In a world that is bombarded by commercial theory, I know of a first class tertiary education provider in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand that is making a concerted effort to “keep it real” – that is, to ensure that knowledge and skills delivered to students is/ are “real world” relevant, and therefore will be able to be readily applied in the management roles that they will (hopefully) secure after graduating.
I applaud the School of Business at the Eastern Institute of Technology for allowing Lecturers to incorporate their wealth of “outside real world” experience in their lecture deliveries. No longer are commerce courses overwhelmed by theoretical constructs that require a quantum physicist to interpret. Rather, course material/ content is now saturated in rich illustration of “real world” business operations/ practices, communicated via YouTube video, websites and similar other contemporary mediums.
Most importantly, students are being exposed to commerce issues that are right up to date (i.e. happening right now), and which can be found in local businesses and those further afield.
Like other Lecturers, I use a variety of practices to impart knowledge to the students who I teach, including: YouTube videos, websites and class/ group exercises. I’m just about to take the next step in helping students cement their newly-acquired knowledge by having students perform role play in relation to carefully selected “real world” themes/ situations. The main purpose of these role plays is to have students “feel” what it’s like to identify real problems, brainstorm suitable solutions, assess risk and likely implementation implications of chosen courses of action…and then (most importantly) make the call and proceed to take action.
The level of thought that some students are applying to these exercises is commendable. They are submerging themselves in the exercise, and presenting their determinations as if they’re already “wearing the hat” of a manager. Consequently, student confidence is developing all the time…a key prerequisite for being an effective manager.
I predict that the more that tertiary education providers “keep it real”, and deliver knowledge/ skills based on known current “real world” situations/ experience, the more well equipped graduating commerce students will be upon either starting-up their own businesses or stepping into management roles…and consequently this should have a favourable impact on business survival and success rates in New Zealand and further afield.