BU Research Blog

Once again, the live case study method proved to be effective in delivering learning for marketing related disciplines. The excitement, the motivation, the engagement of our students taking the Marketing Communication and Brand Management unit is unbelievable and overturns the drawbacks of the challenging digital environment we have been constrained to deal with since the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic.

My experience with the live case study method taught me several lessons and I would like to share with you some of them:
– Learning is co-created in a safe environment where different stakeholders e.g. tutor, students and client, engage in a project and contribute to solving a real problem for a real organisation. Students develop a strong awareness of their role in their learning journey and the impact they can make in their environment.
– Students are taking ownership of their learning journey and are aware of this. They are not passive, or just taking what is offered to them. They learn, search and discuss theories and concepts, make meaning of all this to be able to face the problem under consideration. They do it brilliantly! As a result they develop a lot more learning than what is stated in the ILOs.
– Confirms that students are not all the same and reinforces the importance of their background e.g. cultural, professional, that should be considered rather as a platform they build on when approaching the problem to be solved and this platform would give them confidence and strength in their endeavour. As academic we should encourage this and help them to express who they really are because it can only be beneficial for them, their learning experience and their contribution the community.
– Strong partnerships are concretised between BU and the community. I have been working with a charity hub i.e. aDoddle.org since 2016 and the relationship with this organisation has developed into a strong partnership. Every year, our students make huge contribution to this charity hub and by doing so, they continuously contribute to connect those who need helps with those who can help in Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole area and beyond.

You can find in the YouTube videos below testimonies from students and one of our clients telling us a bit of their journey with us:

If anyone (students, academics and partners) wishes to discuss any aspect or exchange any idea in relation to the live case study method, and how we can make our relations with external organisations stronger, please contact Sarah Hopkins shopkins@bournemouth.ac.uk, Mark Painter mpainter@bournemouth.ac.uk or Kaouther Kooli kkooli@bournemouth.ac.uk .

Dr Kaouther Kooli
Principal Lecturer in Marketing
Business School, Bournemouth University