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A Case-Based Undergraduate Operations Research Course

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel M. Frances

    (Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3G8)

  • Daria Terekhov

    (Department of Mechanical, Industrial, and Aerospace Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3G 1M8)

Abstract

This paper describes a purely case-based undergraduate operations research course that has been successfully run in the industrial engineering program at the University of Toronto for 11 years. We describe the structure of the course, including the process adopted for solving the weekly cases, student assessment methods, and the choice of cases. Student feedback suggests that the course enhances the learning experience through the principle of learning by doing, provides a platform for integration of operations research methods learned in earlier classes, can be conducive to improving communication skills, and addresses the gap between theory and practice through a simulated workplace environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel M. Frances & Daria Terekhov, 2019. "A Case-Based Undergraduate Operations Research Course," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 67-80, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orited:v:19:y:2019:i:2:p:67-80
    DOI: 10.1287/ited.2017.0191
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Samuel E. Bodily, 1996. "Teachers' Forum: Teaching MBA Quantitative Business Analysis with Cases," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 26(6), pages 132-138, December.
    2. J J Cochran, 2000. "Introductory business OR cases: successful use of cases in introductory undergraduate business college operational research courses," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 51(12), pages 1378-1385, December.
    3. Timothy C. Y. Chan, 2013. "Deal or No Deal: A Spreadsheet Game to Introduce Decision Making Under Uncertainty," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 14(1), pages 53-60, September.
    4. Brent Snider & Nancy Southin & Sherry Weaver, 2017. "Student Peer Evaluated Line Balancing Competition," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 17(2), pages 43-48, January.
    5. P C Bell & C Haehling von Lanzenauer, 2000. "Teaching objectives: the value of using cases in teaching operational research," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 51(12), pages 1367-1377, December.
    6. Sarah G. Nurre & Jeffery D. Weir, 2017. "Interactive Excel-Based Gantt Chart Schedule Builder," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 17(2), pages 49-57, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael F. Gorman, 2023. "Case Article—Louisiana Branch Lines," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 139-143, May.

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