Pedagogical Approach

This course is based on the following assumptions about learning:

• Students retain knowledge best when it is contextualized and related to something they actually have to do.
• Students learn best by doing, and by making mistakes.
• Students solidify skills and expand upon them by reflecting on the strategies they used to solve problems and comparing their solutions with other successful responses.

These assumptions are embodied in the course in the following ways:

Everything the student is asked to do in this course is related to the job of an IT professional. To assist in the design and implementation of security procedures at C-Bay, the student must move through a series of tasks, mastering one task before advancing to the next one.

The student may revise and resubmit work several times before demonstrating mastery of skills. The mentor may ask the student to do multiple iterations of each task in order to approximate mastery level. Each round of feedback is designed to move the student closer to the goal of producing professional quality work.

The Scenario-Based Learning instructor encourages students to find answers to their questions and self-correct by accessing the courseware's support features or by consulting supplemental materials. In addition, some instructors choose to provide step-by-step assessment as students learn to use complex technical tools to solve Scenario-Based tasks. This assessment usually takes the form of extended mini-tasks that give students focused practice on critical skills before they plunge into the main Scenario-Based Learning task. The mini-tasks give students a chance to try out their skills, and the instructors can assess student performance. Other forms of assessment are used too, such as reflection discussions at the end of the task and final tests. In all these different forms, assessment in Scenario-Based Learning is designed to focus on the critical professional skills for workplace success and the content knowledge to solve complex problems.

Classroom sessions extend online assignments and, whenever possible, stay within the fiction. For example, in the first task the students have to present a critique of the current draft of C-Bay’s security policy. In the classroom, the students will critique each other’s work as if they were attending the presentation. In-class activities emphasize the social skills necessary in a business environment which are not easily practiced in the online environment.

Students also gain experience working in teams both in the classroom and off-site. Assignments are coordinated by team members communicating through the collaboration tools provided online. By working in teams, the students also begin to understand the importance of project management and develop “best practices” for completing their work in a timely and effective manner.