Bridging the Gap Between
Theory & Application
BYU-Idaho Faculty Conference
Jason Scott Earl
Business Management Dept
Brigham Young University-Idaho
September 1, 2009
Recent Report from Carnegie Foundation
“Majority of Universities in the U.S. fail to provide students
with a coherent body of knowledge by the time they
graduate.”
“Too often the freshman curriculum is a bore and
freshman instruction is inadequate.”
“Professors tend to teach majors in advanced courses and
as a result, freshmen – the students who need the very
best teaching – may actually receive the worst.”
Boyer, Ernest, L. (2009) Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Boyer
Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University.
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After Reviewing the Report:
President Shirley Strum Kenny, President of the State
University of New York at Stony Brook and Chairwoman of
the 11-member commission stated:
“What we need to do is create a
culture of inquirers, rather than a
culture of receivers.”
Boyer, Ernest, L. (2009) Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Boyer
Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University.
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Hoover Dam
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The Problem
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Pure Theory
6
Pure Application…
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Theory and Application…
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Closing the Gap…
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Using Simulations to Close the Gap
The xbox playing, ipod toting Generation Y of today has
an incredible ability to gain knowledge and understanding
through the world of simulations:
•
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Design the Learning Experience
Allows Student to Embrace Failure
Real-World Context (to reinforce student learning)
Allows students to “Teach One Another”
Takes the “learning experience” outside of the class
Allows for direct application to real world problems
Increases interactive engagement in classroom
Moves class from direct instruction to student inquiry
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Present – The Lecture Curve
The Lecture Curve
% of Responsibility on the Part of the Student
(Teach One Another)
100%
2
80%
Students Discover Truths
for Themselves
60%
Learning
Learning
Frontier
Frontier
40%
20%
Instructor Presents
Truth to Students
1
0%
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
% of Responsibility on the Part of the Instructor (Design Learning Experience)
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Future – The Learning Frontier
The Lecture Curve vs. the Case Study Curve
% of Responsibility on the Part of the Student
(Teach One Another)
100%
2
3
80%
New Learning
Frontier
60%
Students Discover Truths
for Themselves
40%
Learning Frontier
Old Learning
Frontier
20%
Instructor Presents
Truth to Students
1
0%
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
% of Responsibility on the Part of the Instructor (Design Learning Experience)
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How Do We Know if This Works?
Evaluation of classes with and without the simulation over
the last 5 semesters based on Kirkpatrick’s 4-Level Model:
1. Reactions – Do the students enjoy the experience?
2. Learning – Pretest and Post-Test assessment. Is
there a significant increase in learning?
3. Transfer – Are newly acquired skills/knowledge used
based on the comprehensive exam (Comp-XM)?
4. Results – Post-class survey. What is actually applied
in later classes and their internship experience?
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Course Evaluations
Vary significantly based on the instructor and whether or
not the students are required to use the simulation:
7.00
6.50
6.00
5.50
5.00
With Simulation (Avg)
4.50
Without Simulation (Avg)
4.00
0.5
1.5
2.5
3.5
4.5
5.5
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7 Characteristics of Effective Learning
1. An environment where students feel safe &
supported
2. An environment that encourages experimentation
and creativity.
3. An environment where faculty treats adult students
as peers--accepted and respected as intelligent
experienced adults whose opinions are listened to,
honored, appreciated.
Such faculty members often comment that they
learn as much from their students as the students
learn from them.
7 Characteristics of Effective Learning
4. Self-directed learning, where students take
responsibility for their own learning.
5. Pacing, or intellectual challenge. Optimal pacing is
challenging people just beyond their present level of
ability. If challenged too far beyond, people give up.
If challenged too little, they become bored and learn
little (tennis example).
6. Regular feedback mechanisms for students to tell
faculty what works best for them and what they
want and need to learn--and faculty who hear and
make changes based on student input.
7 Characteristics of Effective Learning
7. Student centered learning. Students grow more in
student-centered as opposed to faculty-centered
programs.
Note – These findings support the thinking of Malcolm
Knowles, recognized as the father of adult learning.
He reminded us that in optimal learning programs,
where adults learn best, both students and faculty
also have fun, for it is exhilarating to REALLY learn.
References:
Billington, Dorothy D. (1988) Ego Development and Adult Education. Doctoral
Dissertation, The Fielding Institute. Dissertation Abstracts International, 49 (7).
Knowles, Malcolm. (1986) The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species. Houston:
Gulf Publishing.
So – What are We Talking About?
We need to design an experience that takes the students
out of classroom and forces them to walk into the dark:
1. Safe – Charity allows for failure and they need to fail
2. Intense – Overwhelming but not too overwhelming
3. Real – Do not water down or “dumb down” the jargon
or the application. Students know what feels real.
4. Reflection – Experience should allow for intense
reflection and an ability to compare their results with a
standard so that the “disparity” allows for a change in
behavior and development of a new skill set.
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Failure
Next Time
Business Simulation – Running a Company
We use several Harvard Business Simulations as well as
CapSim by Management Simulations, Inc.:
1. Student Groups – Form into Companies of approximately 5
students and compete with one another as well as nationally
2. Intense – Full access to Company & Industry results from their
management decisions (i.e., Finance, Operations, Marketing)
3. Financial Statements – Stock charts which change every week,
and balanced score card comparisons with other Universities
4. Board Presentation – Students reflect on everything they have
learned during the semester and put together a 5 minute video
explaining to the Board what they are proud of and what they will
do differently in the future. (show video)
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Closing the Gap…
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Simulation Complete…
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The Most Durable Monument
It so happens that the work which is likely to
be our most durable monument, and to
convey some knowledge of us to the most
remote posterity, is a work of bare utility;
not a shrine,
not a fortress,
not a palace,
but a bridge.
Montgomery Schuyler (1883)
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BYU-Idaho has been a great experience…
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