Improving Performance Through Experiential Learning: For the Student as Well as the Instructor

Introduction

A very quick review of the literature on experiential learning would reveal scores of articles reporting on the advantages and disadvantages associated with experiential learning, and comparing the same to more traditional approaches. Since it is not the purpose of this report to expound on the merits of the various approaches, only a summary of the advantages of experiential teaching are presented. These include:

While experiential learning has proven to enhance the learning process for students, far less attention has been given to the impact on Professors. This paper will discuss how a project class taught in an experiential learning format has led to an improved educational experience for both students and the professor, and how the class has continued to evolve into its present status.

Teaching Philosophy

My philosophy of the most effective way of promoting learning has evolved and changed over my 22 years of teaching. Initially, my classes tended to be very structured, with a "you have a lot to learn from me" orientation. Over the years, I learned that teaching is most effective when all parties learn--i.e., I have found that I have as much to learn from my students as they do from me, and by integrating this information into my classes, all are likely to benefit more. I have also discovered that given the encouragement, trust and confidence required, students will be more motivated to learn experientially than they will if spoon fed information.

As a result of my own learning, I developed a class in which students were given the freedom to get out of the class what they put into it. In other words, the degree of effort and motivation that students were willing to give would be reflected in the knowledge and experience that they receive in return. This mode of instruction has convinced me on numerous occasions that the best way to allow a student to recognize his/her own abilities is to allow them to do the work--i.e., allow them to know that what they get out of a course will be a direct result of what they put into it.

The Class: Marketing 472--Advertising and Promotions Management

Marketing 472 has been offered once a year for approximately the past 15 years. The class has been designed to be a follow-up class to Marketing 373--Marketing Communications and Promotions, which serves as a prerequisite. ( Marketing 373 is an introductory class covering the principles of advertising, promotion, public relations, direct marketing and personal selling, and the roles of each in the marketing communications mix). The class has always involved projects in which students are required to implement what they have learned in Marketing 373 through the development of a comprehensive promotional plan. Real life companies--both local and national-- and/or national competitions (Advertising Research Foundation, Specialty Advertising Association, US Center for Disease Control, among others) have always served as the clients. The final product is a promotional plan that could be used by the client. In return, the clients provide working funds and contribute to the department.

The class is structured in the form of an advertising agency, with students forming into departments--i.e., creative, research, media, etc. Each department is evaluated internally, that is, by each of their peers as well as externally (faculty and others, to be discussed later in this report). Course evaluations are also taken to provide feedback to the instructor.

Performance Evaluations--An Evolving Process

In order to improve the course offering, and the experience for students and all others involved, a series of evaluative measures are taken. Prior to discussing these, however, it is important to note that initially, only one measure of feedback was taken--i.e., course evaluations. All others have been added as the course and the need for evaluation have evolved. As such, they will be presented in the order they were added to the evaluation process.

1. Debriefing

After realization that students often provide little written feedback on course evaluations, and that the numerical evaluations are received well after many students have departed, I began to ask students for their verbal feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses during the last class period. To insure that students would not be afraid to provide such feedback, I gave my word that there would be no negative repercussions, and encouraged all to write their comments anonymously and drop them off at the departmental office or slide them under my door.

2. Internal evaluations

As is the case in almost any group setting, it soon became clear that the students participate and contribute at different levels. As the instructor, it is not always obvious as to the various levels of contribution. To gain insight into this area, and to improve participation, evaluation forms were developed so that students could evaluate (anonymously) other group member--with both a letter grade and written comments.

3. External evaluations

Of course, each group and the class overall are evaluated by the instructor--in the form of written comments and grades. However, often the client has a different set of objectives and perspectives. As the process of adding and deleting clients evolved, only more serious and involved clients were retained. These clients were more than willing to provide feedback to the students, orally, written and as a grade. This feedback process has become a formal requirement for client participation. As the value of this feedback became apparent, this form of evaluation was extended to asking the clients how they might assess the performanceof the instructor, and were encouraged to provide feedback there as well.

