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I need your help:>
>
> The McIntire school at the University of Virginia is a 2 yr
> undergrad Professional school with full time students. The two
> year program is well integrated, especially in the first year
> where blocks of students move thru the program together, giving
> us the opportunity to, for example, have group projects that
> continue over the whole semester, and bring in finance,
> marketing, management and MIS.
>
> This also gives us a chance to integrate some training in the
> use of technical tools (EXCEL, eg) and communication (writing,
> presentations) and group dynamics into the program. The
> question is where should these things be done. Whenever we
> look at this it always seems like a good idea to have some sort
> of intensive core training at the beginning of the semester,
> before the specific classes start, to get people up to speed
> with the tools they will need to do the work of being a student
> in their regular classes.
>
> Does anyone out there have experience with such a design? What
> are the options? How did you make the change? How did it
> work? Do you still do it? It seems pretty logical, but I
> don't know of anyplace where this is actually done. Twenty
> plus years ago I think something like this was tried in the
> UCLA MBA program, but I think it didn't last long.
>
> I'd appreciate hearing about ideas and experiences with the
> creation and use of core skill programs of this sort.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Gib Akin
> Monroe Hall, UVa
> Charlottesville, VA 22903
>
> 804-924-3847
> ************
>

suggest you run group projects in a background mode using
Internet-collaborative learning experience. Assign Darden case (??) for
analysis-preferably decision among alternatives-give groups 5-6 weeks.
They'll learn how to use emerging technology-work as a dispersed
group-jointly prepare single document--be able to compare face to face
experience with any time anywhere meetings
Chuck Morrissey Pepperdine

Gib Akin wrote:
<snip>
> > This also gives us a chance to integrate some training in the
> > use of technical tools (EXCEL, eg) and communication (writing,
> > presentations) and group dynamics into the program. The
> > question is where should these things be done. Does anyone out there
have experience with such a design? <snip>

Gib, Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh has a program that focuses
specifically on communication skills, including the use of the computer.
Unfortunately, for your purposes, a direct translation probably wouldn't
work, because they use it in a four-year curriculum. The first five
three-hour courses are designed and taught by the communication department.
The last four three-hour courses require the students to apply those
skills in other disciplines, such as OB, strategy, etc.

Nell Hartley at RMC could tell you more about it. (Good to see you're
still going strong.)

Emily Schultheiss
Why settle for surviving...when you could be thriving?