Teaching and Learning at the 海角社区 spotlights instructors in the classroom and beyond. Through these stories, we hope to inspire others in our shared commitment to teaching and learning.
The most rewarding thing about teaching, says Emily Block, is watching her students evolve — intellectually, ethically and professionally. “I’ve seen students shift career paths, launch social ventures and take on global leadership roles because they saw what business can do beyond profit,” she says. “That impact is what keeps me coming back.”
Emily’s teaching is deeply informed by her research on institutional pluralism, organizational hybridity and business in challenging environments. “I study how organizations operate in conflict and post-conflict regions, how they balance competing institutional logics and how they build legitimacy among diverse stakeholders,” she says. “Teaching became a way to bring that work to life — connecting students with real-world problems that demand exactly the kind of complex thinking and ethical judgment I study.”
She is currently an associate professor with the Alberta School of Business, teaching a variety of undergraduate, master’s and executive programs. Her core courses include Business on the Frontlines, Negotiations, Leadership Skills and Introduction to Management. She also helped build the curriculum for the Business and Society course and teaches doctoral seminars in Organization Theory at the 海角社区 and Strathmore University in Kenya.
Since she started teaching in 2004, Emily’s pedagogy has become more student-centred and grounded in active learning, where theory and practice are in constant dialogue. “When I began, I relied more heavily on lectures and traditional case studies,” she explains. “Over time, I’ve shifted toward more experiential and immersive learning.” Some techniques she employs now include service-learning projects, simulations and high-stakes role-plays that mirror real managerial challenges.
“My teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that students must not only understand complex business environments but experience them,” says Emily. “I aim to create transformative learning experiences that challenge students to wrestle with ambiguity, ethical dilemmas and the practical constraints of working across institutional boundaries.” Her pedagogy integrates experiential learning, institutional theory and pluralistic leadership development — all designed to prepare students to lead in uncertain, high-pressure contexts.
For example, in her classes on negotiation, Emily moves beyond standard role-plays to create dynamic, real-world simulations where students must deliver actionable, constructive feedback to peers — building both negotiation skills and managerial maturity.
In Business on the Frontlines, students engage with actual partner organizations around the world on development challenges in frontier markets. A combination of classroom learning and field research, it’s an opportunity to use business for the common good. “The classroom becomes a lab where academic frameworks are tested in unpredictable, high-impact settings,” notes Emily. “These projects require students to negotiate, adapt and deliver — often with real-world consequences.” Examples of past projects include partnering with organizations in Ghana to help create positive change for Sunyani prisoners and working with World Vision Philippines to help prevent the online sexual exploitation of children.
A persistent challenge is scaling experiential learning in large or resource-constrained courses. Emily asks, “How do we maintain depth and authenticity of learning when students can’t travel or when partner engagement is limited?” She is experimenting with hybrid formats and digital storytelling to preserve those elements of reflection, complexity and connection — even in more traditional classroom settings.
Emily has engaged the Centre for Teaching and Learning for consultations on inclusive pedagogy and integrating experiential learning in large-format courses. Their expertise helped create her Negotiations class and informed the redesign of Introduction to Management, which now includes blended learning techniques and structured peer engagement activities. “These changes have led to higher engagement and more active participation, particularly from students who might otherwise stay silent in a large lecture hall,” adds Emily.
To keep her students engaged, Emily makes the material feel real and urgent. Whether it’s through immersive simulations, field-based projects or tackling moral dilemmas, she invites students to bring their full selves to the classroom. She also emphasizes inclusivity — drawing on the diversity of student backgrounds to enrich discussion and deepen understanding.
“Most importantly, I build strong relationships with students, which fosters trust and accountability,” says Emily. “They know I’m invested in their growth — and they rise to that challenge.”