Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Learning in Action - The Case Method
One of the things that brought me to IE was the Case Method. Created by Harvard, this teaching method features real or fictitious situations faced by organizations in a wide array of areas and markets. Therefore, students are invited to learn business concepts by solving the case.
This is how it works in practice here at IE. For example, you know your next Marketing class will discuss the launch of a new product by a large pharmaceutical company. You have the case, which is 10-15 pages usually, and additional theoretical material that will help you solve it. In the pharma case, it was reading a specific chapter of the book and use the tools described to solve the case. In addition, the professor posted some guiding questions. I read the case 2 days before the class and made my notes. Next day, I met my work group (6 people) to discuss the case and work on a group solution. My colleague was responsible to summarize our solution in a 3-page document, which was posted on a Wiki, so everybody could edit. The next day, we delivered our written solution to the professor before the class. During class, the professor facilitates the case discussion with the other groups, totalling 50 people. He uses the frameworks provided by the book and clarifies our doubts. Parts of the case have no right or wrong solution, so the discussion between groups is stimulated. At the end of the class, the professor may say what was the real solution implemented by the company and its results. Some days later he sends our grade on the case write-up. At the end of the term, our participation in class is also graded.
It is incredible how much more you learn with this method. First, you have to prepare, do your homework, and exercise the concepts read in the books. Second, you learn from discussing with your group. Most of the times, at least 1 person in the group has some experience in the topic discussed. Practicing team work and time management skills is also a daily duty. Last, you wrap-up your learning during class, by listening to the professors and the solutions from other groups. This is what IE calls ACTION LEARNING.
With this method, you are forced to study EVERYDAY and skipping classes becomes a huge risk to your learning and grades. In the other hand, when you reach the exams week, you do not need to bother much. Very likely you already learned much of the subject and secured your grade by class participation and assignments.
Why university was not like this? I will keep wondering...
This is how it works in practice here at IE. For example, you know your next Marketing class will discuss the launch of a new product by a large pharmaceutical company. You have the case, which is 10-15 pages usually, and additional theoretical material that will help you solve it. In the pharma case, it was reading a specific chapter of the book and use the tools described to solve the case. In addition, the professor posted some guiding questions. I read the case 2 days before the class and made my notes. Next day, I met my work group (6 people) to discuss the case and work on a group solution. My colleague was responsible to summarize our solution in a 3-page document, which was posted on a Wiki, so everybody could edit. The next day, we delivered our written solution to the professor before the class. During class, the professor facilitates the case discussion with the other groups, totalling 50 people. He uses the frameworks provided by the book and clarifies our doubts. Parts of the case have no right or wrong solution, so the discussion between groups is stimulated. At the end of the class, the professor may say what was the real solution implemented by the company and its results. Some days later he sends our grade on the case write-up. At the end of the term, our participation in class is also graded.
It is incredible how much more you learn with this method. First, you have to prepare, do your homework, and exercise the concepts read in the books. Second, you learn from discussing with your group. Most of the times, at least 1 person in the group has some experience in the topic discussed. Practicing team work and time management skills is also a daily duty. Last, you wrap-up your learning during class, by listening to the professors and the solutions from other groups. This is what IE calls ACTION LEARNING.
With this method, you are forced to study EVERYDAY and skipping classes becomes a huge risk to your learning and grades. In the other hand, when you reach the exams week, you do not need to bother much. Very likely you already learned much of the subject and secured your grade by class participation and assignments.
Why university was not like this? I will keep wondering...
# posted by Gustavo Pimentel : 7:24 AM
Comments:
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Caro Gustavo Pimentel,
Sou membro da AIESEC desde 2007. Fiz parte do LC de Coimbra, Portugal até ter partido para Tilburg, na Holanda, para fazer um mestrado, que acabo este ano lectivo.
Tinha visto no ano passado uma bolsa do IE para membros da @. Na altura já era muito em cima da hora para concorrer, mas ficou na memória.
Ao procurar informações, encontrei este blog. Tendo em conta a coincidência da língua (e, já agora, do apelido!), aproveito para lhe pedir uns conselhos!
Agora - e tendo em conta q uma das hipóteses que tenho é prosseguir os estudos - voltou-me a ocorrer a ideia do mestrado no IE (provavelmente o Mestrado em International Relations)
O problema é que não consigo encontrar no site as bolsas!
Tem ideia de como posso fazer para me candidatar? E qual é o prazo?
Abraços AIESECers!
P.S. como não tinha informação sobre email, não achei melhor (ou, para ser franco, nenhuma outra) opção senão escrever aqui!
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Sou membro da AIESEC desde 2007. Fiz parte do LC de Coimbra, Portugal até ter partido para Tilburg, na Holanda, para fazer um mestrado, que acabo este ano lectivo.
Tinha visto no ano passado uma bolsa do IE para membros da @. Na altura já era muito em cima da hora para concorrer, mas ficou na memória.
Ao procurar informações, encontrei este blog. Tendo em conta a coincidência da língua (e, já agora, do apelido!), aproveito para lhe pedir uns conselhos!
Agora - e tendo em conta q uma das hipóteses que tenho é prosseguir os estudos - voltou-me a ocorrer a ideia do mestrado no IE (provavelmente o Mestrado em International Relations)
O problema é que não consigo encontrar no site as bolsas!
Tem ideia de como posso fazer para me candidatar? E qual é o prazo?
Abraços AIESECers!
P.S. como não tinha informação sobre email, não achei melhor (ou, para ser franco, nenhuma outra) opção senão escrever aqui!
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