Fostering deep and elaborative learning and generic(soft) skill development: the strategic use of case studies in accounting education

It is vital that accounting educators take responsibility for the development of students' generic (soft) skills in conjunction with, discipline-specific skills. Research indicates that the typical learning styles of accounting students are not suited to the acquisition of generic skills. In this paper learning theory is used to provide a framework to support the use of case studies as a tool to promote appropriate learning styles and thereby enhance generic skill development. The paper details a number of strategies that may be implemented with case studies to achieve these goals. The implications for accounting educators, which are significant, are discussed.

How group composition can influence opportunities for spontaneous learning

Classroom video, and video-stimulated interviews of small group work, in a Grade 5/6 classroom are used to show ways group composition can influence learning opportunities. Vygotsky’s (1933/1966; 1978) learning theory on the spontaneous creation of knowledge as compared to the guidance of an expert other frames this group analysis. Illustrations from two groups show how opportunities to spontaneously create new knowledge can be limited or enhanced by psychological factors associated with the inclination to explore that have been linked to resilience in the form of optimism (Seligman, 1995, Williams, 2003). This study contributes to our knowledge on forming groups to promote deep learning. It raises questions about other ways in which learning may be influenced by optimistic orientation and about building this personal characteristic to enable deep learning.

Collaborative inquiry using 'learning' projects

In this paper we describe a collaborative inquiry process underway within the business faculty of an Australian university. This process involves both Human Resource Management (HRM) and Management academics and was commenced in October 2007 with the broad aim of developing and sustaining an ongoing conversation within these disciplines to enhance our teaching and the learning of our students. A key vehicle for facilitating the inquiry process is a network of learning projects. In this paper we provide a brief outline of these projects and use social learning theory to discuss and evaluate the role of projects in sustaining the inquiry process.

Designing collaborative e-learning for the net generation

The designer of higher education programs is on the cusp of some very exciting resource development particularly in the area of postgraduate coursework. Part of this is because of the new learner, a millennial or net generation learner who is time-poor, a networker with strong inclinations towards social or community knowledge pooling and a multiple media literacy which is comfortable in virtual worlds and with visual emphasis. The other element is the perceived changing role of the university or higher education in the transfer of knowledge, moving from a transmission or narrative model to learner-centred and performative approaches. This has been highlighted by greater emphasis on experiential learning methodologies, and the development of action learning practices. The nexus of these two influences, the new learner and the higher education response to delivering learning, may be elaborated further from learning theory which seems to be moving beyond social constructivist approaches, or certainly encompassing what is referred to as connectivism.

This may be a new theoretical approach, or it could simply be an organic growth in meeting the needs of large numbers of higher education student participants who perceive a degree as a skills-based workplace preparation. Whatever the theoretical underpinning may be, the large numbers of learners moving to postgraduate coursework or more workplace oriented programs and subjects has thrown out the challenge to instructional designers to provide just-in-time, relevant and socially transferred learning with strong creative and imaginative engagement.

The case studies incorporated in this paper provide two separate approaches to these challenges - one is a workplace oriented postgraduate team project in a Masters in Communication, the other provides a virtual simulation for developing creative and professional writing skills at postgraduate levels. They both provide perspectives on the net generation learner and collaborative and connected learning models.

The transformative potential of adult literacy learning

This paper explores the potential of literacy education to promote transformative learning in adults. Transformative learning theory is a flourishing area of research in adult education, and is concerned with describing and analysing fundamental changes in how adults view themselves and their world. According to the leading theorist of transformative learning, Jack Mezirow, literacy education has unique transformative potential. Although there is little research on this question, the available studies suggest that there is enormous potential for literacy education to act as a catalyst for transformative learning in adults.

Learning to manage : transformative outcomes of competency-based training

Transformative learning theory is a dominant approach to understanding adult learning. The theory addresses the way our perspectives on the world, others and ourselves can be challenged and transformed in our ongoing efforts to make sense of the world. It is a conception of learning that does not focus on the measurable acquisition of knowledge and skills, but looks rather to the dynamics of self-questioning and upheaval as the key to adult learning. In this article, transformative learning theory is used as a lens for studying learning in a competency-based, entry-level management course. Instead of asking which knowledge and skills were developed and how effectively, the research enquired into deeper changes wrought by the learning experiences. The research found that for some learners the course contributed to significant discontent as they discovered that management practices they took to represent the norm fell dramatically short of the model promoted in the training.

Robust learning of discriminative projection for multicategory classification on the Stiefel manifold

Learning a robust projection with a small number of training samples is still a challenging problem in face recognition, especially when the unseen faces have extreme variation in pose, illumination, and facial expression. To address this problem, we propose a framework formulated under statistical learning theory that facilitates robust learning of a discriminative projection. Dimensionality reduction using the projection matrix is combined with a linear classifier in the regularized framework of lasso regression. The projection matrix in conjunction with the classifier parameters are then found by solving an optimization problem over the Stiefel manifold. The experimental results on standard face databases suggest that the proposed method outperforms some recent regularized techniques when the number of training samples is small.