4. Awards

The final measure of course performance are the awards themselves--specifically, in the competitions. As the faculty member, I have followed up to determine how each class has performed in the competition, and the areas of strengths and weaknesses. Suggestions for improvement have been requested.

Each of these forms of feedback have been used to achieve a better class. As each of these inputs has been provided, adaptations to the course have resulted. For example, intragroup evaluations derived from studentsí complaints regarding nonparticipation of group members. Class size was reduced when feedback indicated that too many students led to communication difficulties and management problems. Students from outside the business school--specifically journalism-- have been recruited to participate in the class when feedback indicated that the products were well designed from a planning perspective, but lacked creativity . The course has been team taught with a professor from Journalism to gain additional insights and perspectives on advertising not typically learned by business majors, etc.

Changes in the Course

Specifically, a number of changes to the course resulted from this feedback. At the beginning of the semester students are provided with a course packet. The packet contains an overview of the course, the syllabus, specific requirements, etc. Also included is a peer evaluation form which is discussed in detail. The discussion makes it clear from the very onset that there will be an evaluation of oneís performance by his/her peers. It is also specifically noted that the purpose of this form is to insure that all participate and that that the peer evaluations carry a very high degree of weight in the final grade determination.

Class size has been limited to no more than 30 students. This allows for a six department grouping of no more than 5 students per group, which makes the individual groups as well as the class more manageable.

By integrating students from other disciplines outside of the business school, everyone gained in their breadth of knowledge. Each discipline seems to have their own perspectives on matters, and each has its own method for diffusing this information. By admitting students from other disciplines, I, as a Professor, and my students gained additional knowledge from areas in which we would never have had the time--or perhaps the interest--to pursue. For example, while business students may be well skilled in research and planning, journalism students provide creative insights, and a different perspective on presenting information to target audiences. While Marketing students have their own set of skills, Accounting and Finance peers provide the financial perspectives not typically stressed in Marketing classes. Some of this information might be acquired in textbooks, some can only be gained from interaction.

By teaming with those outside of the academic setting, everyone gains in a number of ways. First, the unique problems faced in the "real" world are made obvious. Many strategies that make sense in the classroom are--for various reasons--not workable in practice as a result of managerial constraints, politics, etc. Second, reality is provided as a key ingredient. All organizations do not have substantial marketing budgets. (For those in nonprofit organizations with which we have worked there may be no budget at all.) Many ideas which make sense in an "ideal" world are not possible, and adjustments must be made. Finally, the experience provided by those working in a specific industry is invaluable. No matter how much we read, we can never be as completely immersed in the industries as those working there for years. The insights they provide are invaluable as a learning experience for the instructor and the students.

Finally, by observing the thought patterns and outcomes of students who are allowed to express themselves, I have learned that there are more ways of thinking about subjects than I ever could have imagined. Given their idiosyncratic lifestyles, students provide a variety of insights and perspectives. By taking these into consideration, I now have an ability to think about things from more than one point of view. The result of this is to make me think more about everything I say or do in the classroom, and allows me to offer additional insights to my students--whether they be undergraduates, graduates or professionals in seminars.

Results

As noted, both the evaluation process and the course has continued to evolve--and improve--as the results of the feedback have been implemented. The course as it is being taught now has little resemblance to the same course taught 15 years ago. Clients--scarce at the start-- are now being turned away or referred to others due to an excess in supply.

In more quantitative terms the following represent the improved quality of the course:

1. Demand for the course always exceeds class limits.
2. Evaluations of the course and the instructor have continued to improve, with
     scores being among the highest in the College of Business.
3. In the past 10 years, every client has asked to participate again.
4. A number of competitive awards have been won including: While these awards represent the performance of the students participating in these courses, they vastly underestimate their achievements. This report is essentially the "tip of the iceberg" regarding the changes and improvements that have taken place in the course, and in respect to the benefits to the students.

Professor Michael A. Belch
Marketing Department
San Diego State University