"Partnerships in education for a learning society: Collaborative links
with business, government and community"
The Organizational Behavior Teaching Society invites you to participate in
the 23rd annual Organizational Behavior Teaching Conference (OBTC '96) to
be held at Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire, on June 5-8. Our
conference activities will take us on an intellectual and spiritual
journey as we explore ways we can be innovative, collaborative and joyous
in our teaching. Rather than coming to this conference to get answers, we
will come to ask questions and discuss controversies, share ideas, and
leave enriched. Here's what we'll do:
* Dispute, discuss, debate and argue. Generate discussion and
interaction, explore disagreements and grapple with controversial issues
in our teaching and professional lives.
* Reaffirm the values of partnership and explore ways to create
meaningful partnerships. Involve people from different areas of our
management discipline (academics, students, consultants, management
practitioners) to focus on the topic of partnerships in education,
business and society, ways of working together.
* Nourish and support not only the junior people in our profession,
but the senior people as well. Often it's been the seniors giving their
expertise and mentorship. We want to make sure that senior people also
leave professionally enriched and intellectually stimulated.
* Maintain and enhance the sense of community that is so joyous and
positive about OBTC.
THE CONFERENCE FORMAT
The conference will be divided into three streams, with an overarching
theme that ties the streams together. The theme is: "Partnerships in
education for a learning society: Collaborative links with business,
government and community"
STREAM 1: "HOW TO?" The core competencies that teachers need to master
in order to enhance their effectiveness. This is where we engage each
other about how we should lead a case; deal with conflict; organize a
discussion; use classroom technologies; design and modify a syllabus;
grade and evaluate student work; conduct role plays; design, use and
debrief experiential exercises; manage the flow of paper work; use teams
effectively; and other similar topics.
In sum, Stream 1 will focus on how to develop or refine teacher
competencies.
STREAM 2: "HOW COME?" Looking at dilemmas and paradoxes inherent in our
work. This stream is a place for controversy, where we explore the deeper
meanings underlying our pedagogy. What are the negative and unintended
effects of using teams? Is there a pro-management bias in what we teach?
Should there be? What is the proper role of skill courses? How do we
resolve dilemmas between giving students information and answers versus
providing challenge and space for students to work out answers for
themselves? Are we teaching people to learn or to conform? Who can say
whether we teach only from an American perspective, and should we?
Stream 2 is more about what we find challenging than what we think we
know.
STREAM 3: "HOW ABOUT ME?" Career and personal development. This stream
concerns questions such as: What are my current personal and professional
learning needs? How do I balance my personal and professional life? How
do I keep from getting burned out? How do I handle student-teacher sexual
attractions? Does our tenure system discriminate against women? If so,
what can we do about it? How can I plan a career path that will allow me
to move from academia to business, consulting, government or the
non-profit sector and back? What are my concerns regarding aging? What
are the different support systems required at different career stages?
Stream 3 explores our personal requirements for excitement and renewal.
We will bring together academics, students, administrators, community
service coordinators, consultants, management practitioners and involve
these stakeholders in our discussions.
For example, faculty could talk about new ways in which they are
partnering with students, consultants, or practitioners to enhance and
enliven the educational process -- not only for their students but also
for themselves. Students could provide critiques and actively engage in
discussions with faculty and practitioners. Students might collaborate on
a session that deals with why they find experiential exercises a waste of
time or a great benefit, or why they love and hate working in teams.
Practitioners might offer sessions on what they think are going to be the
skills required to be successful managers in the 21st century and whether
or not education can play a role in preparing students.
Our expanding group of participants includes Chris Argyris, Dick Beckhard,
Ella Bell, David Bradford, Peter Frost, Todd Jick, Noel Tichy, Alan Lafley
and Peter Vaill. There is time to invite others. Let us know with whom
you would like to think aloud and we will try to involve these folks
directly, or encourage you to invite them. While dynamic senior people
help to make the conference stimulating, so does the participation of
those who are new to the field, who are struggling, taking risks, coming
up with new ways of doing things. So we encourage ALL participants to
submit proposals. We invite you to Enter the Big Tent, Bridge the Gap,
and Make a Difference... by presenting, sharing, participating, and
actively continuing to teach and learn.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Proposals for these workshops can vary in length (30, 60, or 90 minutes).
They should fit within one of the three streams and preferably include the
main theme, "Partnerships in education for a learning society:
Collaborative links with business, government and community."
