Enhanced Multi-Faceted Teaching Methods

This paper is a case study on how a combination of teaching/learning technologies and methods can be used for teaching graduate and undergraduate students. A matrix will be presented on how many technologies can be blended with a collaborative teaching style. Teaching in virtually any college or university now means having a broad array of resources to enhance the teaching/learning process for faculty and students alike

Transitioning From Blackboard To Moodle - Course Management Software: Faculty And Student Opinions

Colleges and universities have increasingly invested in specialized software and hardware designed to enhance and facilitate the instructional process for faculty and students. One type of technological assistance is commonly known as course management software (CMS). Once learned, these CMS packages can greatly enhance and enrich the classroom experience and provide internet based access to course materials, assignments, grades, supplementary materials, such as quizzes, PPTs, and study aids. Like all moderately complex software packages (Blackboard is proprietary software and Moodle is open source software), there is a learning curve involved in mastering the functionality of each CMS. This paper examines the process of changing from one type of CMS (Blackboard) to another (Moodle). Faulty (FT & PT) and students (graduate & undergraduate) were surveyed to obtain opinions about the transition from one CMS system to another. The goal is to identify issues that may be addressed by targeted training and insights which would improve the transition process

Enhanced Multi-Faceted Teaching Methods: Phase II

This paper is an extension of a previously published paper of the same name which created a matrix of soft and hard learning technologies and two evaluation scales measuring the value of use and level of use of various teaching technologies and methods for undergraduate and graduate students.  A questionnaire was subsequently developed to gather data from full time faculty on the actual classroom utilization and evaluation of sixteen “hard” and “soft” teaching technologies.  This paper represents the analysis of data from eighteen faculty members from the Adelphi University School of Business. The third phase of this research will gather data from adjunct faculty to develop comparisons between the two groups

Teaching Methods And Technologies: Aggregated Faculty Analysis, Conclusions And Recommendations Phase IV

This paper culminates three years of research on the use of various teaching technologies and methods by the faculty of Adelphi University School of Business in Garden City, New York. Previously, papers on this research were published on the development of the research instrument, the administration and data analysis for full time faculty (Part II), and most recently the analysis of data from adjunct faculty (Part III). This paper (Part IV) includes a number of new faculty additions to the data set and analyzes and interprets the aggregated data. Our overall findings suggest a wide variety of soft and hard technologies where the aggregate group expressed a statistically significant higher perceived “value of use” than a “level of use”. Newer classroom types were also valued more highly than used.    The research controlled for “department”, “status”, and “teaching experience”.  Factors tended to be non-significant with some interesting exceptions.  We note our conclusions, make policy recommendations, and suggest opportunities for expanded research

Enhanced Multi-Faceted Teaching Methods: Phase III- Adjunct Faculty

This paper is the third in a series conducting research on teaching methods and technologies at Adelphi University School of Business. First, (Phase I) the methods and instrument were developed. Second, data from full time faculty was collected and analyzed (Phase II). Third, (Phase III) data has been collected concerning the extent of use and perceived value of use of various technologies from part-time faculty which we analyzed and compared to the results from the full-time faculty. The issues of part-time faculty attitudes toward technology and their use of technology to support teaching are important to the academic mission and emphasized under AACSB standards for business schools. In the environment studied, part-time faculty perceptions of the levels of use and their opinions of the value of use of various technologies were virtually indistinguishable from those of full-time faculty.  Neither departmental affiliation nor teaching experience was a significant factor in explaining the responses of part-time faculty.  The authors conclude that the part-time faculty cadre studied is highly socialized and consistent with the full-time faculty on the dimensions studied

Nascent Leadership Behaviors

This paper is a compendium of leadership behaviors that emerging or aspirant leaders could choose to enhance their management and leadership skills. These behaviors were drawn directly from the experience of the authors, both of whom have held senior leadership and management positions in business, law, and higher education. This paper is an outgrowth of more than a decade of experience in teaching leadership in graduate MBA programs and in undergraduate business policy and strategy capstone courses. MBA programs typically have a dedicated course on leadership and undergraduate capstone courses focus on leadership, business policy and strategy. Normally course material is presented through case studies, readings and lectures on leadership and leadership theory. Most, although not all, students have limited or no management experience and they hope to advance their management and leadership skills which they believe should in turn result in their career success. During our years of teaching leadership, many students asked the authors about specific leadership actions they could utilize in their nascent business careers. The material presented in this paper is oriented towards practical and actionable steps that the aspiring leader can decide to apply with the caveat that common sense and sensitivity to the individual circumstances will vary greatly. However, sooner or later the right time to distinguish oneself will surely occur and that the behaviors presented in this paper can be of value to entry and junior level managers

Capstone Course Innovation: Bloomberg Professional Service

This paper reports on the introduction of a curricular innovation in a required capstone course: namely the Business Policy and Strategy course in the School of Business at Adelphi University. The curriculum capstone courses have tended to primarily include business related case studies and business simulation exercises. Consequently, curriculum content innovation can be very difficult to implement. The School of Business was recently equipped with a proprietary Bloomberg professional system (BPS) lab as a resource for graduate and undergraduate finance majors. After a training session by one of the authors of this paper, a class assignment was conceived on how the BPS lab could be used in a capstone course without a major disruption of the existing course requirements. This paper described the assignment and presents the results of a survey conducted on the last class day on what the students thought of the BPS assignment which was entitled: “Adopt A Company.

Walk with Me: a protocol for a pilot RCT of a peer-led walking programme to increase physical activity in inactive older adults

Background: Levels of physical activity decline with age. Some of the most disadvantaged individuals in society, such as those from lower socio-economic position, are also the most inactive. Increasing physical activity levels, particularly among those most inactive, is a public health priority. Peer-led physical activity interventions may offer a model to increase physical activity in the older adult population. This study aims to test the feasibility of a peer-led, multicomponent physical activity intervention in socio-economically disadvantaged community dwelling older adults. Methods: The Medical Research Council framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions will be used to design and test the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a multicomponent peer-led physical activity intervention. Data will be collected at baseline, immediately after the intervention (12 weeks) and 6 months after baseline measures. The pilot RCT will provide information on recruitment of peer mentors and participants and attrition rates, intervention fidelity, and data on the variability of the primary outcome (minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity measured with an accelerometer). The pilot trail will also assess the acceptability of the intervention and identify potential resources needed to undertake a definitive study. Data analyses will be descriptive and include an evaluation of eligibility, recruitment, and retention rates. The findings will be used to estimate the sample size required for a definitive trial. A detailed process evaluation using qualitative and quantitative methods will be conducted with a variety of stakeholders to identify areas of success and necessary improvements. Discussion: This paper describes the protocol for the ‘Walk with Me’ pilot RCT which will provide the information necessary to inform the design and delivery of a fully powered trial should the Walk with Me intervention prove feasible