LAUNCHING EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING AND CASE METHOD
APPROACHES IN CZECH BUSINESS
CLASSES
Eva Jarošová
Martin Lukeš
Department of Managerial Psychology and Sociology
Faculty of Business Administration
University of Economics, Prague
Joan Winn
Department of Management
Daniels College of Business
University of Denver USA
Two Courses, some
suggestions
1. Social and Managerial Training
2. Entrepreneurial Skills
3. Guidelines for introducing interactive
teaching methods for maximum success.
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING:
Social and Managerial Skills Training
Course
Aims of the course:
Combine social competence and training of
specific managerial skills
Use the group as a learning resourse
Enhance learning – especially learning from
each other.
SOCIAL AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS
TRAINING
DESIGN:
4 sessions hours a week
13 weeks
groups of max.18 students
METHODOLOGY:
Experiential learning
“Experiential learning exists when a personally responsible participant(s)
cognitively, affectively, and behaviourally, processes knowledge , skills
and/or attitudes in a learning situation characterised by a high level of active
involvement (Hoover, 1977).”
SOCIAL AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS
TRAINING
Course Content
Self-awareness, Interpersonal Perception
and Empathy
Communication Skills
Managerial Skills for Leading Individuals
Leading Groups And Teams
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR
COURSE SUCCESS
Tone-setting:
Explain the course methods, Kolb´s learning
cycle and importance of feedback and reflection
Establish desirable rules of group cooperation
Explain the modified role of a teacher as a
mediator
Establish clear connections from theoretical
concepts to “real world” situations.
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR
SUSTAINABLE COURSE SUCCESS
Curriculum: designed around actual job
demands (surveys of Czech managers)
Assessment: focus on enhancing selfefficacy beliefs of individual participants
(pre/post testing using self-efficacy scale)
Outcomes: Individual student action plans
to enhance transfer to real world situations
New course:
PSYCHOLOGY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
4 hrs per week, 13 weeks, lecture + seminar
format:
– 9 lectures
– 3 case studies
– 1 lecture + 1 seminar given by entrepreneur
– 2 business concept preparation and presentations
– 5 teamwork activities
– 2 self-diagnostics
PSYCHOLOGY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
Course Content
Part 1:
–
–
–
The entrepreneurship decision
Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship framework
Entrepreneurial personality
Part 2:
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–
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The entrepreneurship process
Recognition and development of business opportunities
Social capital, networking and staffing
Negotiation, sales, and product presentation
Part 3: Business management and growth
–
Managing growth
–
Self-development, time management, health and stress
Part 4: Succession
–
Exit Planning
PSYCHOLOGY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
Course Requirements “deliverables”
Principle “do something!”
–
–
–
–
–
–
Interviews with real entrepreneurs
Criteria: at least 3 years in business, at least 5 employees
Observe: how the entrepreneur has changed his/her
values, plans, behavior over the course of running the
business
Learning: what critical situations had to be solved
“Elevator” pitches
Presentation of business plan idea in front of the class
Active participation – self-evaluation
Students evaluate their own performance in each seminar
Rating scale: (1) active participation with a major impact,
(2) active participation, (3) passive participation, (4) not
present
PSYCHOLOGY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Students’ views
Anonymous feedback from students (N=23)
– on scale from 1 (the worst) to 7 (the best)
Results
– usefulness (6.1), interesting (6.5), form of evaluation (6.5),
recommendation to others (6.9), lectures (5.6), seminars
(6.6), teacher’s approach (6.9)
– self-reported increase in probability to start a business (5.1;
3 students reported “7”)
The most useful topics and issues
– coping with stress and time management (6.4), team acquisition
and selection (6.4), analysis of own strengths and weaknesses
related to entrepreneurship (6.3)
– interview with entrepreneur, overview of entrepreneurship pros
and cons
The most interesting
– business concept creation, business idea “elevator” pitches
GETTING STARTED
TEACHERS AS STUDENTS: EXPERIENCES
WITH INNOVATIVE LEARNING METHODS
GOALS AND CONTENT OF TRAINING
COURSE
GUIDELINES AND CAVEATS FOR NEW
TEACHERS
TRAINING COURSE FOR YOUNG
TEACHERS
Participants: N=10
Pre-course questionnaire:
– Most often used various kinds of questions (8x), visual aids (7x),
examples in relation to the interests of the audience (7x) and
supplemental written materials (6x) ,
– Least often used: role playing (0x), simulation (0x), debates “for
and against” discussions (1x) , discussion in pairs (snow-ball
discussions) (1x), case studies (2x) and cognitive maps (2x).
– Previous exposure (as students): supplemental written
materials (8x), visual aids (7x), examples in relation to the
interests of the audience (6x), various kinds of questions (5x).
– No previous exposure to brainstorming (0x), simulation (0x),
cognitive maps (0x), role playing (1x), discussion “for-andagainst” debates (1x).
TRAINING COURSE FOR YOUNG
TEACHERS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Introduction and “mapping” of participants’ expectations
and training needs
Learning styles and learning methods
Development of students’ critical thinking
Informal Feedback: how to “detect” and “collect”
feedback from students
Demands and stress on teachers: mental hygiene
principles
Demands and stress on students
Developing student presentation and teamwork skills
“Micro-teaching:” video-recording and peer critique
Training Course Feedback
Participants: N=10
Pre-course questionnaire:
– Least often used: role playing (0x), simulation (0x), debates “for and against” discussions (1x) ,
discussion in pairs (snow-ball discussions) (1x), case studies (2x) and cognitive maps (2x).
– Previous exposure (as students): supplemental written materials (8x), visual aids
(7x), examples in relation to the interests of the audience (6x), various kinds of questions (5x).
– No previous exposure to brainstorming (0x), simulation (0x), cognitive maps (0x), role playing
(1x), discussion “for-and-against” debates (1x).
Post-course feedback:
– Intention to try: role playing (5x), case studies (4x), interactive
discussion with a teacher (3x) and other forms of "small"
discussion methods.
Some of the respondents complained that because they
had no "models" in using these methods in teaching, they
are afraid of the students reaction: will they accept these
methods, how will they react?
TAKE-AWAYS
1. Appeal to self interest: students want to be
successful!
2. Avoid contradictory assessments:
 Measure and reward new skills
 Balance the workload
3. Overcome resistance to change:
 Training
 Support
 Encouragement
 Reward
Contact us:
Eva Jarošová evajar@vse.cz
Department of Managerial Psychology and Sociology,
University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic
Martin Lukeš lukesm@vse.cz
Department of Managerial Psychology and Sociology,
University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic
Joan Winn jwinn@du.edu
Department of Management, Daniels College of
Business, University of Denver USA