Showing posts with label "Unitec New Zealand". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "Unitec New Zealand". Show all posts

Monday, January 24, 2011

On choosing to teach: a professor reflects (Part 3) - INVITED BLOGGER OF THE MONTH (September 2010)



This is the third, and final part of a three-part recollection and reflection: "On choosing to teach: a professor reflects", by Peter Mellalieu. To read part one, please click this link, and part two, please click here.

INTRODUCTION

In the the first and second part of this series I outlined the events that led to my 'call to teach' at Massey University in the late 1980s, recalled the earlier influences on my life such as the two innovative teachers I had as parents, and my experience tutoring fellow students at high school and university. I also described my arrival at the university and induction, my anxiety and preparation for my first lecture, and the logistical catastrophe of my first on-campus programme. These have all shaped my consequent approaches to curriculum innovation and development.

In this episode, I explore my advancing teaching practice, and discuss some of the principles of adventure learning.

PART THREE

Advancing my teaching practice

 
Image source - by Mark Brannan

I recall from my 'blue book' that a tertiary teacher often embarks on their teaching according to the manner in which they have been taught. The blue book (mentioned in Part 1) certainly expanded my repertoire of possibilities and approaches. However, I now recognise that by the time I had become a university teacher - in my early thirties - I had experienced as a student an exceptionally wide range of formal teaching and training techniques. Perhaps the learning environments I had experienced are unique in their diversity!

During the early 1970s I was a pupil in what was then regarded as New Zealand's most progressive state school: Cambridge High School. Our principal, George Nairn Marshall, instructed our senior class in what is now termed 'critical thinking'. My physics teacher coached a team of students to compete in the NBR/NCR National Business Game Competition in 1972-73. The competition was a computer-facilitated learning experience that I recorded for posterity in the High School Yearbook. Until recently, I utilised a computer-based business game to teach students about decision support systems, financial engineering, and strategic thinking: Thompson and Strickland's Business Strategy Game, (BSG).

 
Image source - by Tim Morgan

Whilst Steve Jobs and Bill Wozniak were inventing the Personal Computer (PC) and laying the foundation for Apple Corporation, I was building my own thermionic valve-driven audio mono-fi-amplifier. My equivalent of the internet and Google Search, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, informed me precisely how to make the usual childhood weapons of mass destruction, interplanetary travel, ... and yoghurt. I programmed physics problems (Einstein's relativistic mass equations) by punching out the chad from a Hollerith computer punch card using a bent paper clip: PORTRAN for Portable FORTRAN. These learning exercises were quite autodidactic - or self-directed as we now might say.

The PORTRAN experience led to my selection for a week's secondary school programme with IBM in Auckland in 1972, and my direct entry into the second year of a practical computer programming course at Massey University where I learned Information Structures and Programming. I recall the use of the GOTO statement was grounds for immediate failure of a programming assignment by our lecturer. With similar ferocity (I wish!), I now forbid the use of 'and' as a conjunction in written language, preferring words such as: 'Furthermore', 'Consequently', and 'In contrast'. I permit 'and' solely as part of a list of items! I argue for using succinct sentences. I prefer students write using English that is comprehensible by an international audience for whom English is an alternative language (EAL). Consequently, I recommend students learn to speak and write McAlpine's Global English! I now have statistical evidence from a pilot project that students who are superior at writing formal academic English have a higher likelihood of gaining higher grades in their final grades and a diverse variety of assignments - even including multi-choice tests! (Mellalieu 2010, December 6).

At university, beyond lectures and tutorials I experienced science and engineering laboratories; field trips to paper mills, fellmongeries, and dairy factories; team projects to design a factory - including its business plan; case studies; computer simulations, and annual 12-week industry work placements.


Image source - by Oisín Duke

Whilst pursuing postgraduate studies in public policy with the intention of becoming a United Nations diplomat, I undertook a 'finishing school' in the 'final act of diplomacy': I learned to soldier. During my concurrent three years part-time training as a military engineer (sapper), I experienced competency-based training in a variety of skills such as marksmanship, rifle care, grenade throwing, navigation, bridge building, parade drill, explosives, and latrine cleaning. Perhaps more importantly, I learned the importance of ensuring that every team member was carried through (literally, if necessary) to the objective destination - together. The latter value is something rather difficult to inculcate amongst my students, yet I am convinced it would be valued by employers beyond the military.

