"Handling Difficult Workers" is a series of case studies designed to promote political savvy among students, and to increase their awareness of touchy subjects within the workplace. It includes 5 separate cases each designed to highlight a different aspect of a hard to handle coworker. Participants are given feedback and a running score after answering each question. This module enables business students to gain a better understanding of how to handle situations that are out of the ordinary at work.
Type of Material:
This is a case study.
Recommended Uses:
This would be ideal for an inclass exercise.
Technical Requirements:
Web browser only
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Students will learn appropriate strategies for interacting with people who possess a variety of personality types.
Target Student Population:
This module would be appropriate for students in introductory classes in psychology, business, or sociology.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
An introductory course in psychology or human resource management would be helpful, but is not necessary.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The cases are varied in that a different type of "difficult" coworker is presented in each one. Students are able to learn several different personality
types from this 5 tier case analysis.
Concerns:
A more indepth coverage of each of the personality types would have been helpful, or barring that, reference material for students who wish to learn more about each of the personality types (web sites, references to psychological literature, etc.)
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Feedback is immediate, in that students learn if their answer is correct or incorrect, and they also receive an explanation of the correct answer.
Is effective at teaching students how to handle difficult people in a succinct presentation style.
Concerns:
The potential effectiveness could be enhanced if some of the typos were corrected; e.g., in Case 2, it says "discuss" instead of "disgust." In the feedback for "Beware of Snails" avoid is spelled "void."
The learning goals could be stated before students begin the module.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The colors, visual display, text layout, and music were effective.
"Handling Difficult People" presents the cases in an easy to follow format, with navigation buttons on the bottom of the screen.
Overall, well organized.
Concerns:
It would also be helpful if users could click directly on the large, wavy depiction of the case number in the middle of the screen to access the case.
There are some navigation issues - after one has clicked an incorrect answer, there is no back key to view the previous page. Also, it seems like the "quit" button should take viewers back to MERLOT.
Creative Commons:
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