Abstract:

Professionalizing higher education is particularly suitable for teaching and learning activities that place the learner at the center of the process. In this article we present a pedagogical innovation based on a dual focus : the first one being the learning of our students in an applied marketing lesson while the second one is on the reinforcement of the pedagogical skills of the teachers of this course, based on the reference frame of competences of teachers in higher education.

According to the Gartner 2022 report, “the pandemic has been creating the space for consumers to ask big questions and test alternative ways to live”. Today’s consumers are now looking for meaning and added value in their consumption.

Following two years of remote teaching during the COVID-19 crisis, both students and teachers are looking for meaning and fulfilment resulting in a shift in mindset. The solution imagined by two HES-SO Valais teachers is to work only with local non-profit organizations (NPOs) for one semester. The 78 students are studying economics and are in their second semester of a six semester full-time program.

This approach is based on three axes:
(1) the objectives of the module are respected,
(2) students are going through experiential learning using the Google Ads platorm and
(3) participation in the Global Online Marketing Challenge (GOMAC) is required.

For non-profit marketing, the first steps to take are to apply for the Google Ad Grants in order for the NPO to benefit from the free Google Ads. It is not an easy process which is why it is more beneficial to explore it in groups during a lesson. If funding is not applicable, the association will have to finance a campaign up to $100.

The result of this first experience is encouraging : 28 non-profit organizations have been supported in their digital marketing approach, 11 of them will benefit from free Google Ads as long as the quality conditions are respected, and finally 8 are still in the application process.. At the end of the semester, the students shared with us the elements of their learning which were overwhelmingly positive. Helping an NPO has provided them with a great deal of satisfaction and fulfilment.

As for the teachers' experience, the repository of pedagogical competencies in higher education is articulated around four main themes which will be the axes around which the results of this project’s impact will be presented:
(1) the design of the course,
(2) the implementation,
(3) the professional development and finally the last axis:
(4) the commitment.

Working with a diverse panel of NPOs created meaning in our teaching and in student learning. The local impact of our actions was significant,visible and easily measurable. It reinforced the students' learning because they not only wanted to learn new concepts but also to transfer them quickly to their association.

Finally, this remarkable commitment was also revealed in the participation in the international marketing competition GOMAC as 5 groups out of 28 were selected on the basis of their impressive results for the second round of the evaluation process. As we come to the end of the semester, we are convinced of the value of this project for all stakeholders and plan to renew it for next year with several improvements to enhance the effectiveness of our teaching in order to improve the learning of our students and ultimately strengthen the impact on the local economy.

Keywords:

Experiential learning, problem based learning, learning design.