Rationale

MBA 610, Analytical Decision Making was redesigned for this project. The course objective is to develop quantitative reasoning and decision-making skills in our MBA students. The course redesign emphasizes the use of personal mobile technology by each MBA student. The goal of this redesign is to change the learning experience from passive observation to real-time, active participation thereby enhancing learning outcomes and analytical decision making skills in MBAs.

The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast has one satellite campus and three teaching and research sites along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi (Stennis Space Center, Gulf Coast Research Lab, Jackson County). On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast and destroyed teaching facilities and classroom technology at 3 of the 4 sites. Our strategic response was to fully implement mobile, wireless technology while operating out of temporary facilities and rebuilding the campus. The HP Technology for Teaching grant allowed Dr. LaFleur and the College of Business to respond to this crisis, while enhancing learning in the MBA program and improving quality.

Beyond the obvious benefit of exposure to state-of-the-art technology, this project enhanced learning outcomes – the central learning issue. Learning theory identifies five levels of learning, and the passive reception of information and the ability to memorize and repeat information is the lowest level of learning. When the student is actively involved in applying theory, concepts and technology tools to business situations and decision-making, the student achieves the application and integration levels of learning. The project included multiple, active mobile technology-based applications that were not place-bound.

The central teaching issue was continuous improvement. An accredited College of Business must continuously update its curricula to reflect the changing business world and to better serve its two customer groups: students, and the businesses that employ its graduates. Mobile commerce and technologies are the Katrina-reality of business on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2006 and beyond, and competitive business graduates must be comfortable and competent users of mobile technology. When courses are modified to fully develop these skills, everyone wins. Business faculty and students gain mobile technology skills, and the College better serves the needs of the business community regarding employee training. Consistent with the mission of the College of Business, this strategy develops the careers of both faculty and students.

Implementation (pedagogy)

Analytical Decision Making (MBA 610) is a required course, and the course objective is to develop quantitative decision making skills. Students use SPSS software to complete a series of analysis and decision papers, using a variety of statistical techniques. They also work in teams to gather data in the field, analyze it, and present their findings at the end of the semester.

Analytical decision-making courses on the MBA level rely heavily on statistical analysis. The traditional class approach emphasizes the memorization of formulas, the hand-calculation of statistics, and assesses student learning with tests. This approach does not serve the needs of today’s MBA student.

Dr. LaFleur redesigned the MBA 610 course to develop application skills, using SPSS software in a series of applied analysis and decision-making projects. MBA students reviewed basic statistical concepts, and were familiarized with the software. From this point, technology and real data were used. Projects included using quantitative analysis to profile customer groups, to segment markets, to test hypotheses in the human resources area, to analyze experimental outcomes, and to develop predictive models dealing with subjects such as employee retention, or customer satisfaction and loyalty. This interactive applied approach resulted in improved student learning, and developed the MBA student’s ability to apply these skills to organizational problems and opportunities.

The course redesign strategy was to actively engage the students in the use of mobile technology and its application to quantitative analysis and decision-making. Each MBA student was issued an individual tablet PC at the beginning of the Fall 2006 semester. The technology enabled four types of course alterations:
1. Mirroring assignments
2. Application assignments
3. Synthesizing assignments
4. Off-site assignments

Mirroring assignments included the students’ use of technology in the classroom to replicate the professor’s presentations, statistical analyses, and preparation of statistical output. The granted equipment actively involved each MBA student in each class meeting. Application assignments included the students’ use of technology, both in the classroom and at remote sites to analyze databases, to profile customer or industry groups, to review statistical output, and to prepare individual papers and group presentations.

Synthesizing off-site assignments included the students’ use of technology, working in teams at remote sites to gather and analyze field data, and to make recommendations for a business enterprise or economic sector impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

Implementation (technology)

The MBA students were issued a tablet PC in the first class. In each class, they utilized SPSS and office productivity software and databases to manipulate data, complete analysis, and enhance lecture notes. This transformed each student’s experience from passive observation to active participation. This interactive learning environment engaged the students with the professor and their peers with real time communication and the wireless exchange of information from any location. They learned more about analysis, and become proficient users of mobile wireless technology.

In MBA 610, students completed 5 analysis assignments utilizing SPSS software and increasingly difficult statistical methods. Each student submitted analysis papers electronically, and these papers were the basic measures used in the course. They document errors and improvement in analytical reasoning, and understanding of the analytical technique.

In the final analysis project, students worked in teams to collect data in the field. They analyzed it, and presented their findings. These class projects focused on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast economy and assessed the impact on regional business. Team projects included post-Katrina assessments of residential real estate prices, an analysis of employment statistics and trends, and an evaluation of storm impacts on Gulf Coast small businesses.

Impact on Teaching

Dr. LaFleur taught this class on the Gulf Coast during the Fall Semester, 2005. During that term, students had no individual classroom technology that enabled interactive learning. They passively observed the professor. The Fall, 2005 cohort serves as a comparative group. Analysis papers are being compared to those of Fall, 2006 students who used the tablet PC to interactively learn. If using a mobile, wireless and interactive teaching approach was successful, and the project outcomes realized, there will be an observable difference in the quality of analysis papers. These differences were examined using content analysis.

Impact on Student Learning

When Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, almost all of our teaching technology was destroyed along with our campus. One year ago our MBA students completed this course with no personal classroom technology.

During the Fall semester 2006, the HP equipment allowed us to respond to ad hoc facilities with state of the art teaching technology. It transformed the learning experience from passive to active. Content Analysis was used to assess project results. Three assignments in analytical decision making were compared between a control group (no tablets) and an experimental group (individual tablets used in the class). The study goals were to assess learning in technology and in mathemetics. Two error rates in assignments were recorded: technological (software and graphical learning/skills) and mathematical (statistical and interpretation learning/skills). The study results document enhanced technological learning/skills in the experimental group on 2 of 3 assignments, significant at the .05 level. Although differences in mathematical skills were observed, these were not statistically significant. For full study results, click here for an MS Word document or a PDF.

One year from now, we will continue to use the HP equipment in our MBA classes. This will allow students to experience personal mobile technology and achieve higher levels of learning. Regional business will benefit as our MBA students integrate these skills into their job responsibilities.