Spring Break
School uses social network Web sites in class
Merchandising dept. merges web, classes
Michael Hernandez
Issue date: 1/23/08 Section: NEWS
Facebook and YouTube aren't just ways to put off homework anymore.
The Web sites are potential educational tools for the merchandising department of the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management.
The department received its second grant from NT's Hispanic and Global Initiatives Fund in November. The $16,654 grant or Building a Global WebSphere will teach students about retailing on a global level through a lecture series and course work, Tammy Kinley, the merchandising department chair, said.
Several classes will incorporate global retailing into the curriculum and students will be assigned group projects. In these projects, students will work together using technology they enjoy, such as the popular Facebook and YouTube Web sites, Kinley said.
Students are "techno-savvy," Christy Crutsinger of the merchandising faculty said.
"Hopefully, it'll be an engaging process," Crutsinger said. "We're trying to connect to that kid that grew up surrounded by technology."
The best projects and student research will be uploaded to the WebSphere, Dee Knight of the merchandising faculty said. The Web site will also feature video of the lecture series.
"It's just an innovative teaching strategy to get our students involved in international education," Knight said. "Technology has made our world so small."
The WebSphere will hopefully be an archive where anyone at anytime can access the information, Crutsinger said.
A benefit of the WebSphere is it shows retailers and potential employers global reach of the merchandising program, which has almost 700 majors, Knight said.
"I really hope [students] see learning is fun," she said. "A lot of what they see, they think is boring. They see a lot of it as irrelevant to what they want to do. I hope learning becomes relevant and when it becomes relevant, it becomes fun."
Lindsey Dickson, a Dallas junior and merchandising major, said she thinks it's a good idea to bring in speakers to discuss multinational retailing.
The Web sites are potential educational tools for the merchandising department of the School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management.
The department received its second grant from NT's Hispanic and Global Initiatives Fund in November. The $16,654 grant or Building a Global WebSphere will teach students about retailing on a global level through a lecture series and course work, Tammy Kinley, the merchandising department chair, said.
Several classes will incorporate global retailing into the curriculum and students will be assigned group projects. In these projects, students will work together using technology they enjoy, such as the popular Facebook and YouTube Web sites, Kinley said.
Students are "techno-savvy," Christy Crutsinger of the merchandising faculty said.
"Hopefully, it'll be an engaging process," Crutsinger said. "We're trying to connect to that kid that grew up surrounded by technology."
The best projects and student research will be uploaded to the WebSphere, Dee Knight of the merchandising faculty said. The Web site will also feature video of the lecture series.
"It's just an innovative teaching strategy to get our students involved in international education," Knight said. "Technology has made our world so small."
The WebSphere will hopefully be an archive where anyone at anytime can access the information, Crutsinger said.
A benefit of the WebSphere is it shows retailers and potential employers global reach of the merchandising program, which has almost 700 majors, Knight said.
"I really hope [students] see learning is fun," she said. "A lot of what they see, they think is boring. They see a lot of it as irrelevant to what they want to do. I hope learning becomes relevant and when it becomes relevant, it becomes fun."
Lindsey Dickson, a Dallas junior and merchandising major, said she thinks it's a good idea to bring in speakers to discuss multinational retailing.
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