Partners
Active learning is no longer just a trend in higher education;
it is a necessity for bridging the “employability gap.” For American InterContinental University (AIU)—an institution heavily focused on career-driven education—integrating scholarly research, case studies, and simulations is the difference between a student who “knows” a concept and a graduate who can “do” the job.
Why These Tools Drive Practical Learning
1. Scholarly Journals: Developing Evidence-Based Practice
For both instructors and students, engaging with journals like those published by Taylor & Francis or Emerald Insight prevents knowledge from becoming stagnant.
- Instructors: Stay at the “cutting edge,” ensuring they aren’t teaching 10-year-old business models or outdated IT security protocols.
- Students: Learn to filter “fake news” and pop-science by relying on peer-reviewed data. It fosters critical thinking and the ability to solve problems using proven, evidence-based methods.
2. Case Studies: The Bridge from Theory to Reality
Case studies (like those from the Harvard Business Publishing library) function as “paper simulations.”
- Analytical Rigor: Students are placed in the role of a CEO or Project Manager. They must diagnose a problem, identify constraints, and propose a solution.
- Emotional Intelligence: Unlike a textbook, case studies often include human conflict, ethical dilemmas, and resource scarcity, forcing students to navigate the “gray areas” of professional life.
3. Simulations: Risk-Free Experiential Learning
Simulations are the “flight simulators” of the business and healthcare worlds.
- Iterative Learning: Students can make high-stakes mistakes (e.g., crashing a virtual supply chain or mismanaging a budget) without real-world financial consequences.
- Immediate Feedback: Modern platforms provide real-time data on performance, allowing students to adjust their strategy and try again immediately, which is the fastest way to build procedural memory.
Strategic Partnerships for AIU
To maximize the impact of these methods, AIU can align with specific institutions and platforms that specialize in practical pedagogy.
Institutional & Platform Partnerships
| Category | Partners | Why Partner? |
|---|---|---|
| Simulations | Forio / Simio | Leading providers of "Ready-to-Run" simulations for MBAs, supply chain, and digital twins. |
| Case Study Banks | Harvard Business Publishing | Access to the world’s most comprehensive library of business and leadership cases. |
| Research Databases | JSTOR / EBSCOhost | Provides students with a massive repository of interdisciplinary scholarly journals. |
| EdTech Ecosystems | 1EdTech | Helps AIU integrate these tools seamlessly into their existing Learning Management System (LMS). |
Scholarly Journals
- Active Learning in Higher Education: Focuses on innovative teaching practices.
- Journal of Business Case Studies (JBCS): Ideal for business faculty to publish or source new material.
- Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (JoSoTL): A great venue for AIU instructors to share their own classroom successes.
Comparison of Learning Outcomes
| Method | Learning Level (Bloom's) | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarly Journals | Remember / Understand | Builds a foundation of proven facts. |
| Case Studies | Analyze / Evaluate | Develops decision-making and logic. |
| Simulations | Apply / Create | Apply / Create |