Achieving consensus on secondary marketing education curriculum and instruction

Access restricted to the OSU CommunityThe purpose of this study was to identify and achieve consensus on secondary level marketing curriculum intended to prepare students for post-high school education leading to professional employment in marketing or related fields. This was achieved through the contributions of sixty-three invited marketing experts representing secondary, technical college, and university level marketing courses and programs. In addition, business and industry contributions were provided by career-level marketing professionals. Two questions were asked to achieve the research outcomes. Question one asked: Aside from academics, what knowledge and skills should secondary Marketing Education contribute to a marketing program of study? The resultant findings identified that secondary-level Marketing Education encompass a broad curriculum inclusive of workplace/employability, business awareness, free enterprise, computer, and general knowledge and skills. Experts support a core marketing curriculum focused on developing understanding and awareness of marketing principles, practices, and applications. They recommended marketing be learned in concert with prerequisite business, academic, and employability knowledge and skills. Findings highlight that specialized marketing curricula be reserved for post-high school coursework. Experts voiced that secondary and postsecondary marketing curricula understand scope and sequence across educational levels. Findings specific to marketing knowledge and skills evolved the following themes: developing student marketing awareness, understanding of marketing principles, and comprehending marketing practices. They also emphasized that marketing program of study students develop prerequisite math knowledge and skills while in high school. Academic readiness was indicated as paramount to success in associate and baccalaureate level marketing courses and programs. Question Two asked: To the extent that you agree with the identified knowledge and skills statements, what methods/strategies should be employed to help a student learn those while in high school? Findings support the notion that marketing curriculum be delivered in a manner that pushes students to develop a realistic concept of the profession. Methods and strategies recommended indicate that marketing should be learned through a combination of school-based, work-based, and community-connected experiences. Projects and problem-based learning strategies were recommended most often. Traditional teacher-centered instructional strategies also received strong support. Overall, student and teacher interaction with industry experts was a normative recommendation. Strategies recommended include guest speakers, field trips, student exposure to real business scenarios, and problems to aid relevance. A level of support for work-based learning paradigms including cooperative occupation education (co-op), school-based enterprises (SBE), and general work-experience programs became evident. This suggests that secondary marketing implement business immersion experiences within a program of study paradigm. However, such a program of study may need to involve students in a variety of shorter term curriculum-based work experiences; one different from the full year co-op commonly utilized in Marketing Education. In addition, facilitating complementary professional experiences through career and technical student organizations was recommended. While this study supports a curriculum for secondary Marketing Education it also highlights desired changes. Secondary Marketing Education leaders are encouraged to redesign some aspects of the Marketing Education curriculum mix to meet the unique needs of students pursuing a program of study. There is also a recommendation for broadening business curriculum thereby, more accurately representing the complex interrelationships that exist between marketing and business functions. Exposure to such a curriculum is recommended through an academic paradigm. Such a curriculum should infuse marketing and business knowledge and skills both as context and learning outcomes. While the findings support the traditional marketing program design which involves school-based (classroom) learning, work-based learning (co-op), and community connecting activities (career and technical student organization), modifications supporting academic outcomes and a broader array of experiential strategies are recommended