I taught advanced English at the MBA level at one of Europe’s most prestigious MBA programs and another prep course for a different well known MBA program. When I started the unit on market vocabulary I found that they couldn’t explain what a publicly traded company was (towards the end of their MBA specialising in management and finance). I basically had to teach them both English and the fundamentals of economics, business and finance.
When I taught a unit on global warming and its effect on business...my students (most of them from Latin America) were sceptical that there was any evidence of global warming and they refused to do any research on it (I would have failed them for that but I was not effectively able to fail my student. I had to give them a second and third try. By then I realised I would be testing and retesting them (without extra compensation) until they passed. So I just passed them even though they barely studied or spoke English. They still couldn’t explain what a share was and how it is publicly traded after teaching it three times in three different ways.
They had no idea what exactly an economic model was. The believed that investing in stocks was a very safe investment. They believed that chance plays almost no role in business and investing success. They believed that economic models (even though they couldn’t tell me anything about it) was all the “evidence” one needed to justify any theory (the ones they agreed with such as full on pure free market capitalism).
Many of their teachers were CEOs of successful companies. The teachers did not use many sources of academic standard nor did they critically analyse much of their sources and “evidence” (let alone teach them how to critically analyse anything).
Some of the textbooks were OK in terms of university level material with chapters on how to objectively analyse theories, models, evidence etc. however those chapters were skipped.
Judging by conversations I’ve had with other students who have done MBA programs … I have my serious doubts that MBA programs are scientifically sound. Good luck finding any funding to properly investigate this.
Clueless students is not much evidence about epistemic status of the content of the courses they took. There are places that graduate similarly clueless physics and engineering students (who use the degree to get jobs doing something else).
Really? These students sound particularly clueless—the equivalent of a physics student who can’t take a derivative or solve a statics problem. I’d be very surprised to find one of those in say MIT’s grad school.
It was one of the highest ranking business schools in the world. It wouldn’t be fair to “out” the school based on my own limited experience with one group of students.
I taught advanced English at the MBA level at one of Europe’s most prestigious MBA programs and another prep course for a different well known MBA program. When I started the unit on market vocabulary I found that they couldn’t explain what a publicly traded company was (towards the end of their MBA specialising in management and finance). I basically had to teach them both English and the fundamentals of economics, business and finance.
When I taught a unit on global warming and its effect on business...my students (most of them from Latin America) were sceptical that there was any evidence of global warming and they refused to do any research on it
It’s a huge red flag for me if someone tries to teach a controversial political issue in an English class.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to learn that MBA programs are mainly selling credentials and not knowledge. If you are mainly interested in knowledge, you can probably get it for free online; in books; or by simply sitting in on MBA classes.
I used a case study (widely used in English classes in MBA programs) on how to deal with global warming in business situations. This ranges from predicting the future costs of global warming on business (or benefits), having a policy or stand on global warming, the benefits of using green technology in response to global warming etc. An international businessperson should be able to express their stance on environmental issues in English.
In continental Europe global warming is not particularly controversial in politics, public opinion, the business world or academia.
Far more controversial topics are taught in English classes. It’s typical to open up a section of a class by stating an outrageous stance on a controversial topic to start up a heated debate. Students who otherwise stay quiet and uninterested in class engage in the class, speak spontaneously and learn to defend their views in English in a hostile environment.
An international businessperson should be able to express their stance on environmental issues in English.
That sounds correct to me, however there is a danger that membership in a tribe other than that of the professor will undermine the student’s grade or standing in the eyes of the professor. Which in fact looks like it may have happened in your case.
In continental Europe global warming is not particularly controversial in politics, public opinion, the business world or academia.
Well apparently it was controversial in your class. Anyway, so that I understand what you are saying, can you please tell me your definition of “global warming”?
Well apparently it was controversial in your class.
That struck me, too, so I reread, and the point is that disagreement was produced by mixing students from Latin America with a class in continental Europe.
That struck me, too, so I reread, and the point is that disagreement was produced by mixing students from Latin America with a class in continental Europe.
I noticed that too, but I think it doesn’t really undermine my point that he injected a politically controversial issue into an English class. Perhaps a better way to put it is to observe that he injected an issue where beliefs depend a lot on tribal membership so to speak. Even if most of the people where the university is located are members of the Correct Tribe, it’s still a red flag.
ETA: Besides which, I am skeptical of the claim that “global warming” is uncontroversial in continental Europe as opposed to other parts of the world. (Of course it is unclear what “global warming” means and interestingly a lot of the fervent believers in “global warming” are not able to define the phrase.)
Here is the Wikipedia article on “Climate Change Opinion by Country.”
In particular, have a look at the maps in the upper right. It actually looks like people in Latin America are MORE likely to believe that “rising temperatures are a result of human activities” than people from continental Europe.
Some colleges are more strict about letting people in than others, but particularly in city campuses, I’ve found that without prior appointment, you usually won’t be allowed access to the areas where classes take place at all.
However, once you’re allowed in for any reason, generally nobody will check whether you’re supposed to be in any specific part of campus you choose to visit.
I’m not sure I understand your question, but anyway I went to grad school in an urban area of a major city and there were no ID checks during business hours, i.e. when classes were held. There was security to keep thieves and other ne’er-do-wells out but not to keep people from auditing classes.
In theory you did need ID to get into the libraries but that could be easily circumvented—apparently if the library has government documents they cannot deny entry to the general public.