During my professional, pre-academic life in the New Zealand Public Service, I experienced an extraordinary participative strategic organisation development process - the Strategic Orientation Round (SOR) developed for the Philips multinational. I have used SOR extensively in my consulting and to a lesser extent my teaching. Mellalieu (1987) presents my first published example from my pre-university career as an industrial scientist.
Wisdom from the mentors: what should you teach .. and how?

 
Image source by dkuropatwa

Very early in my teaching career I stumbled across a recently-published review of the state of university-based management education in the United States (Porter & McKibben, 1988). [Not 'the' Michael Porter of generic strategy and five forces fame.] The study was critical of the lack of attention to: integration across functional discipline areas (management, marketing, finance...); leadership and people management skills; and international components. At my first Australia-New Zealand management educators conference, I presented a review of this study contrasted with several related studies critiquing the state of management education in Britain Australia, and Japan (Mellalieu, 1989). I noted from a study of UK high flyer managers that: "an ability to take an overview, analyse and develop a strategy for solving problems is a vital skill for top managers. This is a skill which can be developed in a formal class room. Academic programmes would probably have more impact on the real world if more attention was paid to this activity in preference to the presentation of information and abstract theory" (Cox & Cooper, 1989). How relevant that quote remains today!

My literature review strongly informed the development of my teaching practice and philosophy. I am - surprised - to note especially my enduring emphasis on practical problem solving, cross-functional integration through strategic and entrepreneurial thinking, and the development of strengths-based leadership and people management competencies.

Case study 'problem-based learning' teaching thrilled me for several years until I was challenged by a postgraduate student to assess the potential contribution of outdoor adventure-based learning. My subsequent exploration led to my engagement with adventure learning, action learning, action research and the necessary co-requisite practice of encouraging students' reflective learning (Mellalieu, Leberman, Bradbury, & Chu, 1994). Exposure to several personality profile indicators (such as the Myers-Briggs indicator, Belbin Team Roles, and later the Gallup StrengthsFinder) led to my last decade applying strengths-based development in my teaching. Most recently, this pathway has lead to my guiding students to create a personal and professional learning agenda (PLA) as part of their first year of tertiary studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Unitec BSNS 5391). Their PLA is intended to act as a regular prompt to remind students of their short and long term aims, their natural talents, and the actions they can take to develop their talents into strengths and excellence (Mellalieu, 2010d).


Image source - by London Public Library

The principles of adventure learning strongly inform my current pedagogy: the design of my learning environments and the assignments with which I challenge my students. Adventure learning - broadly interpreted is strongly consequentialist compared with traditional lectures, and even the case study approach. A student who proposes solutions to a case study never experiences personally the consequences of their decisions. In contrast, a problem framed as an adventure learning task does face the consequences of their decision: a more potent learning experience. Competitive computer simulation games can also be constructed as a type of adventure learning, providing time for reflection is embedded in the pedagogical process (Mellalieu & Emerson, 2009).

Action learning is often confused with adventure learning. They both share a commitment to reflective learning and group processes. However, the former is charged with achieving direct organisational objectives through some kind of project, whereas the latter is typically focussed on learning through outdoor adventure activities often in preparation for individual or team development. I tend to 'mix and match' the two approaches with other pedagogies as appropriate.

Whilst developing my competency to co-facilitate adventure learning, I experienced the extremely potent pedagogical design methodology of isomorphic framing under the guidance of Simon Priest. I also gained practice in using action learning and action research from a variety of mentors including the International Management Centres, IMC. This experience lead to the creation of the Action Learning Management Practicum. This course taught students how to design, facilitate, and risk manage client-focussed adventure learning interventions (Leberman & Mellalieu, 1996).

The future for tertiary education

I began my teaching career 'crowd managing' over 1000 students per year, examining each student against a single curriculum. Before I entered the Procrustean Bed of the New Zealand polytechnic business education system, I had developed confidence in facilitating senior students to tailor their learning to their own interests: my interpretation of the emergingly-fashionable phrase 'self-directed learning'.

