Introduction to the GIMPA

Business School Practitioners

Forum Course

Presented by Dr. David E. Yawson

(GIMPA Business School)
Coordinator Practitioners’ Forum
GIMPA Business School
Bachelors Programme
• The programme covers four (4) academic years divided into eight
(8) semesters. The four academic years are designated in to
 Foundation (Level 100),

 first principles (Level 200);

 strengthening business knowledge (Level 300);

 integrating and applying concepts (Level 400).

• Each student must complete a programme of study which is made

up of a total of fifty-four (54) courses in the four major components.
• With the exception of Practitioners’ Forum and Entrepreneurship
of the self – career planning, which are allocated 1 credit hour,
each course is allocated 3 credit hours.

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 2

Introduction – The Practitioners
Forum Programme
 The Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons) programme in
the Business School is designed to provide :
 an in-depth knowledge in business concepts with a
strong emphasis on practitioners’ knowledge and
interaction.
 The knowledge of practice is delivered through the
practitioners’ forum.
 A series of presentations and interactions from
seasoned industry practitioners.

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Introduction – The Practitioners
Forum Programme

 The practitioners’ forum is allocated 1 credit hour and

delivered through the GIMPA Learning Management
System (LMS).

 Delivered in eight courses, one in each semester:

 Level 100 - BUS 131B & BUS 132B
 Level 200 - BUS 231B & BUS 232B
 Level 300 - BUS 331B & BUS 332B
 Level 400 - BUS 431B & BUS 432B.
Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 4
Practitioners’ Forum Course
Themes – Level 100
The course modules are delivered through eight thematic areas as:

1. Practitioners’ Forum 1 - Coping with 21st century

university education.
 -The presentations under this theme seeks to bring to participants the challenges,
concepts and strategies required to succeed in their development in the changing
world of business as potential practitioners.

2. Practitioners’ Forum 2 - Career identification and prospecting.

 This theme of presentations seeks to enable students identify and prospect their
careers. It is to help participants clarify their chosen careers and understand the
current industry requirements, practices and demands to succeed in the modern
world.
Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 5
)
Practitioners’ Forum Course
Themes – Level 200
The course modules are delivered through eight thematic areas as:

1. Practitioners’ Forum 3 - Professional roles and their

development.
 Presentations under this theme seeks to present to participants the
selected business professional roles; the requirements for qualification
and the practical industry training and personal preparations to be
successful in the changing world of business.

2. Practitioners’ Forum 4 - Personal development.

 Presentations under this theme will empower participants with critical
personal workplace skills to operate in modern business environment.
Industry practitioners present practical industry application of theoretical
concepts.
Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 6
)
Practitioners’ Forum Course
Themes – Level 300
The course modules are delivered through eight thematic areas as:

1. Practitioners’ Forum 5 - Entrepreneurship:

Identification and prospecting
 This theme is to enable participants identify and pursue their interest in
their entrepreneurial ambitions; and provide the building blocks for those
who are interested in promoting, supporting and working with
entrepreneurs.
2. Practitioners’ Forum 6 - Entrepreneurship: Getting Involved
 This theme is to provide the basics for participants who will be engaged in
enterprise and / entrepreneurial organizations to understand the context in
which to apply their business concepts from their various specializations.

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 7

)
Practitioners’ Forum Course
Themes - Level 400
The course modules are delivered through eight thematic areas as:

1. Practitioners’ Forum 7 - Getting ready for the working

world
 This theme seeks to provide in-depth industry practitioners
perspectives on selected industry specific recruitment processes,
procedures and requirements to participants.
2. Practitioners’ Forum 8 - Essentials of graduate
employment
 This is a capstone theme that focuses on the essential industry
requirements for entry level graduate employees.

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 8

Business School Practitioners’
Forum Course

• MODE OF DELIVERY
 Six sessions of presentations and interactions on the
GIMPA Learning Management System (LMS) and
lecture halls.

• PEDAGOGIC APPROACH
 Delivered in a learning environment that employs the
social constructionist pedagogic approach.

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 9

Business School Practitioners’
Forum Course

• MODE OF ASSESSMENT

 Preparation of a reflective report on the four sessions of

the course in the semester will be the main assessment.
 Students may be asked to present an activity assignment
(Eg. CV, application letter, personal statement).
 Participation in interactions on the platform on the course
and sessions fora, chats and surveys is recognized.

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 10

The Reflective Report
 The Reflective Report
 Finds a balance between
 individual learners’ writing skills,
 critical thinking and
 ability to grasp basic practitioners’ concepts and
strategies.

 This mode of assessment differs from the general

mode of assessment of courses in the Business
School which concentrates on group work, group
dynamics and ability to grasp business concepts.
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Example of Reflective Writing
After viewing all the videos and noting key points, I came
to the realization that in the current business
environment, a first degree is now relegated to an entry
level pass into any reputable organization due in part to
the high proportion of students that are obtaining good
grades and degrees, and on the other hand to the rapid
progress and advancement being made across
industries. In order to elevate my standing and improve
my marketability, I have to actively pursue continuous
learning and personal development by honing in on my
area of interest and joining a professional body to provide
me with requisite industrial and advanced training.
Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 12
Reflective Reports Evaluation
Criteria
 Depth of Reflection
 Required Components of the report present
 Structure of the report.
 Evidence and / of practice

 Exploring, reading and adhering to the information on

the GIMPA LMS is more important than binding the
report .

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 13

Academic Dishonesty
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2017 SECTIONS
7.1 AND 7.2 , THE FOLLOWING WILL THREATEN THE
INTEGRITY OF YOUR ACADEMIC CAREER AND CARRIES
SEVERE SANCTIONS :

• Falsification or fabrication of data

• Cheating – receiving , purchasing or selling a research or any
academic work and presenting it as own other than that of the
author
• Plagiarism

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 14

Academic Dishonesty

Examples of Cheating are as follows:

 Allowing someone to copy your work

 Copying somebody’s work

 Impersonation of students on the GIMPA Learning

Management System.
 The use of non- GIMPA email address to access the

course on the GIMPA Learning Management System.

 Any other practices that the disciplinary committee of

the institute would deem academic dishonesty

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 15

Recommendations

• All the needed documents needed for the report are available on
the system.
• Detailed assignment guidelines and evaluation criteria are
available on the system for students to download and read.
Evidence shows:-
• That students did not read nor understand or ignored this information.
• Students failed to indicate their name; students ID and programme of
specialisation (information required for identification).
• They also failed to abide by the instructions for the report formatting,
layout and the information provided on the Reflective Report Cover
Sheet..

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Recommendations
• Students should endeavour to read all the information
provided on the GIMPA Learning Management System. This
is equal to covering the whole syllabus in other regular
courses.

• Students should read the emails provided by the coordinators

of the course thoroughly and contact the coordinators for any
clarifications. Following them strictly will improve your
chances of maximizing the benefits of the course.

• Students should be able to apply their knowledge of

theories/techniques to the presentations delivered during the
sessions.
Practitioners' Forum Course (BUS131A) 17
 Thank You

Introduction to the Practitioners' Forum Course 18