Immersive Learning - College of Business and Technology

Students are assigned to work with actual industry experts. Students take a tour of the facilities and meet with an operations professional to observe and existing operation process.

How the Operations professional assists in learning:

• Students interview this professional to better understand the field.
• Guides students through the actual process to be observed.
• Students will document time/motion of the cycles involved in the process.
• Students create a Current State version of a Value Stream Map.
• Students then confer with the Operations pro to create a Future State Map which involves iterative changes to the Current State that create more efficiencies in the system.

Fall 2013 semester, this project evolved into the Hilti USA Innovation Challenge for 2014, competition. Two classes with @ 75 students were divided into teams of five, thus 15 teams from the two campuses.

Description of the learning process:

• Each team was assigned an actual logistics problem and a possible solution is provided by the Instructor.
• Each team creates a unique solution based on the needs of the Hilti USA client collaborative tools in business processes.
• Teams submit their solution in one of three venues: Prototype, Report, or Video Presentation.

• IBUS 4843 - students participate in the X-Culture project which is a global consulting project. Each NSU student is teamed up with 6 students from other Universities around the world. This virtual team then prepares a market entry document for a company located somewhere around the world.
• In addition, each IBUS 4843 class participates in a local project. This year the local project included class interviews (Oprah style) with area professionals in International Business. Chapter information was discussed in terms of how the material is used in the daily business of International business. Also, careers in international business were explored with professionals.
• Last year, each local team consulted with a local company and prepared an export plan for them. This included visiting the business to do an exploratory interview (usually including a tour of the facility). Then, the students did the research and prepared a presentation. Finally, the students went back to the business to present their findings. For the most part, the professionals were impressed with our students and their research, rating their information to be extremely helpful to their internationalization efforts.

• EHSM 5993 - All Environmental Health and Safety students must complete the Synergistic Experience/Thesis course. The Synergistic Experience involves solving a real-world problem at the student's place of employment that utilizes the knowledge they have gained from the program. Students who choose the thesis option conduct research on a significant and relevant topic related to Environmental, Health and Safety Management.
• Case Studies: Several of the courses in the EHSM program include case studies, based on real-world issues, to help the students gain a better understanding of the complex concepts presented in those courses and the ability to evaluate and implement solutions for these issues.