Jeanne Johnson joined the Culver-Stockton faculty in August 1999. She develops and teaches courses on computer applications in business, global business, web programming and principles org structure/management. She also is the director of tutoring and the academic support center.

She was named to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2005 and was named the Advisor of the Year for Students in Free Enterprise in 2009. Under Johnson’s leadership, C-SC’s student team created the first “Duel on the Hill” visit day competition and finished as champion, first runner-up or second runner-up at the SIFE regional competition every year from 2007 to 2012. Johnson previously taught at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo. She also has experience as an agricultural business manager and a paralegal, and she has been an accountant since 1992.

My experience with BizCafe

I use the BizCafe simulation in my Principles of Organization/Structures class. The course provides an introduction to business and is cross listed as an experiential class, and is also part of our general education selection. The course provides a general overview of business, giving a very broad look at all aspects of business. Students from all majors take the class because of the EXP and general education designations. I teach the class in our 12 week and 3 week sessions, as well as online. In our 3 week sessions, student concentrate on one class, meeting at least 39 hours during that three weeks, usually three hours per day.

I selected the simulation because I believed it would provide my students with a more realistic view of business than the ‘let’s pretend’ activities I was utilizing in the class. While the students previously enjoyed creating their own make believe business, including mission statements, code of ethics, job descriptions, a simplified business plan and more, they did not actually have a business, or realistic accounting statements. In order for the course to be classified ‘experiential’, it had to include a realistic simulation for the students.

The simulation provides a ‘real business’ with immediate feedback and financial statements for each period of the BizCafe coffeeshop. Success or failure of the business is dependent upon student decisions in every aspect of the business.