This document summarizes a case study of a business curriculum collaboration between a university and a local bank. The collaboration involved students conducting "mystery shopping" experiences at various bank locations. Students researched the bank and banking industry, visited library resources, and worked in groups to evaluate customer service experiences across multiple bank branches. Both the university and bank found the project beneficial - it provided students with practical experience applying management concepts beyond the classroom while giving the bank valuable third-party feedback. The collaboration may serve as a model for future curriculum partnerships between educational institutions and local businesses.

1. Curriculum, Community,
and Collaboration:
A Business Case Study Beyond the Classroom
Dr. Cheryl Batdorf
Alison Oskam, MA, MLS

2. Collaboration
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2015
LibraryStudents
Business
Faculty

3. Beyond the Management Classroom
• Use the five functions of management
• Reconceptualize the course
• Connect library, life, and community

4. Practical Experiences for Business Students
•Internships
•Simulations
•Service Learning
•Problem-based Learning

5. Group Theory Exploration Project Overview
• Research requires background information as well as arguments provided
by authorities in the chosen field. This information you gather must be
integrated with original thought.
• The objective of this assignment is for students to develop a deeper
understanding of the functions of management (and their application)
as well as put into practice the skills of college level topic development,
thesis writing, topic structure, research, integration of source material
and documentation of source material.
• A secondary goal is students will become familiar with computer,
internet technologies and library database searches as they find sources.

6. Information Literacy
• Fundamental skill for life long learning

7. Critical Thinking
• Placing skills in a broader context

8. Time
• Classroom time constraints for teaching librarian
• Students want instant gratification

9. Research Perceptions
• Difficult
• Labor-intensive
• Meaningless

10. Librarian Intervention
• Classroom session on basic
information retrieval
• Class visits to library
• Refine search terms
• Defend research choices
• Explain topic
• Justify choice
Critical thinking in action

11. Problem-Based Learning
• Challenging scenario
• Student collaboration
• Significant time investment
• Increased enjoyment
• Increased engagement
• Active learning

12. The Project: Mystery Shopping a Bank
• Local bank with several branches
• Previous attempts
• Commitment to local community (since 1873)
• Sense that data more “real” from students who are
customers/potential customers
• Data shared at each branch
• Individual coaching session at branch

13. Bank and a College
• Ed Martel, SVP Sales, Marketing, Branch
Administration and CRA Officer at Jonestown
Bank & Trust Co
• Significant insight into our service delivery
• 3rd party evaluator of service delivery rather than internal
perspective
• JBT's commitment to our communities
• Value-driven partnership

14. Curriculum
• First version
• Revised version
• Future Directions
• Application to college-wide assessment

15. College-wide information literacy assessment rubric
Project group average score: 2.5

16. “Opportunity to be involved in a [class] which
spanned such a wide spectrum of education.”
“In order to continue, local businesses need to
keep big ideas in mind.”
“Collaboration was indispensable in following a
path.”
“I found myself better [at] evaluating sources.”
“Customers are evaluating the employee whether
they realize it or not.”
Student reactions to the project.

17. Your Presenters
Dr. Cheryl Batdorf, Associate
Dean, College of Graduate and
Professional Studies, Millersville
University
cheryl.batdorf@millersville.edu
717-871-2053
Alison Oskam, MA, MLS
Adjunct Reference and
Instruction Librarian
Adjunct Instructor, Foundational
Studies
Harrisburg Area Community
College
akoskam@hacc.edu
717-270-6328