A feminine approach to teaching a large, first year university course: and everyone lived happily ever after!

Abstract

University of Southern Queensland (USQ) first year business students were more likely to pass MGT1000: Organisational Behaviour (OB) than any other Bachelor of Business core course during the period 2003-2005. This case study discusses the teaching approach of an all female team and outlines possible explanations for the favourable pass rate. Important to this case is that it shows women collaborating to support each other and their students through the learning journey. The Teaching Team intuitively implemented its teaching strategy and methods whilst engaging in critical reflective practice. This occurred within the realms of a teaching philosophy based on concern for the academic welfare of the students and manageability of workload for teaching staff. Support for these approaches is found in the literature on student success and retention as well as educational and feminine discourse theory. On the basis that the Team considers these to be the major contributing factors to the success of the OB students, this paper will address the Team’s teaching philosophy; curriculum planning; course content; teaching materials and methodologies; student learning outcomes,and innovation in teaching.