Revisiting student's learning experiences appreciatively

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-230
Author(s):  
David Giles ◽  
Susie Kung
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Course Evaluation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Teacher Relationship ◽  
Educational Programmes ◽  
Foundational Belief

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focuses on the use of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to acquire and analyse student's life-centric experiences in an undergraduate early childhood course entitled, “Philosophy in Action”. The course has as a foundational belief that a teacher's sense of identity is central to effective teaching. As such, this research sought to capture the essence of the connection between students’ beliefs about early childhood teaching and the real world of practice. Design/methodology/approach – Using an AI approach peak performances were analysed for causes of success and emergent themes, after which provocative propositions and an action plan were co-constructed. Findings – The findings of this research evoke discourse around the influence of the student-teacher relationship as a means of enhancing life centric learning experiences in educational programmes. Originality/value – The authors wondered whether an AI approach to a course evaluation might open themes that show a taken-for-granted depth of the learning experiences. The authors were not disappointed.

University context matter

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 873-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elin Merethe Oftedal ◽  
Tatiana A. Iakovleva ◽  
Lene Foss
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Opportunity Recognition ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Cognitive Structures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structural Context ◽  
Educational Programmes

PurposeHow university context (UC) enhances students’ entrepreneurial intentions and opportunity recognition is an emerging topic. It is known that students learn, not only from educational programmes, but also from the context in which they are embedded. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of such context on student’s entrepreneurial intentions and opportunity recognition.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a three-dimensional institutional framework to describe UC including regulative, normative and cognitive structures. Regulative structures refer to rules and regulations, support initiatives in relation to entrepreneurship; normative structures include shared values and norms; while cognitive structures apply to knowledge among students and faculty. A heterogeneous sample of 196 respondents from five countries was used to create reliable measures of UC and to test the hypotheses with the help of regression analysis.FindingsThe findings indicate that two dimensions of UC in particular (regulative and normative) were shown to be of great importance in increasing entrepreneurial intentions and opportunity recognition among students.Originality/valueThe study contributes to this further by suggesting a reliable and theory-grounded scale of UC. Furthermore, this study adds to the discussion on entrepreneurship education by proving evidence of the importance of UC on entrepreneurial intentions. The important contribution is acknowledgement of the fact that social systems both constrain and enable entrepreneurs in their discovery, evaluation and exploitation of opportunities. The authors have established that “would-be student entrepreneurs” do not exist separately from their structural context. Attempts to understand them outside of this context cannot, therefore, fully capture their nature.

Axe of kindness: introducing appreciative exnovation

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 14-17
Author(s):  
Eben David November
Keyword(s):  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Phase Model ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Process ◽  
Conceptual Reasoning ◽  
Organizational Needs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a model of exnovation that integrates the spirit of appreciative inquiry (AI) yet addresses some of AI’s assumptions. Design/methodology/approach Draws on the ample AI literature, sparse exnovation literature, and uses conceptual reasoning to develop a new process called appreciative exnovation. Findings This paper proposes a 4-phase model of appreciative exnovation. Specifically, this paper suggests that appreciative exnovation can produce valuable future knowledge while accomplishing the necessary task of removal of innovations incongruent with current organizational needs. Originality/value This paper is the first to link AI and exnovation concepts. It has also critically questioned key assumptions of AI. It is also the first to suggest that exnovation may be initiated on a bottom-up basis.

Internalizing the spirit of entrepreneurship in early childhood education through traditional games

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 767-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Jufri ◽  
Hillman Wirawan
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Education ◽  
Future Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Entrepreneurial Characteristics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop entrepreneurship games for early childhood education (ECE) and to develop a module using a number of systematic approaches. Design/methodology/approach There were two studies conducted. Study 1 focused on developing guidelines for traditional games. The games were collected and selected based on their entrepreneurial characteristics. In study 2, the authors selected eight relevant traditional games and then examined their effectiveness at internalizing the spirit of entrepreneurship. For the assessment, the authors trained 40 expert raters from the fields of psychology, ECE, and entrepreneurship studies. Findings The results showed that two groups of raters agreed (k=0.64) that the games were effective for internalizing the spirit of entrepreneurship in ECE. In the second part of the study, the authors intended to develop a set of multimedia digital instructions and guidelines for users (e.g. teachers and instructors) as the traditional games provided no written instructions. This study produced the multimedia digital instructions and constructed a set of assessment tools for the teachers to test the effectiveness of the games. Research limitations/implications This study focused on developing traditional games into a structured guideline for teachers. However, further investigation is still necessary to gather evidence regarding the validity of the game manual. Future study should focus on testing the effect of the games on ECE as well as students’ entrepreneurial traits. Originality/value This study created a new approach by considering local values in developing an entrepreneurship intervention.

