Jean Lacoste

Jean Lacoste is a Senior Instructor in the Pamplin College of Business' Department of Accounting and Information Systems. Jean has taught well over 20,000 students during her tenure at Virginia Tech, most in groups of 500 students at a time. She has worked tirelessly to remove the impersonal atmosphere of the mass lecture classroom experience. Jean's project transformed her first-year level, information systems, mass lecture course into a hands-on business analytics course delivered in a multi-modal format. This means instructional materials are made available in a variety of formats including video lecture, live lecture and interactive software. All avenues include hands-on activities with immediate feedback. Students are free to choose the combination of resources and activities that best fit their individual learning style, schedule and other preferences. This change has resulted in a more effective and enjoyable learning experience as evidenced by student feedback and summative assessments. Jean's enjoyment in teaching the large class has increased as well because her students are more enthusiastic about the course, often exceeding course requirements. Jean's commitment to student choice has empowered her students to take charge of their own learning and has transformed the mass lecture atmosphere into one of learner-centered communities.