Business School to use new software, e-learning in class

Students in Professor Timothy Baldwin's Z302 class -- Managing and Behavior in Organization -- are being prepared for "corporate America" -- literally.\nHis business students are among 1,000 who are using the same management training programs as companies like Pfizer, Sara Lee and Cisco, as well as government agencies like the Department of Justice.\nThe Kelley School of Business has become the first U.S. business school to adopt new software that gives undergraduate students an early jump on forming managerial skills.\nStudents using the software will get the chance to go through "real world" experiences, forcing them to make decisions in certain business-like settings, said Baldwin, a professor of business administration.\n"I think this program is very engaging," Baldwin said. "It places students in certain scenarios or modules, in actual workplace settings, giving them situations and forcing them to make decisions."\nThe program, which will be used as a supplement to classroom learning, is designed by Ninth House Inc. The interactive software is available 24-hours a day, and is equipped with an online section so professors can keep track of their students' progress.\n"An advantage to this program is that you're not limited to the hour and fifteen minutes that we normally have reserved for class time," Baldwin said. "With Ninth House 3.0, students can work at their own pace and complete projects and quizzes as they desire."\nNinth House 3.0 is one of the most technologically advanced, user-friendly programs in the country, according to a company press release.\n"The Kelley School of Business is really offering a new way of preparing business students by blending effective e-learning with traditional classroom training," said Jeff Snipes, Ninth House's co-founder and president, in a statement.\n"This isn't theory. It's realistic practice that really accelerates learning for the students by bringing it to them in an engaging fashion when they need it," he said.\nIncluded in the program are perspectives of various business thinkers, such as Ken Blanchard, Tom Peters and Peter Senge, through videos and other interactive learning tools.\n"(Such experts are) really an enhancement to the course," said Margaret Garrison, director of marketing and communication for the School. "For the undergraduate students it helps by bringing in the voices and ideas of these 'business gurus' into the course... it gives students an early benefit in their business education."\nBaldwin said he hopes his students find the program engaging, but is worried that students will think the program is easy. Not true, Baldwin said.\n"This is hard material to learn," he said. "My hopes are that students can't get enough of the program, but I want them to know that it isn't easy. It takes great attention at the computer and contains tough work."\nWhile companies use the software for various reasons, IU was looking for a program that was both interactive, yet enticing to students, said Marina Rosales, a spokesperson for the Ninth House corporation. She said other colleges and universities are looking at similar software for their business schools.