Innovation, dynamic capabilities, leadership, and action plan

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-127
Author(s):  
Salvatore Moccia ◽  
Shuming Zhao ◽  
Patrick Flanagan
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
Leadership Model ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new model of leadership in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) context, paying special attention to human resource management. Design/methodology/approach The paper is conceptual. It presents the challenges of the VUCA environment that from which technically empowered democracy movements around the world have emerged, needing a new leadership model that aligns human resources tools to the new leadership model. Findings New tools for human resource management are proposed. Originality/value The paper links technological changes and leadership skills, providing a novel framework that can provide a basis for further research into the profound nature of leadership. Implications useful for managers and leaders are discussed.

Sequence generation for learning: a transformation from past to future

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fareeha Rasheed ◽  
Abdul Wahid
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Personalized Learning ◽  
Path Generation ◽  
Learning Sequence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Broad Category ◽  
Sequence Generation ◽  
E Learning

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the different sequence generation techniques for learning, which are applied to a broad category of personalized learning experiences. The papers have been classified using different attributes, such as the techniques used for sequence generation, attributes used for sequence generation; whether the learner is profiled automatically or manually; and whether the path generated is dynamic or static. Design/methodology/approach The search for terms learning sequence generation and E-learning produced thousands of results. The results were filtered, and a few questions were answered before including them in the review. Papers published only after 2005 were included in the review. Findings The findings of the paper were: most of the systems generated non-adaptive paths. Systems asked the learners to manually enter their attributes. The systems used one or a maximum of two learner attributes for path generation. Originality/value The review pointed out the importance and benefits of learning sequence generation systems. The problems in existing systems and future areas of research were identified which will help future researchers to pursue research in this area.

“I played a song with the help of a magic banana”: assessing short-term making events

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessie Nixon ◽  
Erica Halverson ◽  
Andy Stoiber ◽  
Andy Garbacz
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
New Method ◽  
Individual Experience ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Written Responses ◽  
Learner Responses

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how learners describe their experiences with short-term, introductory maker experiences and to test a method for assessing learners’ experiences authentic to short-term learning. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected written responses from participants at a two-day event, STEM Center Learning Days. Through an analysis of 707 unique instances of learner responses to participation in drop-in maker activities, they examined how participants describe their short-term learning experiences. Findings The authors found that although some activities appear to onlookers to create passive experiences for learners, these seemingly passive moments have a significant impact on learners. In addition, some learners described themselves as working in tandem with tools to make something work and other learners viewed the tools as working autonomously. They found that the assessment method allowed them to gain an understanding of how learners describe their experiences offering important implications for understanding short-term learning events. Originality/value The findings provide researchers studying short-term learning in its natural setting a new method to understand how learners make sense of their individual experience. Further, designers of short-term learning experiences may gain insights into their unique activities and indications of where additional guidance and scaffolds will improve small learning moments.

WeScratch: an inclusive, playful and collaborative approach to creative learning online

2020 ◽  
Vol 121 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 695-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmelo Presicce ◽  
Rupal Jain ◽  
Carolina Rodeghiero ◽  
Lily E. Gabaree ◽  
Natalie Rusk
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Online Learning Environments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Approach To Learning ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Creative Learning

Purpose Many educators currently face challenges when trying to engage students in creative learning experiences online, where it can be particularly difficult to move beyond the transmissive approach typical of video lessons and webinars. The purpose of this paper is to present WeScratch, online workshops designed as welcoming, playful and peer-supported spaces where educators can experience first-hand an alternative approach to learning online, as they actively learn to create projects using the Scratch programming language. Design/methodology/approach The WeScratch experience is designed as a hands-on, creative online workshop where participants spend most of their time making projects while they share ideas with peers. The authors describe the structure, platform, facilitation and activities of WeScratch workshops, highlighting the main design choices and their underlying motivations. Findings This study discusses how this environment has engaged educators from around the world to experiment with Scratch in a playful way. The authors give examples of how educators have described the value of the experience, both as learners developing their skills and as designers developing similar learning experiences for their students. Originality/value WeScratch provides a model for how to design online learning environments to be more inclusive, playful and collaborative. Although WeScratch workshops are designed to support learning to create with code, the authors see the wider potential for applying this approach to other online learning environments to broaden participation, build connection and expand creative expression.

