Insights into our elective modules

Multifaceted, innovative and exciting - this is what the On-Campus Days in our elective modules look like

The On-Campus Days of the two elective modules "Innovation & Entrepreneurship" and "Digital Workplace Learning" take place in mid-January. The on-campus sessions are designed by the lecturers in a very versatile way - from VR, pitches to future scenarios. In this article, the lecturers give an insight into the weekend on site at MCI.

Elective module “Digital Workplace Learning”

During the on-campus day of the course Digital Workplace Learning we covered several topics related to improving workplace learning in general and learning culture in particular. The first part of the day involved a case study on the changes brought about by CEO Satya Nadella in enhancing the learning culture at Microsoft. Nadella's approach is in stark contrast to his predecessors, because he focuses a lot more on cooperation between units instead of competition, as well as diversifying the product range, away from the sole outstanding single position of windows.

After the case study, there was a short lecture on the concept of growth mindset and the practice of active listening. The lecture emphasized the idea that having a growth mindset can be critical in creating a culture that values learning and development, but is also useful for individuals outside of workplace learning. It also discussed the importance of active listening in fostering a culture of collaboration, empathy, and respect in the workplace.

The highlight of the on-campus day was the live presentation of VR (Virtual Reality) goggles as a means for conducting a safety training in a workshop environment, followed by a lecture on the potentials of VR in workplace learning, both designed and held by Christoph Sitar of MediaSquad. The lecture provided an overview of how VR technology can be used to provide immersive learning experiences and improve the effectiveness of workplace training. From simulation-based training to virtual reality classrooms, the lecture covered the various applications of VR in enhancing workplace learning.

Elective module "Innovation & Entrepreneurship

The attendance days of the elective module "Innovation & Entrepreneurship" were all about interaction - both between the students and between the lecturers and students.

In the "Corporate Entrepreneurship" course, the big pitch day was on the agenda. In the first half of the course, students received input and tips for their first business ideas. The groups were allowed to present their ideas and initial progress in the form of pitches. The two lecturers, Markus Hütter and Julia Radlbeck, gave the students feedback on both the content and their presentation style. The students also benefited from the lecturers' personal experience.

In the "Innovation & Entrepreneurship" course, students worked in groups to develop initial future scenarios for their chosen topic (e.g., futures of banking, futures of higher education, futures of hospitals). In the first half of the course, the students already had to find relevant trends and influencing factors for their topic and analyze them accordingly. Building on this preliminary work, the groups then developed appropriate future scenarios. The lecturer Antje Bierwisch supported the students with valuable input and tips from 15 years of practical experience.