scholarly journals Entrepreneurship students distilled their learning experience through reflective learning log

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khar Kheng Yeoh

Purpose This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning research is a part of the larger study grant to analyze written reflections through learning log among the third and final year students undertaking BPME 3073 Entrepreneurship module in University Utara Malaysia (UUM). The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The data collection techniques are researcher-directed textual data through reflective learning log, taken from 140 students from three classes. A thematic approach was utilized to present the reflections of the students and all data were recorded in a verbatim format. Findings The findings show that most students have never written a reflective log or essay in the formative assessment. As a consequence, they had difficulty in writing the reflection when being requested to do so. A total 75 (approximately 55 percent) of the reflective logs were identified as level 1 (from 1 to 5 percent) in which reflections were simply written in a descriptive manner, resulted in a balance of 61 learning logs being utilized for further analysis. The students’ reflections on their entrepreneurship’s experience systematically categorize into four different themes comprised of: the nature of entrepreneurship module, entrepreneurial characteristics, opportunity recognition, and creativity and innovation. Research limitations/implications As for the limitation of the study, it is important to not to underestimate the challenges of introducing a grade assessment that most of them are not familiar with in their university academic journey. Students need guidance, assurance and confidence writing something that require personal opinion, own thinking, sensitive and personal nature of narration. For most students as found out in this study, self-confessional writing is hard to come by (they dare not attempt it in the first place), only a handful appreciating the writing start with “I,” “me” as first person. More research in this study should be conducted across the university to gauge the response from the students to see if the result of this study is only applicable to this group of students or to this discipline of studies. The researchers would also like to recommend for future studies which take the form of a longitudinal study of similar kind to examine the problems and challenges with regards to promoting learning reflection at the undergraduate level. Practical implications Based on the result of the 61 students who had demonstrated an ability in reflective writing, it is suggested that perhaps the university should consider offering coursework that contains a component of reflective writing as part of the assessment. As such, if this is implemented, students of such ability like the one in this sample group would have been benefitted from such assessment which look at reflective ability (Greene, 2014) and which they were allowed to form a broader perspective in relation to the module undertaken. This in turns will foster the growth of reflective ability which is recognized as a learned behavior (Gustafson and Bennett, 1999). In addition, for the future exercise of this reflective learning log, the researcher opined that we should encourage our students to engage with another student (e.g. close friend) in a way that encourages talking with, questioning, or confronting, helped the reflective process by placing the learner in a safe environment in which self-revelation can take place. In addition, students were able to distance themselves from their actions, ideas and beliefs, by holding them up for scrutiny in the company of a peer with whom they are willing to take such risks (Hatton and Smith, 1995). Originality/value The results of this research have strongly suggested the need to urgently develop among the students the skills in writing reflectively as they go through the process of higher education which is useful in molding their future professional and entrepreneurial behavior as when they entered the job market which requires a critical reasoning ability.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masitah Shahrill ◽  
Mohamad Iskandar Petra ◽  
Lin Naing ◽  
Joanna Yacob ◽  
Jose H. Santos ◽  
...  

PurposeThis paper aims to share how it was possible to change the way business was conducted in a short period in order to continue the academic semester and seek alternatives to manage the day-to-day university affairs in the midst of a pandemic crisis at a higher education setting. As a result, the authors’ experiences have created new norms and opportunities for the university.Design/methodology/approachThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Brunei Darussalam is an evolving situation with extraordinary challenges for staff and students of the university. Although the campus remains open and essential services were continuously provided, the university had to implement and adapt to new norms instinctively to minimise the potential pathways for community spread of the coronavirus and at the same time minimise interruption in teaching and learning.FindingsFirstly, structured blended learning will be the basis of teaching and learning, alongside ensuring the highest quality of online education and successful achievement of the intended learning objectives. Secondly, blended learning will open more opportunities to offer programmes in a more flexible, personalised, student-centric and lifelong learning manner, with the option of taking a study hiatus at students' convenience. Thirdly, there will be more global classrooms and the exchange of online modules with international partner universities. Fourthly, short programmes such as the Global Discovery Programmes will be modified and improvised to become an online learning experience. And finally, there will also be the opportunity to understand and consider the physical and mental well-being and durability of the university community in overcoming a national crisis situation.Originality/valueThis paper is intended to be a conceptual paper where the authors describe novel experiences during the pandemic. The authors’ views, interventions and experiences may result into a new model for higher education that will reposition students to the new global markets and economy.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Anne Sen ◽  
Pamela McKinney

Reflective writing is a key professional skill, and the University of Sheffield Information School seeks to develop this skill in our students through the use of reflective assessments. Reflection has been used as a means of supporting Information Literacy development in the Higher Education context and recent pedagogical IL frameworks highlight the important role of reflection. This paper presents an analysis of Undergraduate students’ reflective writing on one module. The writing is mapped against two models of reflection to understand the nature and depth of the students’ reflection and through this understand their Information literacy development, with the overall aim of improving the teaching and learning experience for the future. Key findings are that students did reflect deeply and identified a number of ways in which they felt their IL had developed (e.g. developing a knowledge of specialist sources), ways they could have improved their information literacy practices (e.g. through storing information in a more organised fashion), and ways that we could improve our teaching (e.g. by providing appropriate scaffolding for the activities).