The submission of a proposal represents a total commitment to deliver your
workshop if your proposal is accepted. Of course, as in the past, all
OBTC presenters are expected to be actively participating throughout
entire four day conference.
Proposals will be reviewed by experienced OBTC members. Your proposal
should have a cover sheet, a workshop description and include two self
addressed stamped envelopes. The cover sheet should include the following
seven components:
* Title - Provide a short title that accurately describes the
content and focus of your workshop.
* Presenter Identification - List the name, titles / positions,
organizational affiliations, postal / telephone / e-mail / fax addresses
of all presenters.
* Audience - Describe the composition of the audience for which
the workshop would be most appropriate (e.g., students, new or experienced
faculty, practitioners, etc.). If relevant, list the ideal size of the
audience or any limitations on the number of participants.
* Time Requirements - Indicate the optimal length of your proposal
session (30,60, or 90 minutes) as well as shorter time frames in which you
could conduct your session after modifications.
* Special Requirements - Describe equipment you will require
(overhead projector, flip chart, slide projector, VCR, etc.), and the type
and size of room desired (classroom, seminar, lecture hall, etc.). This
is important. Our AV facilities need to be scheduled well in advance and
it will be difficult if not impossible to meet last-minute requests.
* Abstract - Provide a clear 50-100 word abstract of the session,
which we would use for the conference program if your proposal is
accepted. Please emphasize what you will do and how you will do it. A
concise abstract is necessary as it serves as your entree on the menu of
available workshops and you want to entice and inform participants.
........*What stream your workshop falls into.
The body of your Workshop Description should state the purpose, describe
the workshop activities, approximate timetable, and explain how these
activities will fulfill your stated purpose. A formal bibliography is not
required, but brief references to related work may be helpful in assigning
reviewers. Usually workshop descriptions are about two or three pages
long.
Again, for expedient communications please include two self addressed
stamped envelopes with your proposal. Once your proposal is received, it
will be sent out for blind review. We will notify you by early March.#012#
THE OBTC' 96 PROPOSAL DEADLINE
Proposals must be received no later than Friday January 12,1996.
They should be sent to:
Daniel P. Moore
Member of OBTC '96 Committee
Plymouth State College
Plymouth, NH 03264
(603) 535-2525
Internet: danm@psc.plymouth.edu
THE OBTC' 96 PRE-CONFERENCE T GROUP will be organized by Dale Finn. If
you are interested in the T-group, please check off on your form, and we
will make sure you get the information you need.
THE OBTC'96 LOCATION AND REGISTRATION
This year's conference is hosted by Keene State College, part of the
University System of New Hampshire. Keene is an hour north of Amherst,
Massachusetts, 20 minutes east of Brattleboro, Vermont, two hours
northwest of Boston and three hours from the coast of Maine. It is south
of the White Mountains, nestled into the base of Mount Monadnock. Keene
is a charming New England college town, bucolic and traditional, offering
easy access to great New England vacation experiences. Hiking, shopping,
sailing, beaches, great places of historical and aesthetic interest are
all easily accessible from Keene.
The college is a small, liberal arts school attractively traditional in
its architecture, and surprisingly modern in its outlook. We are proud to
showcase Keene State College, and welcome you warmly.
The conference fees cover all meals from Wednesday dinner to
Saturday lunch, lodging for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights, and
conference registration. Those who need to stay over on Saturday night
will be able to do so by paying an addition fee.
____Double Room $ 375 ____ Single Room $425
____Additional Saturday night lodging $25
____T-Group Pre conference Workshop $ 75
____Special fee for full-time doctoral students $250
____I have enclosed $100 to reserve my space at the conference..
Balance will be paid upon arrival.
____I have enclosed the full conference fees. Please send me a
receipt.
Name :______________________________________________
Organizational Affiliation : ______________________________
Address:_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Phone: ______________________________________________
E-mail: _____________________________________________
Fax #
How would you like your name to read on your conference badge?
_____________________________________________________
Is this your first OBTC conference?
Any dietary restrictions? ( please be specific)
Payment method: ______ Check ______ University Voucher
To register for OBTC'96, please mail or fax the above form to:
OBTC'96 Registration
P.O. Box 7219, Keene State College, Keene, NH 03435
Deadline for registration and payment is April 26th, 1996. Due to space
limitations there will be room for only 350 participants, so be ensure
your space, save some money, and register now.
-- Posted by "Barry Mallis" <bmallis@smtp.markem.com>