Colleagues,
Joe Hoyle is right on. Answers are fleeting and variable. Questions are
much more durable. So teach both how to question, and how to answer
questions. Teach how to develop answering processes based on asking
questions. Teach consensus building methods such as Nominal Group Theory so
that teams can come to conclusions.
The gotcha to making significant decisions is less the process or result
than "selling the answers" to stakeholders. Accuracy, quality, skills,
databases, etc. don't change minds.
>> The decision is not complete until we've asked, answered, and developed a
strategy for marketing the decision to all key classes of stakeholder.
>> Seeing the decision through a marketing lens gives a powerful perspective
with new questions that can improve the decision by making it marketable.
Best,
Gary
...................................................................
Gary Lundquist
GaryL@Market-Engineering.com
Director@InnoSearchColorado.com
303-840-9929
Energizing InnovationT
-----Original Message-----
From: Management Education and Development Discussion
[mailto:
MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Hoyle, Joe
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 8:33 AM
To:
MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject:
A friend of mine sent me this thread and I wanted to make a quick comment
although I am not part of this group.
I have taught now for 39 years in college but I have used the Socratic
Method exclusively since 1991 (every single day). I was named the 2007
Virginia Professor of the Year by CASE which makes me think that, despite
the fact that students do want to be handed answers, it is a method that
does work very well if your goal is to get students to prepare, consider,
and reason. The key is, I think, to stretch them a little, question by
question, and not throw them into questions that they cannot possibly
answer.
As a result, I am in the process (along with C. J. Skender of UNC) of
writing an entire textbook in a question and answer (Socratic) format. It
is an intro Financial Accounting textbook and is being published (as a free
textbook, no less) by Flat World Knowledge. The book comes out as an online
book in the next 4-6 weeks. I love the Socratic approach so much that I
wanted to see if it could not be used to create a new type of textbook.
Ask those questions!!!!
Joe Hoyle
Robins School of Business
University of Richmond
From: Management Education and Development Discussion
[mailto:
MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of George Graen
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 9:18 AM
To:
MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: Re: Teaching Methods
Ray,
I find that we cannot improve on the old Greek. I've tried.
George
\In a message dated 11/10/2009 8:03:04 A.M. Central Standard Time,
ramon@RAYVENERO.COM writes:
George-
Thank you for your post. I'm on the same page. Even my graduate students
want me to "tell" them the "right" answer. There's no better method for
developing critical thinking (and for that matter run a business) that by
asking questions until all the dots connect. Ray
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
________________________________
From: George Graen <
Lmxlotus@AOL.COM>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:57:46 -0500
To: <
MG-ED-DV@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU>
Subject: Teaching Methods
Jeanie,
I have employed the "Socratic method" of asking successively approximating
questions with answers to train my students to think in a functional manner
about issues in the management of human talent. Selected cases work well
when properly framed and systematically processed. I find that this
Socratic method is most effective with students who respect the competence
of their instructor and classmates, trust the motives of their instructor,
and share with the instructor and their classmates a desire for authentic
learning. I think that learning using this process contributes much more
than watching film clips of TV shows, playing business games, or lecturing a
class. But that's only me.
George Graen
Professor, Psychology, UIUC (Ret.)
/