Uniting active and deep learning to teach problem-solving skills: Strategic tools and the learning spiral

This article describes an innovative strategic tools course designed to enhance the problem-solving skills of marketing majors. The course serves as a means of preparing students to capitalize on opportunities afforded by a case-based capstone course and to better meet the needs and expectations of prospective employers. The course format utilizes active and deep learning to provide students with the ability to identify a marketing problem, select and use a strategic marketing tool or set of tools appropriate to its solution, collect and analyze relevant data, and make concrete data-based recommendations. Knowledge of the problem identification-to-recommendation process is enhanced via a “learning spiral,” which requires students to apply additional tools in different contexts, thus increasing their breadth and depth of understanding. The authors describe in detail two of the strategic tools that comprise course content (perceptual mapping and conjoint analysis). Finally, the article discusses the rewards and challenges that can be anticipated by those teaching the course.