WOL in the classroom: A recent example

Whenever I hear of Working Out Loud in universities, it’s typically used for courses in Knowledge Management, Online Communications, or Marketing. Unfortunately, I rarely get to hear directly from the students about their WOL experience.

But recently I spoke with Prof. Julia Schönbrunn, who formed WOL Circles in a class of hers called “Specific Issues of International Management.” The professor, a Ph. D. in “Group processes, coopetition and collaboration networks,” teaches at Heilbronn University. She shared her WOL case study on LinkedIn, which is how I learned about it, and we arranged a call.

The reactions from her students surprised me. 

“The WOL circle was an amazing experience for me…I am happy to call my group members friends now."

“I observed a shift in the way of thinking.. the importance of being connected and ‘better together’.”

“I have seen how people can support one another and push each other towards personal goals.“ 

I had assumed the only reasons students would Work Out Loud would be to fulfill a course requirement or to explore careers and increase their access to jobs. 

But students, it seems, crave connection and belonging like the rest of us. A WOL Circle gave them a chance to fill those needs—needs they felt acutely during the pandemic—while they each worked on goals they cared about. As the weeks passed, their Circle was about more than a grade but about a feeling.

“I would definitely do WOL again and recommend it to my friends and former employer.” 

You can learn more about WOL for Education, including our pilot program with universities, and meet others interested in the topic in the WOL Community.

Feedback from students at Heilbronn University about their WOL experience.