I taught advanced English at the MBA level at one of Europe’s most prestigious MBA programs and another prep course for a different well known MBA program. When I started the unit on market vocabulary I found that they couldn’t explain what a publicly traded company was (towards the end of their MBA specialising in management and finance). I basically had to teach them both English and the fundamentals of economics, business and finance.
When I taught a unit on global warming and its effect on business...my students (most of them from Latin America) were sceptical that there was any evidence of global warming and they refused to do any research on it (I would have failed them for that but I was not effectively able to fail my student. I had to give them a second and third try. By then I realised I would be testing and retesting them (without extra compensation) until they passed. So I just passed them even though they barely studied or spoke English. They still couldn’t explain what a share was and how it is publicly traded after teaching it three times in three different ways.
They had no idea what exactly an economic model was. The believed that investing in stocks was a very safe investment. They believed that chance plays almost no role in business and investing success. They believed that economic models (even though they couldn’t tell me anything about it) was all the “evidence” one needed to justify any theory (the ones they agreed with such as full on pure free market capitalism).
Many of their teachers were CEOs of successful companies. The teachers did not use many sources of academic standard nor did they critically analyse much of their sources and “evidence” (let alone teach them how to critically analyse anything).
Some of the textbooks were OK in terms of university level material with chapters on how to objectively analyse theories, models, evidence etc. however those chapters were skipped.
Judging by conversations I’ve had with other students who have done MBA programs … I have my serious doubts that MBA programs are scientifically sound. Good luck finding any funding to properly investigate this.
Clueless students is not much evidence about epistemic status of the content of the courses they took. There are places that graduate similarly clueless physics and engineering students (who use the degree to get jobs doing something else).
Really? These students sound particularly clueless—the equivalent of a physics student who can’t take a derivative or solve a statics problem. I’d be very surprised to find one of those in say MIT’s grad school.
Nitpick: Investing in stocks can be safe...if their performance is sufficiently uncorrelated with each other.
Just to be clear (if you don’t mind answering), are you referring to IE Business School? If so, I find this very surprising.
It was one of the highest ranking business schools in the world. It wouldn’t be fair to “out” the school based on my own limited experience with one group of students.
Why? The fact that it is so famous means that it’s perfectly capable of dealing with a little negative publicity.
Okay, fair enough.
It’s a huge red flag for me if someone tries to teach a controversial political issue in an English class.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to learn that MBA programs are mainly selling credentials and not knowledge. If you are mainly interested in knowledge, you can probably get it for free online; in books; or by simply sitting in on MBA classes.
I used a case study (widely used in English classes in MBA programs) on how to deal with global warming in business situations. This ranges from predicting the future costs of global warming on business (or benefits), having a policy or stand on global warming, the benefits of using green technology in response to global warming etc. An international businessperson should be able to express their stance on environmental issues in English.
In continental Europe global warming is not particularly controversial in politics, public opinion, the business world or academia.
Far more controversial topics are taught in English classes. It’s typical to open up a section of a class by stating an outrageous stance on a controversial topic to start up a heated debate. Students who otherwise stay quiet and uninterested in class engage in the class, speak spontaneously and learn to defend their views in English in a hostile environment.
That sounds correct to me, however there is a danger that membership in a tribe other than that of the professor will undermine the student’s grade or standing in the eyes of the professor. Which in fact looks like it may have happened in your case.
Well apparently it was controversial in your class. Anyway, so that I understand what you are saying, can you please tell me your definition of “global warming”?
That struck me, too, so I reread, and the point is that disagreement was produced by mixing students from Latin America with a class in continental Europe.
I noticed that too, but I think it doesn’t really undermine my point that he injected a politically controversial issue into an English class. Perhaps a better way to put it is to observe that he injected an issue where beliefs depend a lot on tribal membership so to speak. Even if most of the people where the university is located are members of the Correct Tribe, it’s still a red flag.
ETA: Besides which, I am skeptical of the claim that “global warming” is uncontroversial in continental Europe as opposed to other parts of the world. (Of course it is unclear what “global warming” means and interestingly a lot of the fervent believers in “global warming” are not able to define the phrase.)
Here is the Wikipedia article on “Climate Change Opinion by Country.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_opinion_by_country
In particular, have a look at the maps in the upper right. It actually looks like people in Latin America are MORE likely to believe that “rising temperatures are a result of human activities” than people from continental Europe.
How would one go about doing that? If you tried to just walk into a small graduate level class, wouldn’t they just kick you out?
I went to college and grad school classes of all sizes and nobody ever checked my ID to make sure I had a right to be there.
Were you officially allowed on campus at all?
Some colleges are more strict about letting people in than others, but particularly in city campuses, I’ve found that without prior appointment, you usually won’t be allowed access to the areas where classes take place at all.
However, once you’re allowed in for any reason, generally nobody will check whether you’re supposed to be in any specific part of campus you choose to visit.
I’m not sure I understand your question, but anyway I went to grad school in an urban area of a major city and there were no ID checks during business hours, i.e. when classes were held. There was security to keep thieves and other ne’er-do-wells out but not to keep people from auditing classes.
In theory you did need ID to get into the libraries but that could be easily circumvented—apparently if the library has government documents they cannot deny entry to the general public.
Why?
That’s a good question . . . I will send you a private message with my answer.