Business ethics - with media personalities
Radio National’s Richard Aedy, left, and Paul Barclay listen to a presentation by student, Stephanie Koziol.
High-profile media presenters were among public figures who acted as panellists for a redesigned subject of Business Ethics, off ering added incentive for students to shine during their end-of-year presentations.
They included weather presenter and coastal oceanographer Rob Gell and three ABC Radio National presenters, Paul Barclay from the Australia Talks program, Richard Aedy, Life Matters, and Annabelle Quince, Rear Vision.
The innovative panels gave students ‘real-world’ feedback on their projects in a subject redeveloped this year by senior lecturer in management, Dr Rosaria Burchielli and academic developer, Matthew Riddle.
Rather than teach large classes where it was difficult for students to engage with the subject, and for her to engage with the students, Dr Burchielli said the new approach involved some 220 students, divided into 70 teams which then researched and considered the ethics of desalination, public-private partnerships, privatisation and corporate management of natural resources and public goods.
Some students prepared written ‘submissions’ to hearings while others wrote ‘media pieces’ to analyse or stimulate debate which they presented to their high-profile panellists.
Known as ‘enquiry based learning’, the technique involves role-play as a teaching and learning method to boost student skills in complex problem-solving, communication and teamwork.
Dr Burchielli said the practical application excited her students. ‘They grappled with, and developed a deeper appreciation of the complex issues involved at the interface of business ethics, multistakeholder demands and the environment.’