Concept Synthesizing Topics Used in Classes

These topics have been used successfully in classes to teach students how to take notes, organize, and synthesize information. Students worked in groups of 4 or 5. They read and highlighted selected articles. Each student made 5 Post-It notes per article, synthesized the Post-Its with those of other group members (who read different articles on the same topic), named the "clusters", and arranged them in a sequence.

Olympics sponsors–you know the brands, what do you know about the companies? Xerox, Coca Cola, Kodak, Panasonic (business majors)

Food flavorings (freshmen science majors)

Media portrayal of ethnic groups: Sopranos, Tiger Woods, sports team mascots, and inventing "Hispanics" (freshmen ethnic studies class)

McDonald's globalization issues (freshmen)

McDonald's nutrition issues (freshmen)

Red dwarfs (astronomy topic, 6th graders)

Napster and MP3s (workshop for "Baby Boomer" faculty)

Grafitti–delinquency issue or social phenomenon? (librarians workshop)

 

Research examples demonstrated for business majors:

Concept synthesizing techniques were used with these companies throughout the semester to demonstrate research techniques and strategies for class assignments.

Brown Shoe Company - international marketing study and S.W.O.T. analysis

General Motors - international marketing study and S.W.O.T. analysis

Walgreen's - international marketing study, S.W.O.T. analysis, case study

McGraw Hill - company research

Peppercoin, Inc. - emerging technology research study