In the landscape of higher education, the role of faculty extends beyond traditional teaching methods. At CSU Global, faculty are part-time and actively engaged in their respective fields – and, with my background in both academia and the workforce, I’ve come to appreciate the transformative power of weaving real-world experiences into the fabric of our classrooms. Buckle up as we embark on a pedagogical road trip, exploring strategies that intertwine academia with the evolving dynamics of industry.
Cultivate a scenic route of relevant examples
A critical aspect to ensure students are thinking about navigating the real world, as well as studying theory, is cultivating relevance. Today’s asynchronous learning environments mean students can benefit from an immediate applicability of their knowledge. As an instructor, conveying both theoretical and practical knowledge is important.
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Case studies and discussions must reflect the contemporary industry landscape rather than just theoretical scenarios. This is the road less travelled, where students find resonance between classroom theories and the real-world job market. A student of mine, planning to start a company, was able to take the concepts taught in our marketing class to get the engines roaring in the right direction for their business.
Pit stops for open dialogue
Dialogue is not just a waypoint on this educational road trip, but also a series of pit stops where students fuel up on insights and experiences. Create and foster an environment where students are contributors as well as recipients. This two-way conversation transforms learning into a collaborative journey, leading to new insights – rather like the “alternate routes” a GPS offers when there’s traffic ahead. Pause at these dialogue pit stops to invite students to share their perspectives and experiences, and contextualise with industry-relevant knowledge. This allows them to refuel their motivation, leading to more success later on. Seeing students progress over the course of a term and eventually apply their newfound knowledge to the road of their career with vigour is inspiring.
Use technology to plan your route
Think of technology as a GPS to help us traverse the education landscape. Harness different tools such as video and virtual office hours to offer a personal touch and keep students on the right path. It is not just about embracing technology, but also about using it to help students on their educational journeys and create a multi-sensory learning experience, where theory and practice intertwine.
Build a global highway
Picture a global highway where students from different corners of the globe can connect with their instructors at times that overlap. This is an advantage of an asynchronous learning environment. A digital calendar is not just a scheduling tool; it is also a gateway to inclusivity. Students access discussion times suitable for their time zones to create a truly global classroom.
Because I made my digital calendar available, a student from Nigeria was able to find a time slot accessible to us both. We held a virtual one-on-one on a complex concept they were keen to explore, bridging the geographical distance to create a personalised learning experience. Leveraging technology for something as simple as scheduling can build a connection between student and teacher – and cultivate a global community.
Our pedagogical road trip arrives at its destination: holistic learning. Here, the classroom goes beyond four walls into the expanse of real-world relevance. By using tailored examples, shared experiences, mindful technology integration and a global scheduling approach, we have immersed students in a vibrant learning journey. We can help students find both theory and application merging on their highway to success but must keep exploring the ever-changing terrain of education to provide an enduring adventure in learning.
John Sinclair is a part-time faculty member in the MBA programme at CSU Global.
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