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeoh Khar Kheng

Purpose–This study is part of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) grant to examine written reflective learning log among the students studying BPME 3073 Entrepreneurship in UUM.Method–The data collection techniques is researcher-directed textual data through reflective learning log; obtained from students of one hundred forty. A qualitative thematic method was employed to examine the verbatim format of students’ reflections.Findings–The empirical results found out majority of students have little academic experience in writing a piece of reflective textual learning log. Resultant in their incapability’s to reflect critically and thus; unable to translate their thinking in the written format. Data collected from three classes of Entrepreneurship registered fifty five percent (75 logs) of learning log as Level 1 (descriptive writing); therefore they were not suitable for further analysis. The remaining 61 reflective learning logs were used for the textual data examination. The students’ reflections on their Entrepreneurship’s experience can be categorize systematically into four different themes comprised of (1) The nature of Entrepreneurship module, (2) Entrepreneurial characteristics, (3) Opportunity recognition, and (4) Creativity & innovation.Significance–The results of this research have strongly suggested the need to urgently develop among the students the skills in writing reflectively as they go through the process of higher education which is useful in molding their future professional and entrepreneurial behavior as when they entered the job market which requires a critical reasoning ability.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan Noor Hazlina Wan Jusoh ◽  
Suraya Ahmad

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the use of iMindMap software as an interactive tool in the teaching and learning method and also to be able to consider iMindMap as an alternative instrument in achieving the ultimate learning outcome. Design/methodology/approach Out of 268 students of the management accounting at the University of Technology MARA (Terengganu), 97 students have participated in this survey to evaluate the effectiveness of iMindMap in teaching and learning. Findings Results indicate that the majority of the students acknowledged that iMindMap is more attractive than conventional teaching methods and found that iMindMap shows clearly how the points are all associated and linked together. Students could find that learning is an exciting experience and were able to visualize the whole course content remarkably via iMindMap. Originality/value This study presents an alternative instrument, which is innovative and interactive in teaching and learning, especially for accounting students where the students’ technology acceptance could also be viewed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Rose Sliger Krause ◽  
Andrea Langhurst Eickholt ◽  
Justin L. Otto

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the music performance collection preserved in Eastern Washington University’s institutional repository (IR). This collection of recordings of student music performances is the result of an ongoing collaboration between the university?s library and music department, which serves to provide discoverability, preservation and access to a collection of student creative works, which had heretofore been a hidden collection. Design/methodology/approach This collection of student creative work was identified as a suitable project for the Eastern Washington University’s IR while it was still in the planning stages because it was identified as an existing need that the new IR could address. Much of the groundwork for the collaboration between the library and music department was completed prior to IR implementation. Thus, the library was ready to begin work on this collection once the IR was operational. Findings The student music performance collection has been a successful project for the IR, which benefits the music department by making student performances discoverable and accessible, and benefits the library by providing the opportunity to demonstrate that the then-new IR could support the university’s student-centered focus on teaching and learning. Originality/value While there is a growing body of literature on IRs emphasizing student work, there is little literature on music or other creative works’ collections in IRs, much less on creative works by students. This paper adds to the limited body of literature on student creative works in the IR by describing the development, implementation and lessons learned from the successful music performances collection.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kata Csizér ◽  
Csaba Kálmán

Due to the emergence of the self in foreign/second language (L2) motivation theory and research following the introduction of the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009), the past decade has witnessed a surge of attention devoted to the two self dimensions: the Ideal L2 Self, and the Ought-to L2 self of the model (Boo, Dörnyei, & Ryan, 2015). The third core component, however, the L2 Learning Experience has become undeservedly marginalized. We think that such relative neglect has been brought about by two phenomena. On the one hand, the L2 Learning Experience, has so far been underconceptualized, and, as such, its intangible, amorphous nature has undermined its applicability in research on a similar scale that a more elaborate theorization of the other two future self-guides has enabled. On the other hand, by incorporating Markus and Nurius’ (1986) possible selves theory into L2 motivation research, Dörnyei was able to import adaptable and novel concepts to the field, which set the course of the research agenda for years to come.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Walead Etri

PurposeThis qualitative research set out to understand what teachers’ assessments were of the context of teaching as it relates to the curriculum, and what they consider appropriate for an optimal teaching and learning experience in a university english language teaching (ELT) context.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data were deemed required to understand the effects and understanding teachers had of the ELT curriculum as it played out in their teaching context. Focus group interviews and observations were the main method for data generation.FindingsThe context has a bearing on the ongoing development of teachers’ intercultural sensitivity (IS) frames and how they address IS over time in their context of teaching as it pertains to curriculum.Originality/valueThis is an original research paper which gives insight to knowledge about the relationship between ELT, curriculum and culture.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaw Owusu-Agyeman ◽  
Enna Moroeroe

