Rethink the Business Curriculum: Build Rigorous Business Administration Programs of Study © 2010 by MBA Research James R. Gleason, Ph.D. President/CEO,

Rethink the Business Curriculum: Build Rigorous Business Administration Programs of Study

© 2010 by MBAResearch

James R. Gleason, Ph.D.President/CEO, MBAResearch2010 NCLA, Maumee, Ohio

Repositioning Business/Marketing: Build Rigorous Business Administration Programs of Study

• Environmental scan• Positioning and repositioning• Business Administration • MBA ExecNet • High School of Business™ program model• MBA High School™ • Online learning centers


James R. Gleason, Ph.D.President/CEO, MBAResearch 2010 Career Cluster Institute

MBAResearch

• Not-for-profit• Consortium of 38 states• Curriculum research center• Assessment center• Professional development center• Advocate of business/marketing ed



38-state Consortium

Environment

• Mixed focus, inconsistent labeling


Business EducationEconomics EducationMarketing Education

Business TechnologiesBusiness and Marketing EdEntrepreneurship Education

Finance EducationBPA, DECA, FBLA

vs.business


Programs of Study• Entrepreneurship• Finance• Hospitality/Tourism• Information Technology• Management/Administration • Marketing• Personal Finance


Environment

• Perception issues • Mixed focus, inconsistent labeling


Perceptions(Qualitative, anecdotal data)

• EZ • Non-college• Focus on clerical• Fun tech (real tech to tech ed)• Consumer-oriented business• One size (lowest common denominator)• CTSO-based• Dated curriculum• Expensive


Environment

• Employment opportunities• Perception issues• Mixed focus, inconsistent labeling


Employment Opportunities

• Reduced demand for clerical (only) support• Increased demand for finance/accounting• Increased demand for marketing• Increased demand for management• Increased for project management!• Increased need for technical literacy!• Varied needs for “true” IT

College required!© 2010 by MBAResearch

Environment

• Current trends in schools • Employment opportunities • Perception issues • Mixed focus, inconsistent labeling


Trends in High Schools• Down-grading/Eliminating keyboarding• School stores upgraded/eliminated• Down-grading computer applications• Increased demand for personal finance• Increased project-based pedagogy• Increased emphasis on standards• Increased emphasis on certification• Demand for academic integration• Co-op work experience dropped• Enrollment issues• Program elimination• Cross-certification scheduling


Environmental Summary: • Business adm is #1 in employment opps• Business adm represents 39% of jobs• Business adm is #1 declared major…• Entrepreneurship is top-of-mind nationwide• Business adm is not taught in most HS• “Business” is small part of business ed• “Marketing” is small part of marketing ed• Personal finance is not business• Tech is not business


Positioning


Positioning:

The growth and stability of business education will depend on how others perceive the program.

• Administrators• Counselors• Parents• Student peers• Business• Gate keepers


Concept of Brand• Brand promise


Concept of Brand• Brand promise (TRUE!)• Consumer oriented• Perception of value• Consistency (product/service)• Differentiated• Recognizable• Marketing for equity• Long-term• Protected equity• Example: MBA High School of Business™ © 2010 by MBAResearch

Business Administration Standards

• Extensive global secondary research• National industry validation• Continuing updates• Executive advisory network

…free!


Jobs Finance Jobs Marketing Jobs Hospitality Jobs JobsAdministration Jobs Finance Jobs Marketing Jobs Jobs

MarketingMarketing

Management & AdministrationManagement & Administration

FinanceFinance

HospitalityHospitality

Jobs Finance Jobs Marketing Jobs Hospitality Jobs JobsAdministration Jobs Finance Jobs Marketing Jobs Jobs

MarketingMarketing


FinanceFinance


Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

MarketingMarketing


FinanceFinance


BusinessCore

BusinessCore

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Industry-validated Standards


MBA ExecNET

• Nationwide• Continuing input; homogeneous groups• Surveys, discussion boards, etc• 20-minute commitment (monthly)• Role: advise, advocate, participate (local)



Programs of StudyPrograms of Study


End of Program Exams(Programs-of-Study)


CourseProfiles

Course Guides

In-depthLAP

Modules

Professional Development

• Teachers• Local curriculum leaders• Counselors


Online Learning Center

Standards-basedcurriculum development

Regional Drive-in Workshops

• Austin, TX• DC• Eugene, OR• Las Vegas, NV• New Orleans, LA• Orlando, FL• Providence, RIOther sites pending.


MBA High School™

• Adopt baseline core standards• Involve business community• Establish minimum “program” criteria

• Associated evaluation rubrics• Document student success• Extend professional development• Develop accreditation processes• Market as nationwide brand


MBA High School Honors Program



• 33 schools (diverse!)• 9 states • 7 new sites for fall• 8 courses

Lessons Learned

• Program structure: career opportunities or college majors (v. delivery systems)

• Business Administration is? CTE

• Standards independent of delivery

• Industry-validated standards

• Integration of academics for reinforcement

• Differentiated curricula


Lessons learned (continued)

• Nature of Curricula:• Rigorous (v. “hard”)• Relevant (career or college)

• Accounting v. Finance• History…

• General to specialized• Low to high (build on prior k)• Support depth and mastery• P of S philosophy



• Strong pedagogy• High-engagement• Strong accountability (mastery)• Use of technology (tech on every desk)• Use of student research (brief v. lecture)• B-community participation

• Project/Inquiry-based?



• Project-based pedagogy (blended)• Standards-based (begin with end)• Designed around specific PI clusters• Continuing (varied-scope sub-projects)• Project planning incorporated

(e.g., FlowCal)• Research skills incorporated• Balanced with testing/mastery• Balanced with directed • Teacher-facilitator



• Student research skills• Multiple sources (documented)• Data synthesis• Emulate real world

• Short reports w/ documentation• Focus groups, etc.• Tied to real need (service)



• Rigorous professional development• Continuing• Pedagogy and content• Facilitation skills• Curriculum planning• Project planning• Cohort group• Outcomes-oriented



• DATA required• Documentation of need• Enrollment data• Student performance by course• End-of-program proof-of-learning• Certification by exam• Follow-up data


MBAResearch.org

MBAResearchwww.MBAResearch.org

[email protected]@MBAResearch.org


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Rethink the Business Curriculum: Build Rigorous Business Administration Programs of Study © 2010 by MBA Research James R. Gleason, Ph.D. President/CEO,