 
Image source - by h.koppdelaney

I see the future challenge of tertiary education as being to 'mass customise' the learning experience for each student building - especially - on their identified talents and aspirations. Part of the challenge includes focussing attention on ensuring that students achieve 'basic competency' in core, generic academic literacies and supporting students' individual strengths-based development. Certainly, information and communication technologies such as pedagogical games, decision support systems, the electronic text book, and collaborative learning technologies will be amongst the portfolio of instruments that I will continue to advance in my practice. However, I believe that at the heart of tertiary education lies the crucial importance of formal academic writing, numeracy, creative problem solving ... and consciously thinking about how to create an environmentally sustainable society. I think the latter presents an outstanding opportunity to build cross-disciplinary thinking and collaboration.



Image source

Peter Mellalieu

Peter J. Mellalieu is a curriculum innovator who teaches innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy, creativity, and sustainable enterprise development at Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. He studied industrial engineering and management at Massey University (BTech (hons), 1973-1976) and public policy at Victoria University of Wellington (MPubPol, 1976-78). His doctoral studies in management science and information systems (1979-1982) engaged him implementing decision support systems for strategic planning in several agribusiness sectors. He is an ardent advocate for education for sustainability. His professional journal is at http://pogus.tumblr.com and resources for teachers and students at http://teach.myndsurfers.org.nz.

References
Cox, C. J., & Cooper, C. L. (1988). High flyers: An anatomy of managerial success. Blackwell.
Inkson, K., Henshall, B., Marsh, N., & Ellis, G. (1987). Theory K: The Key to Excellence in New Zealand Business. Auckland, NZ: Bateman.
Leberman, S., & Mellalieu, P. J. (1996). ALP-DevCo and the Action Learning Programme: A Trojan Horse for Moving from Mystery to Mastery - Training educators to use experiential education using an isomorphically-framed training-products development company. In Proceedings of the Outdoor Education Conference: From Mystery to Mastery (pp. 66-83). Presented at the Outdoor Educators Conference, The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre, Turangi, NZ: Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2007/10/8_Training_educators_to_use_experiential_education_using_an_isomorphically-framed_training-products_development_company.html
Mellalieu, P. J., & Emerson, A. (2009). Developing reflective learning in a strategic thinking class. In Unitec Teaching and Learning Symposium. Presented at the Unitec Teaching and Learning Symposium, 28 September 2009, Auckland, NZ: Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Blog/Entries/2009/9/29_Symposium%3A_Developing_reflective_learning_in_a_strategic_thinking_course.html
Mellalieu, P. J., Leberman, S., Bradbury, T., & Chu, M. (1994). Opening the black box: Beyond adventure-based management education programmes. Discussion paper. Palmerston North, NZ: Department of Management Systems, Massey University. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2007/10/7_Should_outdoor_adventure_learning_be_incorporated_into_business_education.html
Mellalieu, P. J. (1987). Strategic orientation in a biological science laboratory (the case of DSIR Applied Biochemistry Division). New Zealand Journal of Technology, 3, 153-157. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2007/10/28_Case_study%3A_strategic_orientation_in_a_biological_science_laboratory.html
Mellalieu, P. J. (1989). Educating future managers: A survey of recent publications. In Proceedings of Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management Educators. Presented at the Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management Educators Conference 1989, University of Auckland, Auckland, NZ: Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management Educators. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Blog/Entries/2007/11/13_Educating_future_managers%3A_Does_one_size_fit_all.html
Mellalieu, P. J. (1998). Weaving the threads of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial learning through a university-located reality-TV and master class: Enterprise MasterWorks (EMW)™. In International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs). Presented at the International Conference on Higher Education and Small/Medium Enterprise (SMEs), Rennes, France: Centre Études et Recherche EURO PME, Rennes International School of Business. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2007/10/18_Weaving_the_threads_of_innovation%2C_creativity%2C_and_entrepreneurial_learning_through_a_university-located_reality-TV_and_master_class%3A_Enterprise_MasterWorks_(EMW).html
Mellalieu, P. J. (2010b). Course Handbook and Syllabus - Strategy and Sustainability - Unitec BSNS 7340. Auckland: Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/full/28723688?access_key=key-25nlskq6rdmg2awnueu9
Mellalieu, P. J. (2010c, August 21). Course Handbook and Syllabus Unitec BSNS 5391 Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Scribd. Retrieved August 21, 2010, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/36191676/Course-Handbook-and-Syllabus-Unitec-BSNS-5391-Innovation-and-Entrepreneurship
Mellalieu, P. J. (2010d). Engaging a student-directed 'living curricula': Progress results and reflections from introducing strengths-based professional development in an international business school. Presented at the Unitec Learning, Teaching, and Research Symposium, Auckland, NZ: Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from http://web.me.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Examples/Entries/2010/10/1_Strengths-based_professional_development_in_an_international_business_school_.html
Mellalieu, P. J. (2010, December 6). A Decision Support System for predicting success, excellence, and retention from students' early course performance: a machine learning approach in a tertiary education programme in innovation and entrepreneurship: Part 1: Project summary. Innovation & chaos ... in search of optimality. Retrieved December 9, 2010, from http://pogus.tumblr.com/post/2110849868/a-decision-support-system-for-predicting-success
Evaluating the Enterprise MasterWorks format in a university context. EMW: Enterprise MasterWorks. Retrieved from http://web.mac.com/petermellalieu/Teacher/Podcasts/Entries/2007/11/29_Students%E2%80%99_evaluation_of_the_EMW_format.html
Peters, T. J., & Waterman, R. H. (1982). In Search of Excellence: Lessons from Americas Best Run Companies (Later Printing Edition.). Grand Central Publishing.
Pettigrew, A., & Whipp, R. (1993). Managing change for competitive success. Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=5vndy8U2Yp8C&dq=pettigrew+whipp+competitive+success&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=4UZrS86BOIzetgOAjLiuAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Porter, L. W., & McKibben, L. (1988). Management education and development: Drift or thrust into the 21st century. McGraw-Hill.
Slappendel, C. (1992). The Emergence and Development of Ergonomics Capability: Case
f0Studies of Innovation in Product Design and Development (Doctor of Philosophy in Business Studies). Massey University. Retrieved from http://encore.massey.ac.nz/iii/encore/record/C%7CRb1334530%7CSslappendel%7CP0%2C2%7COrightresult?lang=eng&suite=def

