PIE IN THE SKY: MODELING MANAGEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

摘要

When faculty members throw conventional practice to the wind for an entirely unexpected pedagogy, it is not done lightly! Perhaps unadvisedly, but not lightly. Abandoning the comfort of usual classroom pedagogical customs is fraught with peril when student evaluation constitutes 40 - 60% of the professor's annual assessment. However, in an effort to bring greater realism to the Engineering Management class and to make the class structure itself an instrument of instruction, the authors have taken active learning to the basics. In Fall of 2001, the Engineering Management course went as planned and the students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville covered the expected topics (management theory, management figures, current trends in management) in the expected manner (lectures, reports, assignments, exams). Fall of 2002, all that changed. In fall semester of 2002, the class was totally reorganized in an attempt to bring more realism to the classroom. Something was missing from the real world skill set needed for success. An analysis of topics currently covered in class, required for accreditation, for the curriculum, and for application to life was considered. The faculty team also looked for ways to increase student interest and commitment to the learning goals of the class. There are a number of pedagogical techniques that could be applied and were examined. The faculty decided to try a new pedagogy for the class. The class was organized into a 'company.' All students were considered new-hires for the company, Pioneer Industrial Engineering or PIE.