Putting “Organizations” into an Organization Theory Course: A Hybrid CAO Model For Teaching Organization Theory

Abstract

In this article, the authors present a retrospective analysis of an instructor’s multiyear redesign of a course on organization theory into what is called a hybrid Classroom-as-Organization model. It is suggested that this new course design served to apprentice students to function in quasi-real organizational structures. The authors further argue that the quality of students’ apprenticeship experiences was influenced by three factors: (a) the relevance of the course content, (b) the authenticity of classroom exercises and activities, and (c) the physical context of the course. The authors substantiate their arguments by incorporating quantitative and qualitative data from eight rounds of course evaluations in their analyses. It is believed that the ideas discussed herein will be particularly interesting to instructors of organization theory and to other instructors who use Classroom-as-Organization models.

Keywords

organization theory experiential learning Classroom-as-Organization cognitive apprenticeship relevance authenticity physical context

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