Out of the Comfort Zone

Book excerpt: Success in careers outside the university setting depends on an individual's capacity to master professional skills and respond appropriately to dynamic situations with flexibility, adaptation, and innovative thinking. This book describes a simple, common sense method of how to include professional skills training in any curricula without compromising academic rigor. It relies on introduction of unanticipated yet manageable crises simulating scenarios commonly experienced in the workplace. The method promises to inspire both students and their teachers to conquer new territory outside their comfort zones. Examples include how to respond to a demand for innovation and teamwork, a lay-off, a re-organization, or switching jobs and projects. These situations are bound to occur for most people and in most jobs they often create stress and, perhaps, despair. Preparing and practicing a mindful and healthy response is beneficial, and now this process can be performed in the classroom, while it serves as a platform for character building prior to unexpected real-life events. Key Features: - Description of the importance of, incentives for, and rewards of exiting the comfort zone - Principles for teaching and learning professional skills - Student anecdotes and reflection - Rubric entries and assessment of learning Table of Contents: The Comfort Zone and “Being out of It” / Exiting the Comfort Zone: Reasons and Impact / Getting Educators and Students out of the Comfort Zone / Principles of “Out-of-the-Comfort-Zone” (OOC) Teaching / Anecdotes of OOC Learning / Measuring the Outcome