To CP or not to CP

I have never ever *shudders* thought I will write on this topic. Nevertheless, time has come to opine about things that have long been just inside the mostly inactive brain I have got. To the uninitiated, Class Participation, famously known as CP in the business school (B-school) lingo, refers to voluntary meaningful contribution one makes in class with the fellow students and the professor. This participation includes answering questions raised by the professor, sharing ideas and thoughts on the topic of discussion, and rarely also includes asking a relevant and interesting doubt.

The idea behind having CP as a part of the evaluation in the curriculum stems from the fact that the future managers must be vocal in their thoughts. Management, as opposed to technical courses, is seen worldwide as an art that comes only from experience, rather than from books. B-schools across the world encourage CP for this reason – to enhance the learning experience with the peers. That is why case studies are the mode of learning.

Now what is wrong in the system? Or in B-school lingo again, what is the problem statement?

There are people who feel that CP has become marks-oriented and it is artificial to put a CP. Those people also feel it should not be an evaluation criterion, for, the souls who don’t voice out are those who are either inhibited or do not feel the necessity of contribution. Why do I disagree? Some myths to resolve

1.  “CP forces people to talk. It should not be evaluative.”

         In a perfect market condition, (yes, I will never fall short of this lingo!) where the objective of the curriculum is to encourage participation, there is no need of marks for CP. However, when students hesitate to contribute or are disinterested, the marks criterion comes in handy. It is an incentive to make people talk in class and thereby create a speaking culture which should have actually developed on its own like in schools abroad. Also, schools have CP marks ranging from 5% to 10% in most courses, which is the minimum anyone can ask for. Infact, B-schools abroad have up to 30% CP marks. When you find vehement opposition to CP even when marks are awarded, how can we expect people to participate when it is not mandatory?

2.   “CP is gas”

             Gas refers to illogical unwanted talks. Desperate CP (also called DCP) leads to gas. One speaks just for the sake of attention and does not add value to the class. However, a proper CP was not conceptualized to be a DCP. The idea behind was genuine, but the system was cynically manipulated (Calvin!) by desperate students who crave for attention. All CP is not Gas. No DCP is CP.  You can solve the syllogism yourself!

3.  “I know to think. I know to speak. I can do it in a board room, but not in the class”

           The school aims at overall development of the manager who not only takes wise decisions, but also involves in discussions and healthy arguments in an organization. A board room need not be similar to the ashrams in the Himalayas and you deal with no saints. A chaotic situation can arise any time in a discussion among the board members. One has to realize that CP gives the opportunity to structure your thoughts and speak out loud with confidence, which is very important for a manager. Students who put CP are seen as nerds who only study. It is absolutely wrong. Requiring preparation, lateral thinking, correlated thinking and a sense of value-add, CP is tough to put. Quoting myself as a fitting and a sitting example, it is a skill one should definitely learn using b-school as a platform.

4.  ‘’CPs are useless”

         CP keeps one attentive in class.You have to listen to comprehend and engage yourself in participation. It is not related to being an extrovert or an introvert. In fact, I have seen very good points coming from some of the most introverted people in class.
        Let us accept the fact that those who regularly participate in classes constitute a significant number of the ones who do well in GDs( Group Discussions) during placement processes. That GDs should be done away with is a related argument. Yet again, the perception is that one who shouts the most gets the attention. HR managers invariably know to judge one’s gestures, articulation style and the clarity of your thoughts much more than one can hope for. Those who fail to participate in class calling it unnecessary make up to at least 50% of the population who stumble during GDs and are unable voice out their opinions. With intense fight for the best jobs,GDs in B-schools have never been both peaceful and successful simultaneously.Period
 

          CP is not to seek attention, not for grades, not for display of knowledge. CP is a component of evaluation that merely aims at vocally bringing out one’s thoughts in an organized manner. Don’t gas, don’t globe. Keep calm and put (meaningful)CP!

P.S: I am not a CP/DCP queen. However, I support it and try to benefit from such a process.Comments are welcome!