Friday, December 3, 2010

On choosing to teach: a professor reflects (Part 2) - INVITED BLOGGER OF THE MONTH (September 2010)



This is the second part of a three-part recollection and reflection: "On choosing to teach: a professor reflects", by Peter Mellalieu. To read part one, please click this link.

INTRODUCTION

In the first part of this series I outlined the events that led to my 'call to teach' at Massey University in the late 1980s. I recalled the earlier influences on my life such as the two innovative teachers I had as parents, and my experience tutoring fellow students at high school and university. I concluded with my arrival at the university and induction directly into the team marking about 1000 first year business studies examination scripts.
In this episode, I recall my anxiety and preparation for my first lecture followed by the logistical catastrophe of my first on-campus programme. I include reflections on the approaches I took to establishing and developing my personal approach to curriculum innovation and development.

PART TWO

A visit to the mentor: speaking partners

Arriving at the university in October 1987, several months loomed before my first Management lecture in March to an estimated 200 second-year students of business studies. Anticipating my first class was a cause of much anxiety on my part. Fortunately, a colleague and I became 'speaking partners' soon after my arrival. We embarked on a commitment to weekly discussions to support each other's professional development. As an early joint exercise we created a statement of our personal teaching philosophies. My statement continues to evolve and inform my teaching practice. Furthermore, it warns students what to expect from my classroom environment. My speaking partner was a lecturer in communications. Consequently, she was well able to assist my confidence-building through having me practice and demonstrate elements of lecture writing and delivery. (Thank you, Marianne.)