PurposeScholarly studies on student engagement are mostly focused on the perceptions of students and academic staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) with a few studies concentrating on the perspectives of professional staff. To address this knowledge gap, this paper aims to examine how professional staff who are members of a professional community perceive their contributions to enhancing student engagement in a university.Design/methodology/approachData for the current study were gathered using semi-structured face-to-face interviews among 41 professional staff who were purposively sampled from a public university in South Africa. The data gathered were analysed using thematic analysis that involved a process of identifying, analysing, organising, describing and reporting the themes that emerged from the data set.FindingsAn analysis of the narrative data revealed that when professional staff provide students with prompt feedback, support the development of their social and cultural capital and provide professional services in the area of teaching and learning, they foster student engagement in the university. However, the results showed that poor communication flow and delays in addressing students’ concerns could lead to student disengagement. The study further argues that through continuous interaction and shared norms and values among members of a professional community, a service culture can be developed to address possible professional knowledge and skills gaps that constrain quality service delivery.Originality/valueThe current paper contributes to the scholarly discourse on student engagement and professional community by showing that a service culture of engagement is developed among professional staff when they share ideas, collaborate and build competencies to enhance student engagement. Furthermore, the collaboration between professional staff and academics is important to addressing the academic issues that confront students in the university.


2021 ◽  
pp. 65-74
Author(s):  
Christelle HOPPE

This article presents the highlights of the learning experience within the teaching-learning scheme of French as an additional language as it was proposed to international students at the university to ensure pedagogical continuity during the health crisis between April and June 2020. Through vignettes that give an overview of the course, it proposes, on the one hand, to reflect on the pedagogical choices that were made in order to measure their effects effectively. On the other hand, it looks at the role of the tasks and the way in which they stimulate interaction, articulate or organise the cognitive, conative and socio-affective presence at a distance in this particular context. What emerges from the experience is that the flexible articulation of a set of tasks creates an organising framework that helps learners to shape their own curriculum while supporting their engagement. Overall, the pedagogical organisation of the device has led to potentially beneficial creative and socio-interactive use.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghadah Al Murshidi

Purpose This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of videotaped learning when used in a university in the UAE, in terms of evaluating the experiences of the students, along with highlighting its benefits along with challenges. The research aims to analyse the challenges and benefits of videotaped story workshop method for university students in the UAE. Experiential learning theory can be the basis of this videotaped method of learning and can be used for further theory and the contribution of this research study to knowledge in international education in business. Design/methodology/approach The results got by extracting primary data (quantitative and qualitative) from a sample size of 201 students. The paper used an action research methodology within a university degree course and within the teaching profession. The research design is associated with measuring and assessing the challenges and benefits of videotaped story workshop method for university students, along with the perceptions of the students towards its use. The study primarily used participatory action research which is a community-based study, action-based enquiry and action learning. The approach mostly used to improve the conditions and practices in a range of social environments. Findings The results suggest that most students were in favour of incorporating videotaped story workshop method for the learning experience as this eradicates common linguistic and cultural barriers. Observations indicate the students found it quite challenging to learn new techniques of making videos but later on shown a positive attitude towards the adoption of technology in terms of creating videos and presenting. Technology allowed students to make videos to showcase previous experiences and stories via digital storytelling. Such methods enhance student’s knowledge and academic skills while supporting learning behaviour and inspires them to plan, organise and share their ideas and expertise. Research limitations/implications The above methodology has good potential for inclusive learning and teaching at the higher education level which was not attempted due to lack of connecting to the learners with challenges at the university and for the researchers able to connect to such people. This method can be easily extended to inclusive teaching and learning with minor adjustments as required with the disabilities noticed for the learners. Hence, while most students displayed a positive attitude towards learning from creating, sharing and viewing digital stories, it can be argued that a certain proportion of them was not able to benefit entirely from it due to lack of experience and skills in generating videos. Therefore, attention must be emphasised upon factors to minimise these challenges in multiple ways, for example, provision of training to students for easy employment of videotaping or affordable internet access, etc. Practical implications The students also stated that initially, they perceived videotape methodology quite challenging; however, with time, they started enjoying this method. Videotaped story workshops, learners easily grasp the idea/knowledge through subtitles, even if the lessons are not delivered in their native language. This aspect results in increasing student’s motivation towards learning new concepts and coordinating with other teams to share knowledge and ideas. The method creates a strong sense of achievement amongst students that serves as a motivational driver for academic performance. The videotaped story workshop method supports student’s learning rate, increases their interest and makes the whole learning process more enjoyable. Social implications The learning experience will improve as students and teachers get comfortable using this videotape learning methodology. The method will be useful in remote learning as in the COVID19 situation and has immense social implications, especially in education. It can extend to most domains and knowledge, teaching scenarios for engineering and business. The research promises to add to the knowledge of blended learning and to the experiential learning approach which is useful to the international business of education and its future. Originality/value The classroom activities videotapes stored in platforms, making it convenient for the students and teachers to browse through at their convenience and to improve on in the future. This videotape method applies to any field of learning such as music, cooking, engineering, language study, business studies as it has the advantage to be transcribed and also captions added for the learners and teachers to understand it better. It can be useful in remote learning situations, also like the current one. It promises to be a more efficient way of learning for the future in education and the education business will benefit from it.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document