The influence of organisational commitment, job involvement and utility perceptions on trainees’ motivation to improve work through learning

Workplace training is a key strategy often used by organisations to optimise performance. Further, trainee motivation is a key determinant of the degree to which the material learned in a training programme will be transferred to the workplace, enhancing the performance of the trainee. This study investigates the relationship between several components of the Revised Human Resource Development (HRD) Evaluation and Research Model. This model provides a framework for diagnosing and understanding the causal influences of HRD intervention outcomes on training effectiveness. Data were obtained from an online questionnaire completed by 105 employees of various organisations. Findings revealed that affective organisational commitment, job involvement and utility perceptions are predictors of motivation to learn and transfer learning. An interaction effect was found, with increased affective organisational commitment predicting greater motivation to learn when training was of lower perceived utility. These findings suggest that the design and delivery of training should emphasise the relevance and utility of the programme in order to encourage greater trainee motivation and maximise return on investment. Additionally, implementing strategies aimed at promoting organisational commitment would appear beneficial.

Pedagogical quality in e-learning

The article is concerned with design and use of e-learning technology to develop education qualitatively. The purpose is to develop a framework for a pedagogical evaluation of e-learning technology. The approach is that evaluation and design must be grounded in a learning theoretical approach, and it is argued that it is necessary to make a reflection of technology in relation to activities, learning principles, and a learning theory in order to qualitatively develop education. The article presents three frameworks developed on the basis of cognitivism, radical constructivism and activity theory. Finally, on the basis of the frameworks, the article discusses e-learning technology and, more specifically, design of virtual learning environments and learning objects. It is argued that e-learning technology is not pedagogically neutral, and that it is therefore necessary to focus on design of technology that explicitly supports a certain pedagogical approach. Further, it is argued that design should direct its focus away from organisation of content and towards design of activities.

Educational Systems for Maximizing Learning Online and in the Classroom

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Situating Learning: (Re)examining the Notion of apprenticeship in Coach Education

The last two decades has seen a proliferation in the provision of and importance attached to coach education in many Western countries. Pivotal to many coach education programmes is the notion of apprenticeship. Increasingly, mentoring is being positioned as a possible tool for enhancing coach education and professional expertise. However, there is a paucity of empirical data on interventions in and evaluations of coach education programmes. In their recent evaluation of a coach education programme, Cassidy, Potrac & McKenzie conclude that the situated learning literature could provide coach educators with a generative platform for the (re)examination of apprenticeships and mentoring in a coach education context. This paper discusses the merits of using Situated Learning theory and the associated concept of Communities of Practice (CoP) to stimulate discussion on developing new understandings of the practices of apprenticeship and mentoring in coach education.

The design and evaluation of distributed virtual environment to support learning in global operations management

The primary goal of this research is to design and develop an education technology to support learning in global operations management. The research implements a series of studies to determine the right balance among user requirements, learning methods and applied technologies, on a view of student-centred learning. This research is multidisciplinary by nature, involving topics from various disciplines such as global operations management, curriculum and contemporary learning theory, and computer aided learning. Innovative learning models that emphasise on technological implementation are employed and discussed throughout this research.

An exploratory framework for analysing international retail learning

It is argued that international retail research has overlooked an essential component of the retail internationalization process, notably learning. This paper proposes an exploratory framework that enables the application of learning theory to the study of international retailing. The paper provides a meaningful starting point for developing an overarching framework which would represent one sort of re-conceptualization of the retail internationalization process, and arguably a new perspective for reinterpreting, re-evaluating and refining the existing literature on international retailing. Alongside this exploratory framework, we present a series of research propositions that might serve as an agenda for research into international retail learning. The paper concludes with a summary of the key themes and ways in which the area of international retail learning may be investigated.

Dynamic learning as entrepreneurial action in the context of open innovation:an instrumental case from a communities-of-practice perspective

Recent scholarly discussion on open innovation put forward the notion that an organisation's ability to internalise external knowledge and learn from various sources in undertaking new product development is crucial to its competitive performance. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to how growth-oriented small firms identify and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities (i.e. take entrepreneurial action) related to such development, in an open innovation context, from a social learning perspective. This chapter, based on an instrumental case-firm, demonstrates analytically how learning as entrepreneurial action takes place, drawing on situated learning theory. It is argued that such learning is dynamic in nature and is founded on specific organising principles that foster both inter- and intracommunal learning. © 2012, IGI Global.

Social software in Higher Education:the diversity of applications and their contributions to students' learning experiences

Higher education institutions are increasingly using social software tools to support teaching and learning. Despite the fact that social software is often used in a social context, these applications can significantly contribute to the educational experience of a student. However, as the social software domain comprises a considerable diversity of tools, the respective tools can be expected to differ in the way they can contribute to teaching and learning. In this review on the educational use of social software, we systematically analyze and compare the diverse social software tools and identify their contributions to teaching and learning. By integrating established learning theory and the extant literature on the individual social software applications we seek to contribute to a theoretical foundation for social software use and the choice of tools. Case vignettes from several UK higher education institutions are used to illustrate the different applications of social software tools in teaching and learning.