An aside: A student pointed out to me recently that all he wanted from my course was what I might term a 'certificate of attendance' ... he seemed not to want to prove that he had learned anything, nor gains competencies that might help him 'get ahead'. I reminded the student that he was attending a tax-payer funded institution that had certain obligations to achieve nation-building outcomes ... whether he liked it or not! That conversation reminded me of the importance of stating up front clearly my teaching philosophy to students early in their study with me. I suggest it's also a good idea to share your teaching philosophy with colleagues - especially if your approach is out of the ordinary stream of students' - and teachers' - experience.


Image source - by sobriquet.net
 
Crossing the threshold: my first lecture

I began my first lecture by asking a student picked at random from my class list to respond to the question I had written on the blackboard (real black, real chalk) about 10 minutes before the class commencement. In a subsequent class the answer 'meaningless' was proffered in response to my request for the most important word in a quote by Jean-Paul Sartre introducing the contingency approach to management studies: "Life is absurd, contingent, and meaningless". I took the high ground in the first seconds of my engagement!

Lectures took much time to prepare: texts did not yet come with Powerpoint slides, prepared multi-choice tests - or even acetate slides. Fortunately there was an instructors manual for the course text to provide guidance for case study discussions. Instructors manuals are useful 'trainer wheels' for the novice teacher! I must admit to considerable anxiety embarking on facilitating case study discussions. What if the students came up with different answers than those in the instructors manual? What if they asked questions to which I didn't know the answer? I later learned the teacher's trick: "Now, Julia, what is your response to that question?".

Mid-year, a proportion of my 400 extra-mural students arrived during the study break for their two-day on-campus experience. Our current manic rush of the 14-week semester had not yet been inflicted on students who must also balance their career and family lives with their engagement with the academy! The on-campus programme included samples of the weekly lectures case study discussions, a test, and tutorial exercises provided to the intramural students. Discussion around the book - and video - 'Theory K' was a highlight for two years (Inkson, Henshall, Marsh, & Ellis, 1987). My use of these resources persisted until several of the high-profile 'excellent' companies (Judgecorp? Chase?) fell into bankruptcy or disrepute after the share-market crash of October 1987. The Hannovers and Bridgecorps of yesteryear! Those earlier companies' fall replicated the parallel fall of several companies profiled in Peters and Waterman's US precursor to 'Theory K': 'In Search of Excellence' (Peters and Waterman, 1982). That book had so excited me whilst on my 1983 post-doctoral position at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and informed - briefly - one aspect of my approach to strategy teaching. In Cambridge (US) I saw and experienced some of those excellent companies in action - and many others. Quite a contrast to the Muldoonist state-cocooned 'enterprise' that then pervaded New Zealand in both the state and private sector.

In later years, through meeting with British business anthropologist Professor Andrew Pettigrew of Warwick University, I learned of the deficiencies of the one-sided uncontrolled study of 'excellence' and 'leadership' exemplified in Peters and Waterman, Theory K, ... and several other copy-cat studies. These deficiencies lead to the rise of 'matched case' research studies. Pettigrew and Whipp's (1993) thorough and exciting qualitative approach was adopted by my first PhD 'student' who studied the adoption of advanced product design and ergonomics principles in several New Zealand companies (Slappendel, 1992). I state 'student' parenthetically as I learned more about qualitative research and Pettigrew's approach from my student than I was able to offer in return. I believe my contribution was merely to protect my charge from quantitative researchers concerned at the absence of statistical rigour emanating from a study based on eight cases. Nevertheless, I supervised several masters theses that soundly embraced Pettigrew and Whipp's matched case approach.


Image source - by Andrew Scott

The road of trials: soliciting feedback from students

My first on-campus for extra-murals in 1988 was a logistics disaster. I learned that once you post out your schedule of events to your colleagues and guest lecturers YOU DO NOT ALTER THE PLAN.... My revised, 'improved' plan lead to double bookings and geographically misplaced teachers amongst the dozen or so teachers involved. Based on pre-emptive advice from a colleague I had fortunately arranged for students to complete a feedback form that gave me precise data that guided my improvement of the two remaining on-campus experiences for the remaining cohorts of extra-mural students.

