AC 2008-1466: It's all there: Teaching complex management content using feature films

Abstract

We all learn in a number of different ways and the learning process can be facilitated through the use of a variety of viewpoints and media. Thus to reach everyone, a variety of instructional methods is used, each leaving a different "mental footprint." The "cone of experience" indicates that people generally remember only about 10% of what they read, but 30% of what they see. In teaching complex management-related issues in a graduate engineering class, some of the content can be difficult to describe analytically because it involves a variety of human action. Coverage of such material can be greatly enhanced by the use of video material to provide illustrative examples of some practical situations and settings. Feature films can be used as a basis for homework assignments or as background material for in-class discussions. The paper presents a number of films that can be used for such analysis, indicating corresponding content and other resources. Issues covered include creativity, entrepreneurship, organizational behavior, ethics, and others. The common ways of framing the film-based material to build relevant class experience are also outlined. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2008.