Introducing Service Learning and Storytelling Concepts to OM Course Projects

1. Introducing Service Learning and Storytelling Concepts to OM Course Projects David Xin Ding, Ph.D., PMP University of Houston xding@uh.edu

2. Agenda • Motivation • Project • Introduction • Examples • Practice • Tips and summary

3. What Areas Would You like to Improve in Class? Area 1? Class Area 3? Area 2?

4. Motivation • Help connect course subjects to business practices • Help connect students with others (e.g., in the class, across different classes) • Help build the platform for future/repetitive learning

5. Business Practice To bridge concepts with business practice To facilitate learning among teams and across classes Service Learning Continuous Learning Project Gallery Cooperative Learning Story Telling To support continuous learning

6. Service Learning • Service Learning (4Rs)* • Reality – exposure to business practice • In-depth contact, over time, allowing complex problems to emerge • Reflection – own learning experience • Significant reflection; exploring multiple impacts & issues • Reciprocity – information exchange • Sustained contact; sharing knowledge & expertise • Responsibility – commitment • Significant investments of time and energy • Facilitates lasting focus on broader goals *Adapted from Godfrey & Berry, “Creating Breadth in Business Education Through Service-Learning,” Academy of Management Learning & Education, 2005, 4:3, 309-323.

7. Story Telling • Business practice ≠ what is taught in classrooms ≈ art rather than science & is captured by stories told by community members • “As stories evolve, richer understanding of the phenomenon is developed, and new integrated approaches to solving problems are created” (Crossan, et al., 1999). Cite from Crossan, M. M., Lane, H. W., & White, R. E. “An organizational learning framework: From intuition to institution,” 1999, Academy of Management Review, 24:3, 522-537.

8. Project Summary • Service Learning • Identify local profit/nonprofit organizations • Interview employees/owners • Analyze their operational process • Concentrate on certain operations related concepts • Storytelling • Create a story to illustrate the concept • Identify the connection between the concept & business operations • Show the connection through acting • Produce the episodes

9. Project Implementation

11. Project Templates • Project identification • Company identification • Project release form • Storyboard • Work log • Project report templates

12. List of Project Equipment • High definition HD-based camcorder • Directional microphone • Three way tripod • Voice recorder • Video editing software • Video hosting website

13. Project Examples

15. Types of Project Specific Topics RolePlay Documentary General Operations

16. Comparison of Different Types of Project

17. Project Assessments

18. Assessment – Course Evaluations

19. Project Extension/Transferability

20. Extended Cooperative Learning Production & Service Operations Class 1. Work logs 3. Videos 4. Screen Critics 2. Process Feedback Team Leadership Class Quality Improvement Class Communication Class 5. Event Ideas Digital Media Class 7. Campaign Materials 6. Campaign Proposals

22. Practice Time! • Project identification • Company identification • Project release form • Storyboard • Work log • Project report templates

23. Practice Time • Format: • 3-5 minutes episodes • Demonstrating certain OM topics or showcasing operations practices within a local organization

24. Practice Time • Steps • Choose topic(s) • Develop scripts • Select potential clients/companies • Translate scripts into storyboards • Setup scenes at selected clients • Rehearsal • Shoot/edit/stream episodes

25. Questions? David Xin Ding, Ph.D., PMP Information and Logistics Technology Department University of Houston, Houston TX 77204 Phone: (713)743-4095 Email: xding@uh.edu