In the Traditional Course
• All students do the same quantity of work.
• Grading based on quality:
– excellent quality = “A”
– mediocre quality = “B”
– poor quality = “C”
• Poor quality work is accepted and the grade
is reduced.
In Consultant Learning
• All accepted work is excellent quality.
• Work that is not excellent quality is redone
until it is excellent quality.
• Grading is based on the quantity of
excellent quality work the student performs.
• Every student produces work of which
he/she can be proud.
In Consultant Learning
•
•
•
•
Students must redo unprofessional work.
Students compile their work in a portfolio.
The portfolio can be used for job search.
The students’ completed portfolios are
submitted at the end of the semester.
• The amount earned determines course grade:
– Turns classroom into mini-economy.
– Mimics real-world consulting environment.
Theoretical Foundation
• “Mastery Learning” by Bloom (‘71, ‘81).
• Bloom said education should no longer be
about “weeding out” students.
• The normal curve is a valid predictor of
random events, not purposeful events.
• Learning is a purposeful event.
Theoretical Foundation
• “Mastery Learning” is a model that must be
implemented across an entire curriculum.
• Consultant Learning can be implemented in
a single class without changing the
assessment and grading standards of an
entire institution.
Theoretical Foundation
• “Problem-Based Learning” sometimes called
“Project-Based Learning” (Bridges, ‘92).
• Builds educational objectives into projects.
• Students complete the projects that require
fulfillment of the learning objectives.
• “Problem-based learning . . . fits
exceptionally well in multidisciplinary and
interdisciplinary learning and teaching styles”
(Glasgow, ‘97).
The Consultant Learning Process
• You design projects based on your own
interests.
• For each project, you must submit a
proposal explaining what you wish to do.
• You assign a consulting fee to each project
using the Suggested Projects booklet.
• If the proposal and the fee are approved, you
are authorized to do the project.
The Proposal
• Proposal includes 9 items:
– 1. Type of project
– 6. Perspective and
Audience
– 2. Topic
– 7. Consulting Hours
– 3. Rationale
– 4. Research Method – 8. Consulting Fee
– 9. Due Date
– 5. Output/Report
Method
Possible Family Business Projects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Family Business History ($3,000)
Business Family Genogram ($2,000)
Resume and Cover Letter Project ($1,000)
Book Executive Summary Project ($1,000-$2,500)
Case Summary ($400 - $1,000)
Current Events Analysis ($200 - $800)
“Presentational” Speech ($400 - $1,000)
Interview the Owner or Junior Member of a Family
Business ($2,000 - $3,000)
• Family Business Forum Meeting ($2,000)
• Student Designed Project (Up to $5,000)
Possible Small Business Projects
• The Business Disc computer simulation ($4,000)
• A Major Team Small Business Analysis (Up to $10,000)
– (a group of related projects)
• Book Executive Summary Project ($1,000-$2,500)
Resume and Cover Letter Project ($1,000)
• Case Summary ($400-$1,000)
• Current Events Analysis ($400-$800)
• Presentational Speech ($400-$1,000)
• Interview of a Small Business Owner ($2,000-$3,000)
• Attendance at a Professional Meeting ($2,000)
• Student Designed Project (Up to $5,000)
Possible Entrepreneurship Projects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
New Venture Feasibility Analysis ($2,000)
New Venture PowerPoint Presentation (up to $10,000)
Resume and Cover Letter Project ($1,000)
Book Executive Summary Project ($1,000-$2,500)
Case Analysis Project ($500-$1,000)
Current Event Analysis Project ($500)
Presentational Speech Project ($500)
Interviewing an Entrepreneur ($2,000)
Interviewing a Service Professional ($2,000)
Entrepreneurial Key Contact File ($1,000-$2,000)
Student Designed Project (Up to $5,000)
Possible Strategic Mgmt. Projects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Team Computer Simulation ($6,000 + oral report fees)
Major Company Strategic Analysis (up to $10,000)
Business History ($3,000)
Resume and Cover Letter Project ($1,000)
Book Executive Summary Project ($1,000-$3,000)
Case Analysis Project ($400-$1,000)
Current Event Analysis Project ($200-$800)
Presentational Speech Project ($400-$1000)
Interviewing an Owner/Executive ($2,000-$3,000)
Attendance at a Professional Meeting ($2,000)
Student Designed Project (Up to $5,000)
The Project
• When the project is submitted, it is either
approved or returned to be redone.
• If project is returned, you must rewrite the
project and resubmit it.
• This process continues until the project is
judged to be of “professional quality” and,
therefore, acceptable.
The Project
• When the project is accepted, the agreed-upon
fee is marked Paid (for example, “PAID
$2,000”) and it is given back to you.
• There are no partial fees - the project is either
professional quality or it is not - it is either
paid or returned to be rewritten and
resubmitted.
The Project
• When a project is paid, it is returned to you
(I keep no records).
• You put paid projects in your portfolio.
Pay for In-Class Work
• You are also paid for attending class.
– A fee schedule is in the Student Guide to CL.
• “Call-on-Me” list pays you for being
prepared to discuss the readings.
– Sign “Call-on-Me” means you are prepared and
I can call on you without you raising your hand.
– “Call on Me” list pays you a fee for each class
you sign it.
The Portfolio
• At the end of semester, you will put two
accounting sheets on top of the portfolio
showing what you have earned.
• You submit the portfolio to me.
• I “audit” the portfolio to make sure that the
accounting sheet is accurate.
• I assign the grade based on how much you
have earned during the semester.
Name: John Student
Course: BUS 102W.01
In-Class Consulting Fees Earned
Tuesday
Week
Attended
Thursday
Call on me
0
Attended
9/5



