C. Roland Christensen Center

C. Roland Christensen Center. The C. Roland Christensen Center is a dedicated academic unit within Harvard Business School focused on advancing the art and science of discussion-based teaching. Established to honor the legacy of the renowned professor C. Roland Christensen, the center serves as a global hub for research, development, and dissemination of participant-centered learning methodologies. Its work supports educators across Harvard University and institutions worldwide in creating more dynamic and effective classroom experiences.

History

The center was formally established in 2005, named in honor of C. Roland Christensen, a legendary professor at Harvard Business School celebrated for his mastery of the case method and discussion leadership. Christensen, who joined the Harvard Business School faculty in 1946, was a pivotal figure in developing the school's distinctive approach to management education. His influential writings, including collaborations with colleagues like David A. Garvin and Abby J. Hansen, laid the philosophical and practical groundwork for the center's mission. The creation of the center institutionalized his commitment to teaching excellence, ensuring his pedagogical insights would continue to influence future generations of educators at Harvard Business School and beyond.

Mission and Activities

The core mission is to cultivate exceptional teaching through the participant-centered model pioneered by C. Roland Christensen. Its primary activities encompass faculty development, pedagogical research, and resource creation. The center conducts workshops and seminars for instructors at Harvard Business School and other schools within Harvard University, such as the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Law School. It produces a wide array of teaching materials, including case studies on teaching, video libraries of classroom discussions, and guides on crafting effective course design. A significant focus is researching the dynamics of the case method classroom and exploring how discussion-based learning develops critical skills in students.

Impact and Recognition

The center has significantly shaped teaching practices at Harvard Business School and has extended its influence globally. Its resources and programs are utilized by business schools and educational institutions around the world, from INSEAD in France to the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The center's work is frequently cited in academic literature on management education and adult learning theory. It has helped standardize and professionalize faculty training in discussion leadership, contributing to the international reputation of Harvard Business School's MBA program. The annual Christensen Award for Excellence in Teaching at Harvard Business School is a direct embodiment of its commitment to recognizing outstanding pedagogical achievement.

Leadership and Governance

The center is integrally housed within and governed by the administrative structure of Harvard Business School. Its founding faculty chair was David A. Garvin, a respected professor and close collaborator of C. Roland Christensen. Leadership typically involves a senior faculty member from Harvard Business School who serves as faculty chair, providing academic direction and oversight. Day-to-day operations are managed by an executive director who coordinates the center's programs, communications, and external partnerships. An advisory board comprising distinguished educators from Harvard University and other institutions often guides its strategic priorities.

Facilities and Resources

The center is physically located on the campus of Harvard Business School in Boston, leveraging the school's extensive infrastructure. This includes access to state-of-the-art classrooms equipped for recording and analyzing teaching sessions, which are crucial for its video library projects. Its primary resources are intellectual and digital, maintained through a dedicated online portal that distributes teaching notes, case studies, and multimedia content to a global network of educators. The center also maintains an archive of materials related to C. Roland Christensen's work, serving as a valuable repository for scholars studying the history of business education.

Category:Harvard Business School Category:Educational organizations based in Massachusetts Category:2005 establishments in Massachusetts