E-learning: Designing new business education

Business Schools are under intense competitive pressure, and one way for them to differentiate themselves and compete distinctively is by adopting innovative uses of information technology. However, incorporating information technology in business education is no trivial undertaking. This research is intended to provide some guidance about the effect that new information technologies can have in the field of high-level executive education and provide a conceptual framework of the key factors that need to be taken into account for efficient and effective course design in executive education.e-learning; information & communication technology; execute education; learning; business schools; on-line teaching; residential learning; ethnography;

Linking learning and instructional theories in mathematics education

There is a dilemma between knowledge enquiry and transmission in general instructional theories, which are usually supported by constructivist, objectivist or a combination of constructivist and objectivist learning theories. Considering the epistemological, ontological, and semiotic assumptions about mathematical knowledge of the Onto-semiotic Approach, in this paper we describe a theoretical model of mathematical instruction that articulates the constructivist and objectivist approaches to learning in order to optimise the didactic suitability of the teaching and learning processes.Research carried out as part of the research project, PID2019-105601GBI00 / AEI / 10.13039/5011000110), with support of the research group FQM-126 (Junta de Andalucía, Spain)

Selecting a Virtual World Platform for Learning

Like any infrastructure technology, Virtual World (VW) platforms provide affordances that facilitate some activities and hinder others. Although it is theoretically possible for a VW platform to support all types of activities, designers make choices that lead technologies to be more or less suited for different learning objectives. Virtual World platforms’ capabilities can be characterized in terms of the extent to which they are multiple or special purpose and the degree to which they support incorporation of few or many knowledge resources. Matching these capabilities with a framework for characterizing instructional approach and learning objectives provides a basis for selecting, piloting, and advocating use of particular VW platforms in specific educational contexts

Reconstructed grounded theory: beyond comparison?

This paper examines the modifications made to constructed grounded theory for application within an ethnographic study of group work processes in a virtual learning environment. The paper details how the complex professional relationship of educational practitioner research, and the associated ethical issues, together with the variety of data analysed influenced the approach taken. The paper explores how the adaptations to constructed grounded theory process were applied and how this approach can be construed as grounded in grounded theory. The paper is explicit about the application and adaptation of grounded theory to meet the needs of the research and the epistemology of the researcher. Many studies purporting to use grounded theory are less explicit, this paper is intended to contribute to the discussion and development of a flexible approach to grounded theory, fit for purpose within the restraints of a practitioner based virtual educational ethnographic study. The relationship of the practitioner researcher (an Associate Lecturer) and the participants (the students) created a dichotomy between the neutrality and social distance of the researcher and the ethical implications for the Associate Lecturer. Whilst the participants were not vulnerable adults, many of the participants were novice learners returning to study and therefore a duty of care was required. The paper explains how the adaptation of constructed grounded theory enhanced the analysis and provided richer data than ethnographic observation alone. Despite the divergence from constructed grounded theory methods, rigor was achieved through the comparison of the coding produced throughout the analysis of the data. This level of rigor led to the emergence of unanticipated themes which influenced the group work processes. It is my belief that these would not have appeared through generic inductive approaches as they would have been overlooked and ignored without the line by line analysis. The modification of the grounded theory process retained the influence of constructed grounded theory rather than claiming to be rooted in constructed grounded theory. But the techniques applied are not beyond comparison with grounded theory. The research into virtual group work is timely in light of recent UK Government reports and relevant as interest in network delivered learning continues to grow

Remapping Critical Thinking Theory: A Critique of Richard Paul\u27s Model of Critical Thinking

This project is a critical examination of Richard Paul\u27s theoretical conceptualization of critical thinking. In his relentless criticism of the didactic approach characterizing current academic instruction, Paul develops a model of critical thinking that he refers to as critical thinking in the strong sense. The model posits dialogue as the methodological strategy that helps overcome egocentric and socio-centric thinking and thereby facilitates the achievement of ethically rational development. By egocentric and socio-centric thinking, Paul means the thinking that is bound, respectively by one point of view and social context. The model in question is intended not only to displace didactic instruction but also to transcend the overemphasis on logic that characterizes current critical thinking theorizing. While Paul\u27s work points to a promising theoretical horizon, it betrays the very educational ideal that it sets out to pursue. Not only is it the exemplification of the didactic approach that it is intended to displace, but it is also carried out in a conceptual framework that reinforces the modernist view of effective thinking as the rigorous application of rational standards in the determination of the truthfulness of issues. By giving preeminence to logic and rational standards in the thinking process, Paul\u27s view legitimizes a style of inquiry that is conducive to definitive closure. It is fundamentally reductionist: it tends to privilege exclusion over integration, object over relationship. This paper presents an alternative view of critical thinking the theoretical underpinning of which includes a conception of knowledge as immanent. Its primary concern is the achievement of understanding or the production of meaning through persistent explorations of relational structures as opposed to discrete objects. It therefore dismisses any quest for a secure foundation of knowing as illusory. This work is presenting as its starting point the conventional model of educational practice. It provides a brief description of the didactic approach against which Paul levels his criticism. Then, it moves to offer Paul\u27s actual criticism, his view of critical thinking and a critique of his model. Finally, the paper presents a reconfiguration of the theoretical landscape of critical thinking. It formulates and justifies a non-objectivist conception of critical thinking

