1st Global Conference
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Monday 12th February - Wednesday 14th February
2007
Sydney, Australia
Conference Programme, Abstract and Papers
Session 2A: Issues of Teaching and Learning
(cont)
Chair: Phil Fitzsimmons
Authentic Experience through Student-Generated Case Approach in
a Management Education Program
Khuan
Wai Bing
Faculty of Business and Economics,
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris,
Tanjung Malim, Perak
With the nature of school leadership in Malaysia going through significant changes, headteachers in particular, need new kinds of knowledge, attitudes and skills to perform their work effectively and efficiently. Instructional strategies for headteachers in Malaysia, frequently revolves around training programs developed externally by experts. The aim of training is to update headteachers with the latest know-how of the job. Very often the delivery strategy used is the conventional lecture method. Such practice tend to overlook the questions and dilemmas regarding knowledge competence about leadership that are of utmost importance to headteachers especially in matters of sound decision making. The purpose of this paper is to examine the appropriateness, relevancy and applicability of the student-generated case method provided for beginning and incumbent headteachers in the Educational Management Program offered by the Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. The discussion began with a brief description of the classic case analysis method and the management courses offered. The next section of the paper discussed the non-conventional instructional approach used in this program that adopted the student-generated case method with the assumption that headteachers are autonomous professionals. They have within them a vast repertoire of experience, ability and practical knowledge that can be used for self-directed and workplace learning. Finally, the paper looked at the advantages of this management and leadership instructional approach and the lessons gained from using it.
A Strategic Approach to Embedding Research-led
Teaching
Jan
Schapper
Research-led Teaching Project,
Education Planning Implementation Corps (EPIC), Department of Management,
Faculty of Business and Economics,
Monash University, Australia
Historically, research and teaching were considered
compatible activities
within the academe. However, in Australia and elsewhere, rapid changes
experienced by universities, driven by reduced public funding, changes
to
funding criteria, greater demands for accountabilities based on outcomes
and the massification of higher education have created a separation
between
research and teaching. This separation has been further reinforced
by
speculation of a two tiered staffing structure within universities
where
some do the teaching and others research. Currently, the foundations
of
such a system can be seen in an examination of university structures,
governance, reward systems and funding models that reveal and reinforce
fracture-lines between these two core functions. However there is evidence
that tide is turning and once again concerns about universities? knowledge
creation and dissemination activities are in the spotlight. Senior
academic managers are beginning to acknowledge the relevance of the
vast
literature, empirical research and robust debates on research-led teaching
to the reputation, competitiveness and sustainability of their
institutions. In light of these changes and the current strategic direction
of our own large, Australian, Group of Eight university, this paper
reports
on the early stages of a university funded research-led teaching project.
The paper reports on a scoping study of research-led teaching activities
across the university?s ten faculties. The scoping study is a preliminary
step in a university-wide strategy to embed research-led curriculum
development across the university. This paper will report on early
efforts
to define and communicate the meaning and dimensions of research-led
teaching and learning in the university. The aim of the scoping phase
of
the project is to create a body of knowledge about curriculum development
practices that staff can use develop their own curriculum in ways that
help
students to understand the bases of disciplinary-based knowledge and
the
importance of discovering new knowledge as part of their learning experience.
Student Perceptions of Online Courses
Lorraine
Cleeton
Research on individual differences among students
taking online courses is conducted to increase the cognitive and affective
awareness of students which might at the end of the course lead to
a connative change
in student behavior.
In order to examine the perceived barriers of
online students before and after their participation in an online research
course; the Research Barrier Questionnaire (Cleeton, G. & L.) was
administered to Ph.D. students in Education at an online University
before and after they took a research education course online.
Student
perceptions were analyzed in terms of examining possible barriers at
the beginning and end of the online course to see if students face
the same, different, or newly discovered barriers at the end of the
course. For example, are students afraid of statistics at the
beginning and realize at the end of the course that their real fear
was their time management ability. It is hoped that results
will inform student about possible strategies to improve their course
performance and for instructors to incoroporate possible changes in
future course design.