A BRAND NEW COURSE

MEETING LUBIN STUDENT’S COMMUNICATION

NEEDS

Purpose

• To identify two problems critical to Pace students

• To outline solutions, via curriculum, to solve these problems

• To demonstrate that faculty, even adjunct faculty can influence Pace curriculum.

Robert L. Unger

• Allegheny College – B.A.

• Columbia Business School – M.B.A.

• General Foods (Kraft) -- Product Manager

• Pfizer Inc (Consumer Health Care Group) Vice President – Marketing

• Pace – Adjunct Assistant Professor -- Marketing

Lubin Students

• Communication Skills (Writing and Speaking) are not up to par

• Are, in general unaware of what goes on in world around them

• Won’t live up to potential no matter how much Marketing (or Finance etc.) they know.

Pace Students vs. “Elite” Schools

• Working Class• “Average” H.S.• First generation Univ.• Narrow background• Smart enough• Shy• Not used to

interacting

• Upper Middle Class• Excellent H.S.• Edu. Is family tradition• Broad interests• Smart• More confident• More use to

interacting

PROBLEMS

• Pace core English and Speech courses not enough

• Need to overcome natural advantages of more “privileged” students

• Pace’s most important role?

BUSINESS 296 ABUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS

• A FIRST STEP TOWARDS SOLVING IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS.

Increasing Awareness

• New York Times

• Why don’t students read?• NOT because not smart enough

• “It was not in my home -- parents didn’t read it”

• “It is not for people like me”

Increasing Awareness

• NY Times every day

• All topics , written and oral, drawn from NY Times

• All topics of students choosing

• ‘Why the Red Sox beat the Yankees”

• “How the Patriot Act affects civil rights”.

Writing Skills

• Not going to make up for 12 years of inadequate education

• Most Pace students know what to do

• Why don’t they do it?

Writing Skills

• Business Writing is different from essay writing

• There really is one best way – easily taught (Example)

• Business 296A emphasizes DOING

• Professor as Coach

• Pace students COULD be BETTER than Columbia Students.

WRITING

• Four week unit

• Four papers

• Student as well as Professor critiques (and why this is so important)

• Course is now “Writing Enhanced”

Speaking Skills

• One on One

• Small Group Discussions

• Meetings

• Presentations

One on One

• Students used to speaking to peers -- not business associates or superiors

• Pressure situation example

• Job interview

• How to LEAD rather than react with one (or few) word answers

• One week

Small Group Discussion (Participant)

• Know what you are talking about

• Most Pace students do “know the answer”

• Few volunteer the answer

• Practice, practice, practice.

Small Group Discussion(Leader)

• Once per week

• Know what you are talking about• Keep all on track• And on time• Beginning, middle and end• Next Steps• Four week unit.

Presentations

• Informal: Speaking from notes -- no reading

• Formal: PowerPoint No Notes

• Four Week Unit

Fall 2004

• 9 Students

• 3 verbally indicated “most valuable” course ever taken

• All enthusiastic (student evaluations)

Fall 2005

• ?????

Next Steps

• Offer both semesters?

• Attract more students

• Revise core curriculum?

• Required course for Lubin Students?

Discussion Topics

• How to attract more students

• How to convince administration to move ahead

• How to improve course

• Can you help me?