Méthodes d'enseignement et stratégie d'apprentissage (document en anglais)

2.3 Teaching methods and learning strategy

ESC Rennes teaching aims to combine general education with professional training. Its close links

with the business community and the emphasis it places upon enhancing its graduates’ and trainees’

employability have led it to develop modules and programs which emphasize experiential learning and

the combination of theoretical and applied approaches. Its continuing monitoring of the business

environment has reinforced its belief that business today must be approached from an explicitly

international perspective, with sales and marketing at the heart of business activity. Feedback from the

business sector has also stressed the need to develop personal skills and attributes and the ability to

relate theory to practice, focusing on in-company as well as in-classroom learning. In terms of the

latter, for instance, students are exposed to current business problems and practices through

encounters with business practitioners and consultants, internships are in integral part of the teaching

and learning process.

ESC Rennes has a strong commitment to the international dimension.

As a French École Supérieure de Commerce which is also accredited by a British university, ESC

Rennes has a dual culture, to which can be added the North American approach which has

spearheaded developments in the teaching of Business. It can thus be said to combine features of all

three systems:

24/90

CLASSICAL FRENCH

SYSTEM

PURE CASE METHOD

(HARVARD AND WESTERN

ONTARIO)

CLASSICAL UK SYSTEM

SYSTEM - Competitive

examination

performance

- Elitist

- Cartesian

- Low failure rates once

in school

- High failure rates in program

- Competitive culture within

school

- Relatively competitive entrance

based on "A" level performance

TEACHER - A "font" of knowledge

- Lectures

- No module book

- Distributes handouts

- Provides a "correction"

- Teacher takes

responsibility

- Encourages participation

- Animator pushes students to

do analysis and find

alternative solutions

- Uses a module book as a

base

- Uses inductive method of

learning

- Forces students to defend

solutions

- Teacher is an expert

- Lectures about points which

interest him and/or key elements

- Discussions in tutorials/small

groups

- Expects students to learn outside

of classroom

STUDENT - Takes notes

- Learns after the lecture

- Does exercise after

class

- Student follows teacher

- Student is passive

- Students expects right

answer

- Student reads theory and

reads case and analyses

case (including in a group)

before

...