Co-constructing Contextual Theory: An Experience within IS Education Domain

Reviewing the information systems (IS) literature shows the prevalence of studies claiming to exploit the grounded theory (GT) method. However, most of these studies follow an objectivist approach to GT. This manuscript addresses another recognized yet rarely used GT approach in IS: constructivist. The importance of IS constructivist research is briefly explained. This is followed with a recapitulation of strategies pursued in a constructivist research experience within IS doctoral education domain in order to achieve a contextual theory. Procedures for establishing satisfactory levels of trustworthiness and authenticity are described. Finally, implications of taking the constructivist approach as well as some major lessons learned are discussed

Enhancing e-Learning Effectiveness

While there is considerable evidence that effective leadership makes a significant difference in student achievement in the K-12 environment (Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003), similar research linking leadership in e-learning to student success does not exist. Indeed, similar research has not been undertaken at post-secondary levels at all, most likely because student learning at institutions of higher education has not been subject to the same scrutiny as it has K-12 schools. This state of affairs is changing rapidly, however, driven to no small extent by the rise of online education, and student achievement at post-secondary institutions is increasingly being questioned. E-learning effectiveness, therefore, is an issue that e-learning leaders must take very seriously. This chapter explores what e-learning leaders should know about learning effectiveness. Because there are still many who doubt the efficacy of e-learning, it first reviews current evidence which finds that students learn at least as much if not more in online classes as they do in traditional, face-to-face classes. It then briefly examines the notion that the online medium is better suited for new pedagogical approaches, and suggests “constructivism” as a epistemological foundation for much online teaching. However, learning is an extremely complex activity, and all learning contexts are unique. The chapter thus advocates for e-learning leaders making themselves particularly knowledgeable about their own unique e-learning contexts through the collection and analysis of empirical data. The chapter thus describes the role of learning analytics and data-based decision-making and advocates for exploring the inputs and processes of learning as well as learning outcomes. Two different approaches to assuring quality in the design of online courses are described, along with several approaches to measuring learning processes including the Community of Inquiry survey. Finally, the chapter identifies a variety of outcomes measures that are useful in this environment

Effectiveness of Web-Based Virtual Learning Environments in Business Education: Focusing on Basic Skills Training for Information Technology.

Calls for transforming the learning industries and revolutionizing business education are being answered by a proliferation of virtual learning environments, capitalizing on ever-growing and universal Internet-related technologies. This dissertation describes research investigating the effectiveness of web-based virtual environments by comparing traditional and information technology enhanced learning environments. A conceptual framework is proposed contrasting the effectiveness of these two environments across two learning models---the objectivist and the constructivist. Although technology may serve as a moderator that enhances the implementation of certain features of a learning model, there is a consensus that the learning model---not the technology---is the primary cause of learning. Theory predicts that higher levels of learner control will lead to more effective learning. Control and flexibility, among other advantages offered to the learner in virtual environments, lead us to propose that such environments are more effective than traditional environments regardless of the learning model employed. Furthermore, it is proposed that virtual environments are even more effective with the constructivist model, because of the better match between the characteristics of the virtual environments and the assumptions of the constructivist model, as compared to the objectivist model. The effectiveness of the learning environment is measured in terms of self-efficacy, performance and satisfaction. A field experiment was set up to test the components of the proposed research model with 192 business undergraduate students in an introductory Information Technology course. In this research, several hypotheses comparing students\u27 performance, satisfaction and self-efficacy in both traditional and virtual learning environments were evaluated. The results of hypotheses testing indicated that subjects in the virtual environment have reported higher levels of self-efficacy in both learning models. However, there was no statistically significant difference in performance between the two environments. Another interesting result was that subjects in the virtual environment, despite showing higher levels of self-efficacy, were less satisfied with the learning environment. The findings of this study may improve our understanding of the implications when virtual environments are implemented. As we prepare to enter the third millennium, web-based virtual learning environments present great and exciting opportunities for both academia and business communities

New Trends in Translation and Interpretation Teaching/Training

The aim of this paper is to discuss four aspects of translation and interpreting teaching, namely the pedagogical approach (i.e., objectivism vs. constructivism), translation ability and interpreter performance as well as translation and interpreting theory and practical classroom activities. The methodology is mostly descriptive and constructive in the sense that the paper “constructs” translation ability and interpreter performance and describes relevant teaching approaches to be adopted. One of the findings of the paper is that translation and interpreting teaching should either validate or change traditional pedagogical methods by new and more effective ones. Another finding of the paper is that translation and interpreting teaching should indicate clear-cut learning objectives, design adequate curricular materials and shed light on professional ethics and policies