1
9/10 

9/12

2
9/17 

9/19

/////
//////////
12
11/26
13
12/3
14
12/10 
Col. Totals

12
//////////

Call on me
//////////
11/28

12/5


12/14


13
8
8
Totals Classes Attended
# 25
$ 4,700
Total Call-On-Me Lists
# 16
$ 3,200
Total In-Class Fees Earned
$ 7,900
Name: John Student
Course: GBA 537.01
Project Consulting Fees Earned
Submitted
Week Date
Description of Project
3
9/24
Current Event
4
10/3
Book Report
/////
/////
9
11/7
10
//////////
Bus. History
11/14 Attend Prof. Meeting
Cr/(Dr)
$800
$800
$2,500
$3,300
//////////
//////////
$3,000
$17,500
$2,000
$19,500
Total Projects Consulting Fees
Total brought forward from my “In-Class Consulting Fees Earned”
sheet
TOTAL CONSULTING FEES EARNED
GRADE EARNED FOR THE COURSE
Cumulative
Balance
$19,500
$7,900
$27,400
B+
Undergraduate Grading Scale
• Undergraduate grades are assigned on the
following scale:
–
–
–
–
–
$25,000 = A
$23,000 = A $21,000 = B +
$19,000 = B
$17,000 = B -
$15,000 = C +
$13,000 = C
$11,000 = C Less than $11,000 = F
Graduate Grading Scale
• Graduate grades are assigned on the
following scale:
–
–
–
–
–
$30,000 = A
$28,000 = A $26,000 = B +
$24,000 = B
$22,000 = B -
$21,000 = C +
$19,000 = C
$17,000 = C Less than $17,000 = F
Important Skills Students Learn
•
•
•
•
Defining a question in researchable terms
Identifying information sources
Collecting information
Organizing information into a readable,
professional quality report
• Writing a report that will be useful to others.
Important Skills Students Learn
• You learn these skills by doing them:
– with guidance and coaching from me
– including discussions in class
Examples of Student Projects
• Reviewed franchises then bought MBE.
• Proposal to start an R & R band’s fan club,
and they hired him.
• Proposal to manage a country band, and they
hired him.
• “SnoAds,” ecologically sensitive advertising
in the snow at ski resorts.
• Proposal for family to expand family farm.
• Surfing theme-park.
Pros
• Student centered - highly motivating to
students.
• Uses money/economics concepts to
motivate behavior - it’s “real world.”
• Students benefit from rewriting.
• Course design is extremely flexible.
• Motivates students to work for high grades.
Student Reactions
• Students generally love the Consultant
Learning approach. It is motivating and
interesting.
• Two complaints from student are:
– The Consultant Learning approach places too
much responsibility on students.
– It is too easy to procrastinate.
Consultant Learning - Summary
• Empowers students and places them in
control of their own learning process.
• Turns the classroom into a laboratory for the
free enterprise system, using price as the
allocation mechanism for grades earned.
• Changes the grading dimension:
– from quality of work performed
– to quantity of excellent quality work performed.
Consultant Learning:
A Model for Student Directed
Learning
Scott W. Kunkel
University of San Diego
© 2003 Scott W. Kunkel