Let’s be honest, some business school reading material is downright boring for both students and their professors. Choosing the right reading materials for your college business courses can help students get actively involved in their course material instead of just being physically present during lectures. It can also make the difference between having students who simply memorize sentences in a book, and having future entrepreneurs who are truly excited and prepared to go into business after graduation. If you look for the following six attributes in your next set of course materials, you will be helping to set your students up for success.
1. Readability
Course materials need to be somewhat easy to read. Not all students are at the same reading comprehension level, and some students’ dislike for reading itself will make more difficult texts nearly impossible to suffer through. Making sure that the textbooks you choose are going to actually be read will help set your business school courses up for success.
2. Affordability
The business school book you choose also needs to be affordable. Many students struggle to make ends meet. Many cannot to afford to purchase expensive course textbooks, and some will opt to not purchase their books when they cannot afford a business textbook. This makes it nearly impossible for students to learn all the course material that gets covered. Plus, it makes those students harder to teach since they do not have access to the materials you cover in class. Choosing business books at a lower price point means all your students can come to your classes prepared.
3. Applicability
Business students need to learn real world lessons and business values. Ideas that work in theory are of no use to a student who does not understand how to apply those lessons in their professional lives. Reading materials that contain exercises that will help them practice the information they’re learning will allow them to understand what they’ve learned more thoroughly, and it will help them retain the information much longer.
4. Flexibility
We live in a digital age. Some students will not read from dead tree books, because they are so used to reading everything using a digital medium. Choosing materials that offer a digital format will keep some students engaged who otherwise would rarely interact with their course materials.
5. Retainability
Boring books are quickly forgotten, while entertaining course materials tend to be remembered. This is true when teaching young children, and it is equally true when teaching adults. When students can have fun while learning, they are more likely to engage with the content and retain the information. Even at the college level, choosing a boring business class book can mean students don’t really become active learners. Texts that use question and answer format can be especially useful in helping students mentally organize the information they’re learning.
6. Reliability
Books can become outdated quickly. The best college course materials relating to business will contain advice that stands the test of time. If what a student learns is no longer applicable by the time they actually enter the world of business, their class was essentially useless. Solid, proven advice that will guide students’ in an ever changing business world is far more valuable than trendy tips.
Luckily, finding a book that meets all of the above criteria doesn’t require scouring through countless catalogs and endless reviews. “Dear Mr. A ~ letters revealing the secrets of an entrepreneur” by George Black meets and exceeds all of the above criteria for selecting good business school textbooks. Dear Mr. A provides a plethora of solid entrepreneurial advice in an easy-to-read format. Its goal is to entertain adult learners through an engaging story while simultaneously communicating real, business world lessons and values that will be crucial to students’ ultimate success in business.
As an eBook, it is extremely affordable for college students and comes in a digital format they are very likely to appreciate. Please contact us to find out more about the proven success other professors have had in using this book for their college-level business courses, or check out the book itself on Amazon.
