Tim Becker

“I tell them, ‘There are two ways of going through a class — with traditional activities or real world,’ ” he said.

Once the students make the commitment to go the real-world route, “They have to sign a document that they agree to go through this way. I am not big on whiners and gas bags.”

But, he said, no one seems to be intimidated, because all of his students opt for the real-world lessons over lectures and theories.

“They love it,” said Becker. “They like the control, and I like them to get out in the field. Most will tell me that they never worked so hard, but they’ve gotten so much out of it.”

It’s Tough Out There

Becker, who also teaches at the local University of Phoenix campus, is president of Total Recall Learning Inc., a local company that develops software learning systems. His courses at USD take students out of the classroom and into the business arena — playing to actual professionals in a variety of fields.

On May 3, a group of his students presented their mock sales presentations at USD’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, and on May 10, another group participated in a marketing trade show, Becker’s version of a final exam. They showcased their proposed products and services at booths, and delivered their pitches from a podium.

“It blew my mind,” Becker said of the quality of his students’ presentations.

His approach to taking students out of the ivory tower and into the marketplace covers a lot of ground. For instance, they are expected to create full-fledged sales plans for the target market they want to sell.

“I bring in guest speakers from various companies and contacts I have,” said Becker.

In other cases, they have to go out and critique the sales techniques of retailers. What the students realize, said Becker, is how “dreadful” some of these sales people are at pitching their products and services.

“Most retailers are out there as a data dump,” he said. “They tell about their products, but don’t ask for your business.”