Rewriting marketing communications education using problem-based learning

Abstract

Armed with a substantial grant from The Enterprise Challenge, the Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore in 2000 to innovate higher education for the knowledge based economy, the authors piloted the implementation of Authentic Problem-Based Learning (APBL) in the Marketing Communications program at Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore in January to October 2001. The paper describes the rationale for the adoption of APBL as the preferred education philosophy to produce work-ready and change-ready graduates in Marketing Communications. It shows the nuts and bolts of PBL by describing the why, what, where, who, how and so what. Instead of adopting APBL as an add-on to the traditional curriculum, the authors aligned the education sub-systems namely: curriculum design, delivery and assessment in PBL. Adopting an integrated approach, the first step was to formulate the desired outcomes for their graduates. With this end in mind, the authors deconstructed the traditional curriculum; adopted small group tutorial process and involved the industry in problem design and assessment of their students’ work. Along the APBL journey, they measured responses from students, staffs and industry partners to seek gaps for continuous improvement. Reflecting on their piloting work, the authors conclude with observations that they made in their APBL experiences.