Pedagogical innovation at SKEMA is closing the gap between academic knowledge and real-world demands. Innovative workshops, on tools like Notion and ChatGPT, teach students skills to thrive in today’s job market. And guess what? Students were particularly engaged.
The spark for innovation often lies in recognizing a gap. For me, it came when a graduate student confided, “I wish I’d learned the tools I actually need for my job.”
This single statement catalyzed the creation of the “Tech Skills Workshop Series: The Digital Toolkit,” a project designed to address the gap between academic learning and the demands of the professional world.
Industry-relevant skills
This initiative, which was recently awarded the “Coup de cœur du Jury” as part of SKEMA’s Pedagogical Innovation Prize, set out to equip students with practical, industry-relevant skills while fostering adaptability, creativity, and collaboration.
The project took place over four workshops, each lasting six hours, and targeted MSc Product Management and UX Design students. These future product designers, product managers, or product owners tackled challenges that required blending technical expertise with strategic thinking.
The sessions included explorations into digital literacy and the evolving technological landscape, an advanced Excel workshop for data analysis and visualization, and an introduction to Notion as a productivity and project management tool.
One workshop focused entirely on generative AI, where students learned to use ChatGPT to solve business problems, automate tasks, and create innovative solutions like AI-driven startup concepts.
Getting involved
Throughout the series, active learning was central. Students didn’t just learn about tools; they applied them in real-world scenarios. For instance, using ChatGPT to draft marketing strategies or analyzing datasets in Excel brought theoretical concepts to life.
The results were compelling: 20 participants maintained 100% attendance, and post-workshop evaluations revealed a 95% satisfaction rate. Moreover, 80% of students reported increased confidence in applying digital tools, with one sharing that Notion directly helped her secure an internship at a tech startup.
Read also: Is ChatGPT really a threat to the world of education?
The workshops also highlighted the value of collaboration and adaptability. During the Notion sessions, students worked in teams to organize business plans and projects, presenting their ideas to peers and receiving constructive feedback. Similarly, the generative AI workshop culminated in students pitching AI-based solutions, showing the relevance and quality of their ideas.
These experiences highlighted the importance of integrating practical applications into the curriculum, not only to teach technical skills but to develop critical thinking and a problem-solving mindset.
The power of pedagogical innovation
Feedback from students and industry experts played a vital role in refining the workshop series. By aligning each session with real-world needs and addressing skill gaps identified in forums like the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2023 report, the project ensured its relevance.
The workshops proved scalable, with plans to integrate them into other programs at SKEMA, making them accessible to students in business, marketing, or finance disciplines. This adaptability is key in preparing graduates for an ever-changing job market.
Read also: Are Business School students really more distracted today?
Ultimately, the “Tech Skills Workshop Series” shows the power of pedagogical innovation. By bridging the gap between academia and industry, it equips students with the tools they need not just to succeed but to thrive. This journey highlights that small shifts in teaching methods can have a profound impact, and as educators, our mission is to ensure learning remains relevant and transformative.
With this project, we’ve taken a step in that direction, offering a model for how education can evolve alongside the professional world. What will you innovate next?
