March 4, 2019
COB Faculty Recognized for Innovation
Dr. William Swart
An interdisciplinary team of ECU College of Business faculty won the prestigious Educational Innovation Award Competition of the Decision Sciences Institute for their innovation “Analytics Develops Teamwork Abilities that enhance the Learning of Analytics.” Over a period of several years, Dr. William Swart, Professor of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, was able to transform one of the most challenging and feared courses in ECU’s Master of Business Administration program into what students today proclaim as one of the most valuable courses in that program.
Together with Richard O’Dor, director of the College of Business Communications Center, Dr. Judy Siguaw, professor of marketing and associate dean of research and faculty development, and Dr, Joy Karriker, associate professor of management the course was transformed to employ the principles of flipped learning. One of the key principles is the use of interactive group learning. The innovation consists of concurrently developing teaming skills throughout the course as students engage to learn the subject matter.
An analysis of the data collected indicates conclusively that student teaming skills are enhanced during the course, that enhanced teaming skills result in improved learning outcomes, and that the enhanced teaming skills result in better teamwork and learning outcomes in subsequent courses.