Norman Schwartz, a professor at Long Island University Brooklyn’s School of Business, Public Administration and Information Sciences, has thrown out lectures and textbooks and turned his classroom into a thriving business.
Professor Schwartz has developed a program through his Service and Operations Management class that simulates what it’s like to run a large, multinational corporation. This semester, his class is immersed in the business of McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast food restaurant chain.
Schwartz is working with three other institutions, including two in France, as part of the program. The third is Brooklyn College. Social media has helped foster collaboration among students from the different campuses.
“Everyone puts everything on Facebook,” he said. “All our communications are there, and you’ll be learning the whole company from every aspect.
Schwartz, who previously worked in finance, said real-life experience is the best way to prepare his students.
“When you get a job in business, you don’t know who you’re working with. You don’t know what you’re going to be doing. You’re happy to get a job. And then you’ll find out what your skill-set is,” Schwartz said. “That’s the way I make the classroom. It’s run like a company.”
LIU is one of about a dozen partner institutions piloting ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practices.