Analyzing critical success factors for a successful transition towards circular economy through DANP approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahbaz Khan ◽  
Annayath Maqbool ◽  
Abid Haleem ◽  
Mohd Imran Khan
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Successful Transition ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Research Findings

PurposeThe successful transition towards the circular economy is a requirement of this technological era. The objective of this study is to identify critical success factors behind the successful transition to the circular economy.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review and experts' inputs are used to identify the major critical success factors of a successful transition towards a circular economy. Further, DANP is applied to discover the interrelationships among the critical success factors dimensions by analyzing causal relations between the relevant critical success factors. Additionally, the ranking of significant critical success factors for the successful transition towards the circular economy is determined.FindingsThis study has used the DANP methodology to understand the relationships among the five dimensions and the twenty-two critical success factors and identified the key influencing critical success factors through their global weights. Research findings suggest that “vision regard to a circular economy” has the highest weights, followed by “financial sustainability” which is regarded as the most important CSF.Research limitations/implicationsThe outcomes of this work may help organizations on issues related to the transition of the linear economy towards circular economy, in understanding the degree of importance of the each critical success factors, based on which the organizations can formulate an effective strategy to systematically emphasize critical success factors as per their importance for the successful transition towards circular economy.Originality/valueThis study tries to explore and analyze critical success factors of the transition from the linear economy to a circular economy. Further, the finding of this study provides deeper insights into academia and mangers that helps to formulate their action plan for moving towards the circular economy.

Lean maintenance index: a measure of leanness in maintenance organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maheswar Singha Mahapatra ◽  
Dinesh Shenoy
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Assessment Framework ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Process Improvements ◽  
Maintenance Program ◽  
Maintenance Work ◽  
Prime Movers

PurposeMaintenance organizations continue to be under pressure to systematically eliminate maintenance wastes and deliver services that their customers value. To this end, maintenance managers are implementing lean maintenance practices. But how does one consistently estimate the leanness of these practices in their organization? The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for a metrics – referred to as the lean maintenance index (LMI) that can help managers estimate the leanness of maintenance practices.Design/methodology/approachBased on a comprehensive review of literature in the domain, this study identifies four factors and nineteen subfactors that are essential for the success of a lean maintenance program. A fuzzy-set-theory-based assessment framework is developed that can be used by an in-house team to measure the degree of implementation of lean maintenance practices in their organization. The authors applied the framework to a maintenance workshop that services diesel engines and other prime movers.FindingsThe framework provides maintenance managers valuable insights to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of their organization vis-à-vis their maintenance practices, thus enabling them come up with a firm action plan for future process improvements.Originality/valueThis paper adapts the concept of agility and readiness to maintenance work. A key contribution of this study is the identification of factors and subfactors that forms the basis to estimate the leanness of maintenance practices in an organization. Another contribution is its application to a large maintenance workshop that demonstrates the ease of its implementation. Future research in this area can help identify more factors and subfactors and thus improve the estimation of leanness.

Capturing value-based leadership in practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 422-430
Author(s):  
Ingela Bäckström ◽  
Pernilla Ingelsson ◽  
Kristen Snyder ◽  
Christer Hedlund ◽  
Johan Lilja
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Top Managers ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Good Organization

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the results from the appreciative inquiry (AI)-inspired interviews to explore the underlying values held by top managers and to identify soft aspects of leadership. Design/methodology/approach Top managers were interviewed as a part of a research project with the aim to support the development of value-based leadership that integrates company values, organizational culture, customer needs and sustainable development. A structured interview guide, inspired by AI, was developed and used to pinpoint their motivation and vision of a good organization to understand the values that the managers had and to identify soft aspects of leadership. The interviews were analyzed in workshops with the whole research team and structured and visualized through affinity diagrams. Findings The results showed the underlying values held by top managers and identified soft aspects of leadership. Practical implications The presented interview guide can be used to identify the top managers’ underlying values, and the presented results from the interviews can be used to inspire other managers and leaders to develop their leadership in their striving of good leadership and effective organizations. Originality/value The paper explains how to apply an AI-inspired interview guide in finding out value-based leadership and soft aspects of leadership for enhancing organizational culture.

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