Using creative writing assignments to facilitate learning and curiousity

As a student pursuing a degree in business, or any other field for that matter, the importance of developing good written communication skills is critical to one’s success.  Much has been written about how to best teach,... [ view full abstract ]

As a student pursuing a degree in business, or any other field for that matter, the importance of developing good written communication skills is critical to one’s success.  Much has been written about how to best teach, translate and develop those skills in writing for business, but little evidence has used creative writing assignments as an innovative means for teaching business concepts. 

 Research has shown that by introducing students to universal themes and engaging them inactive learning, concept-based instruction facilitates deeper understanding of content knowledge and acts as an impetus for students to respond to their learning with action (Erickson 2008). Additionally, research has also shown that students will tend to read materials more in depth and strive to determine its meaning if it is engaging, motivating and in way some stimulates their curiosity. But how does one encourage curiosity in students? George Loewenstein,a professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, proposed an answer in the classic 1994 paper, “The Psychology of Curiosity.”  Curiosity stimulates intellectual achievement — it’s what drives us to keep learning, keep trying, keep pushing forward.

As a professor of strategic business, it is a constant struggle to identify concept-based assignments that create the curiosity prerequisite in critical analysis of a business situation. Recently in a recurring study abroad program, the author identified a possible teaching assignment that might accomplish both goals:  develop a fictitious short story built around their study abroad program events whereby students creatively write the end of the story but using business concepts emphasized in materials covered in the class.  This presentation will discuss with the audience, the successes and failures of creating such an assignment and an assessment of its viability in achieving the course learning objectives.