Study on : Teaching HRM and Managerial Skills with a "living case"

http://works.bepress.com/cynthia_fisher/19/

 

This is a study conducted by 4 university lecturers where they are testing an innovatieve hypothesis that students can learn Human Resource Management lessons better if they are applying it themselves rather than the traditional classroom approach. They realise that the latter approach does not enhance the students' managerial skills needed in today's employment industry such as decision making, team skills, communication and leadership.The inexperienced students fails to apply the theory learnt into real life because they have never experience such problems.

In this journal,the researchers groups the students into small groups. They are given a living case [ on going case studies relating to future topics of the syllabus]. Students takes the role of an advisory group to executive management on human resource and labour relation issues. The group will try to solve HR problems given by the tutor and was asked to  develop HR policies for the organization as a whole where they must make a series of decision agreed on a consensus of the group for the benefit of the organization. The researcher finds that by letting the students think of the problems and finding own ways to solve it, this can instill a deeper understanding of the topics other than the traditional paper learning. Students working as a team skills is improved and it is fun as it it interactive. The students are able to develop some decision making skills almost par to the skills of those working in the managerial department.

I find that this is approach refreshing compared to the traditional classroom method i am using now in my lessons. This approach offers a more challenging student center as it consists of 80% activities where the students acts as active agents in decision making rather than being passive learners. Not only they will gain a greater understanding in the topics studied, it sharpens their ability to apply the knowledge to solve problems.  I look forward to apply this new revelation to my students next year.