(Sincere apologies for cross-posting!)
Teaching Compassion: Helping Students to Recognize and Care for Others (466)
Sunday, August 8, 2010 1:35 – 3:05p.m. Le Palais des congrès de Montréal (Montréal Convention Center), 516C
Please join us for an All-Academy session that focuses on how we might actually be able to teach compassion to our students and foster compassionate behavior through assignments that take the students out of the classroom and connect them with the beneficiaries of compassionate action. Our consideration here is less about teaching what constitutes or defines compassion and more about the possibility of actually encouraging the feeling and expression of compassion by engaging our students in compassionate behavior.
Each of the panelists has been recognized as an outstanding teacher and each is now somehow engaged in trying to provide some experiences both within and outside of the classroom, experiences that will encourage students to lead with compassion. Prof. Adam Grant has developed assignments in which MBA students direct teams of undergraduates. They are given a certain time frame in which to fundraise for designated non-profits. Prof. Nancy Hauserman's projects are also at the MBA level and focus on personal and corporate philanthropy. Prof. Amy Colbert's course focused on community service projects and the development of leadership and entrepreneurship skills to facilitate the success of the projects. Prof. Matt Bloom developed a class to help MBA students learn how to create work environments that help people flourish, that is environments that enhance people's well-being and also help them perform at their best.
The symposium will open with the panelists responding to the following questions:
1. Can compassion be taught to (a) undergraduates and (b) MBA students?
2. Do you actually use the word "compassion", i.e. are you direct or explicit about what you are doing? What is your working conceptualization of compassion?
3. Is there a difference in how and what we teach to these groups, i.e. a difference between teaching undergraduates and MBAs?
4. What kinds of projects work? Case discussions or hands-on or a combination of the two? And how do we know what works?
5. What are the obstacles we face in teaching about compassion? Any suggestions for overcoming those obstacles besides wearing a shield?
Although the initial and primary responses are expected to come from the panelists, it is our intention that there will be ample time for audience questions and comments. We know that there are many of you whose teaching focus has included compassion or who are contemplating the same for future classes. Certainly your experience will be a welcome part of the exchange in this symposium. Moreover, it is our hope that this symposium will serve as a catalyst for a discussion thread among interested AOM members.
For additional information please contact the panel organizer, Nancy Hauserman at Nancy-Hauserman@uiowa.edu