The second course, delivered in Christchurch, went very well. Relief! But that was just a small group of 60 students. The final test was how a much larger cohort of students in Auckland would experience the new recipe. Again: excellent. I had learned another lesson: timely soliciting of student feedback and using that promptly to improve teaching operations. Don't wait to receive end-of semester student evaluations of teaching. They don't help the students in your current class. They are out-of-date. And often they are taken mid-way through your course when students are often at their highest levels of stress and anxiety.

In my current teaching, I provide a weekly opportunity at every class for my students to express suggestions for improving their state of confidence about the class. I measure the degree of 'Csikszentmihalyian Flow' of my students at both the start and end of each class. It is a five minute exercise that helps students realise they are not alone if they feel anxious or worried about the class. The instrument helps students identify that there are others in class from whom they can get help - those who declare they are 'in control' or in 'flow'. I also ask students what they propose I can do do mitigate their challenges with the course. Using the Csikszentmihalyian Flow-o-meter is especially valuable if, like me, you adopt out-of-the-norm teaching approaches. Or if you are uncertain about students' response to your teaching approach. Personal risk management!

Another instrument I use to gain valuable ideas for improving future deliveries of a course is a de Bonofied variant of the Small Group Instructional Diagnostic - SGID. I facilitate a PMI discussion of the features of the course: Positive, Minus, and Interesting (a de Bono lateral thinking technique). Finally, for each feature, the students provide advice about whether to increase, decrease, or modify the feature in some way. For an example of SGID in action see the video in Mellalieu, 1997. In this case, the SGID occurred following week three of the most innovative course I have ever created: the final year undergraduate course Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) at Massey University, 1996-1999. My motivation for commissioning the SGID was to gain assurance that I was on a 'safe' track in terms of the radical pedagogy I was deploying: a hybridised master-class, as-live-to-air reality TV edu-trainment called Enterprise MasterWorks.

Consequently, I commissioned an external facilitator to lead this - my first - SGID session. A reflection of the entire course journey for Enterprise MasterWorks/Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship is in Mellalieu (1998).


Image source - by atmtx

In my first year of teaching, my final year course in Business Policy was a delight to teach to a small class of 12 students. I made weekly use of 'The Case Study' approach in which students diagnose the problems faced by a business within the context of industry trends and competition. My students warned that I would be facing an insurge of students the following year based on their recommendations. I was surprised to find 40 students the next year. By 1991 my Business Policy class - renamed Strategy, Policy, and General Management - had grown to around 80 internal and 80 extra-mural students. At my instigation, I was relieved of the high administrative workload Management course.

The strategy course evolved under my direction to become an exemplar of excellence for extra-mural teaching. I'm proud to note that one student gained an award from the NZ Strategic Management Society for a case study they wrote describing and evaluating a strategic initiative undertaken by a New Zealand organisation. The study considered the Air New Zealand corporate take-over of Ansett Airways, if I recall correctly, written by an airline pilot/extra-mural student at 30,000 feet. The relief from the low level undergraduate teaching also gave me the chance to concentrate on developing new - and later innovative - courses at postgraduate level.

Just this week I met a former extra-mural student of my Massey Strategy course. My student is now the 50 per cent owner/operator of a steel roof manufacturing company. By serendipity, I was visiting the company in my role as an amateur photo-journalist commissioned by my brother and his business partner to photograph a sheet steel decoiling system they had invented and built for sale to my former student's business. He recalled how interesting and well-organised the course was, and the value of the case study approach. I suggested the opportunity to write a case study about my student's current business choices as he considered expansion of his business!

Preview of part 3
In part 3, I look at the advancing of my teaching practice, along with the importance of diversity, innovation, and information and communication technologies such as pedagogical games, decision support systems, the electronic text book and collaborative learning technologies. 


Image source
Peter Mellalieu

Peter J. Mellalieu is a curriculum innovator who teaches innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy, creativity, and sustainable enterprise development at Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. He studied industrial engineering and management at Massey University (BTech (hons), 1973-1976) and public policy at Victoria University of Wellington (MPubPol, 1976-78). His doctoral studies in management science and information systems (1979-1982) engaged him implementing decision support systems for strategic planning in several agribusiness sectors. He is an ardent advocate for education for sustainability. His professional journal is at http://pogus.tumblr.com and resources for teachers and students at http://teach.myndsurfers.org.nz.