Commentary : Confessions of a reflective practitioner: meeting the challenges of marketing’s destruction

In the light of the new millennium, discusses the shift in the power of paradigms, humorously illustrated with the examples of Christopher Columbus, Eratosthenes, Copernicus and Galileo. Tackles the problems involved in curriculum design, including the conflicting reductionist and constructivist epistemologies. Explores the concept of teaching myopia and the principles involved in pedagogy and andragogy. Highlights various approaches towards learning, covering traditional, action and Revans’ approaches. Outlines results, which suggest that graduates are not meeting the expectations of their employers in a variety of skills, including communication, teamwork and negotiation skills. Analyses what is perceived as a key attribute by Irish marketing practitioners and suggests radical changes in the methods used in the classroom.