Workshop Overview

This workshop aims to introduce techniques for teaching business cases in the business language classroom. Participants will be exposed to the methodology typically used by business schools when they engage students in praxis-oriented business cases. It will specifically focus on teaching sequential mini cases and on productive techniques for integrating video narratives.

The workshop’s setting will simulate a “real” business classroom where the participants take on the role of students. Follow-up discussion will focus on how to use cases in the business language classroom in ways that can build on students’ background knowledge. It will elicit ways of enhancing the learning experience of both students with a pronounced strength in the target language (most likely language majors) and those with a thorough understanding of the business content (most likely business majors). How can these groups of students benefit from each other’s expertise without us as instructors having to over-simply the language and content?

We envision this workshop as the first in a series of formal and informal gatherings of business language faculty in the greater Washington Metropolitan area through the facilitation of the GW-CIBER. We look forward to strengthening this community and to facilitating a productive exchange of ideas between institutions and across languages borders.

Outcomes

Participants can expect to:

• Equip themselves with some useful techniques for productively using cases in their target language
• Gain a thorough understanding of how their students are taught business cases in a business school setting
• Become familiar with important elements of case methodology, such as video integration and use of sequential cases
• Learn to distinguish between case teaching in English and that of the foreign language classroom
• Get a bibliography and other helpful materials at the end of the workshop
• Connect with colleagues in the community of business language faculty in the greater Washington Metropolitan area

Who Should Attend

This workshop is intended for faculty and graduate students who are currently teaching university-level business language courses, or who anticipate to be doing so in the future. It is especially geared towards participants interested in introducing business cases to enhance their students’ learning experience. The workshop format is highly interactive and requires a willingness by the participants to position themselves as “recipients” and learners of business cases according to the methodology used in a typical business school classroom. Opportunities for follow-up interactions will be facilitated by the GW-CIBER. We focus mainly on university-based participants in our local area but are open to participants from other institutions as well. We also welcome high school teachers who are interested in the topic.

Workshop Leaders

The bulk of the workshop will be lead by Dr. Liesl Riddle, one of the premier professors in the Department of International Business at George Washington University, who will showcase two business cases. Liesl Riddle, Assistant Professor of International Business and International Affairs, earned a BA and MA in Middle Eastern Studies, a MBA in Marketing/International Business, and a PhD in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin.  Dr. Riddle is the author of numerous business case studies and academic articles concerning international trade and investment issues.  She has served as a consultant for several organizations, including the United Nations, the World Bank, the US Department of State, the Moroccan-American Trade and Investment Council, the Grameen Bank, IBM, and other private-sector clients. Dr. Riddle has taught courses at the executive, masters, and undergraduate level, including courses in Cross-Cultural Management, Managing in Developing Countries, and International Marketing.  Her teaching excellence has been recognized by several GW teaching awards, including the School of Business' Teaching Excellence Award and Undergraduate Teaching Award.

Some of the discussion will also be facilitated by Margaret Gonglewski and Anna Helm, both of whom have experience teaching business languages and culture. Associate Professor of German and International Affairs, Margaret Gonglewski developed the first Business German course at GW in 1999. She also directs the Language Center, co-sponsor of this workshop, and the hub of language teacher training and research support at GW. Dr. Helm, Visiting Assistant Professor of International Business, is teaching courses on International Business and International Marketing at the George Washington University. Prior to joining the IB Department she spent seven years as the Director of the Business, Culture, and Languages Program at the University of Maryland where she taught courses on Business German and International Business Cultures. Anna Helm and Margaret Gonglewski are currently the GW-CIBER Business Language Coordinators.

Workshop Details

The workshop will take place on Saturday, April 5, from 9 am until 2 pm at the George Washington University campus.

The workshop fee is $25 for full time faculty and $15 for part time faculty and graduate students. This fee includes breakfast and lunch.