Connecting the dots: a reality-based approach in a master in management degree

Abstract

Research carried out in recent years on the effectiveness of pedagogical methods has shown that active methods are more effective in learning and in developing skills relevant to the job market. Even so, active methods are often developed only in a confined environment, not including contact with organizational reality. If in some disciplines this absence of a real context may not have a major impact on training, management and business is an area where contact with reality can enhance the development of fundamental skills for future professionals. Reality-based learning strategies are characterized from the outset by emphasizing the importance of including real situations, and the resulting circumstances, as a basis for the development of knowledge and skills. On the other hand, reality-based learning also allows for the mobilization and articulation of a series of innovative pedagogical strategies, such as active methods, problem-based learning, groupand collaborative-based learning. Finally, and since reality is most of the time complex and multidisciplinary, reality-based learning is characterized by a holistic approach, allowing the development of several different skills, based on the use of knowledge from different areas. Based on this framework, the paper presented here describes the “On The Road” (OTR) program, a realitybased learning strategy developed in a master's in management degree at a Portuguese university. The OTR initiative is a transversal practical program, involving several curricular units, and generates a triangular dynamic between students, professors, and companies. Students are challenged to develop possible solutions to real problems posed by the partner companies in the different areas of management. Throughout the year, several moments of different nature allow for breaking ground and promote the search for solutions, their critical analysis, group discussion with professors and business leaders, in a path rich in experiences. Along this description the authors will point out the rationale behind the initiative, the main features of the program, the perceptions of the participants, and the difficulties found in the implementation, finishing with an assessment of the program.