scholarly journals ICT Proficiency Levels of Canadian University-Level Business School Graduates: Representations of Graduates and Employers

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Muhammad Khurram ◽  
Carlos C. Bazan
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Business School ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Business Programs ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
Business Graduates ◽  
Skill Deficits ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Key Competencies

This study examines the perceptions of Canadian business school graduates’ and employers with respect to business graduates’ ICT proficiency levels. Twelve (12) business graduates from a Canadian university and six (6) local employers were interviewed on a range of topics relating to the acquisition of information and communications technology (ICT) skills and graduate competency levels. Graduates were positive in their self-appraisal of computing proficiency and expressed high levels of confidence in their ICT capabilities, while the acquisition of these skills was found to be primarily learned informally, self-taught, or learned during work terms. Generally, employers felt that the ICT competencies of business graduates the skills they need for the workplace are appropriate, but indicate that some specialized ICT skills are acquired through workplace orientation and ongoing professional learning. Graduate skill deficits were found to be more prevalent in the areas of writing and communication – including spelling, grammar, and business writing. Research findings suggest some misalignment between employer expectations and program objectives and raise questions about a potential gap in the readiness of graduates for the workplace.  Although there is wide recognition that the primary aim of university business degree programs falls outside of ICT skill development, this research suggests a need for better coordination to align the needs and expectations of employers with the goals and objectives of business programs.  Strategies for greater collaboration between business faculties and employers, with regard to business graduates’ ICT and other key competencies are suggested.

Developing a Framework for the Examination of Anchoring Vignette Assumptions Using Cognitive Interviews: A Demonstration in the ICT Skills Domain

Field Methods ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1525822X2199128
Author(s):  
Hana Vonkova ◽  
Jan Hrabak ◽  
Katerina Kralova ◽  
Ondrej Papajoanu
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Cognitive Interviews ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Assessment Measures ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Scale Usage ◽  
Response Consistency

Self-assessment measures are commonly used in questionnaire surveys. However, one of the problems with self-reports is that they may be prone to differences in scale usage among respondents. The anchoring vignette method addresses this issue. It relies on two assumptions: response consistency and vignette equivalence. Here we aim to develop a framework for the examination of these assumptions using cognitive interviews and demonstrate it in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills domain. First, we develop new anchoring vignettes describing various ICT skill domains. Second, we examine both assumptions using cognitive interviews with students who are studying different fields. Our analysis shows that the assumptions are indeed not adhered to, especially the assumption of vignette equivalence. Third, we develop a general framework for the examination of the method’s assumptions.

scholarly journals Intercultural Competencies for Fostering Technology-Mediated Collaboration in Developing Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7790
Author(s):  
Albert Kampermann ◽  
Raymond Opdenakker ◽  
Beatrice Van der Heijden ◽  
Joost Bücker
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Intercultural Competencies ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Key Competencies ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
And Diffusion ◽  
Successful Technology

With the rapid global spread and application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the question is whether every culture makes similar use of the ideology that often underlies its creators’ design. ICT applications are designed with underlying beliefs or principles about e.g., work, communication, and individuality. These beliefs or principles are invisible and hidden in software and, as such, in many instances not recognized by users in other cultures. These hidden principles might even frustrate the understanding, use, knowledge-sharing, and e-collaboration between people from different cultures. In this article, we aim to explore, from a historical point of view, the early years of adaptation of ICT in developing countries, and we will highlight the importance of the use of intercultural (ICT-)skills to learn to recognize cultural differences from a relationship-based definition in technology-mediated collaboration. A semi-systematic or narrative review approach is used that is particularly suitable for topics that have been conceptualized differently. Our review firstly summarizes and categorizes the cultural factors impacting the adaptation and diffusion of ICT, especially in developing countries, and investigates which factors could hinder and/or facilitate the collaboration with other countries. Secondly, the findings of a thorough comparison between different intercultural competencies’ frameworks indicate that intercultural competencies show a combination of motivation, knowledge (-management), and skills, which are key competencies in the light of successful technology-mediated collaboration.

scholarly journals Reframing Professional Development Through Understanding Authentic Professional Learning

2009 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 702-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Webster-Wright
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Educational Research ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Alternative Conceptualization ◽  
Professional Development Programs ◽  
Evaluating Professional Development

Continuing to learn is universally accepted and expected by professionals and other stakeholders across all professions. However, despite changes in response to research findings about how professionals learn, many professional development practices still focus on delivering content rather than enhancing learning. In exploring reasons for the continuation of didactic practices in professional development, this article critiques the usual conceptualization of professional development through a review of recent literature across professions. An alternative conceptualization is proposed, based on philosophical assumptions congruent with evidence about professional learning from seminal educational research of the past two decades. An argument is presented for a shift in discourse and focus from delivering and evaluating professional development programs to understanding and supporting authentic professional learning.

scholarly journals Blog-based professional development of English teachers in Mumbai: The potential of innovative practice under scrutiny

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atiya Khan
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Collaboration ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Learning Networks ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Interactive Workshop

The professional development of teachers in India is still, by and large, based on formal and outdated professional learning traditions, often characterised by crash courses and one-off workshops. In education, blogs have proven to be an effective means of establishing and maintaining collaborative learning networks and helping members reflect on their professional practices. Information and communications technology (ICT) enabled practices of teacher professional development is still in its infancy in India. Moreover, there is limited research in India to secure foundational understanding of how and in what ways teachers of English in India use blogs for their professional development. This study explores the use of teacher reflective practice, teacher networking, and teacher collaboration, beyond formal ICT training, through blog-based professional development of English teachers in the Mumbai region of India. Using data collected from 32 teachers from three private schools in Mumbai, through ICT interactive workshop observations, questionnaires, interviews, and blog comments, this action case study explains whether and why blogging, as a learning community, has the potential to add significant value to existing professional development of English teachers in Mumbai.

scholarly journals Mostar university students' self-assessment of lifelong learning competencies

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-93
Author(s):  
Anita Klapan ◽  
Marija Šaravanja ◽  
Marijeta Mašić
Keyword(s):  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Professional Orientation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Key Competencies ◽  
Learning Competencies ◽  
The University

The introductory part of this paper defines the concept of lifelong learning and describes the key competencies for lifelong learning as defined by the European Union. The empirical part of the paper outlines the results of the research on students’ self-assessment of lifelong learning competencies. The goal of the research was to re-evaluate students’ self-assessment of lifelong learning competencies and to establish whether or not there is a significant difference in attitudes towards the usage and assessment of lifelong learning competencies among students of various study programmes. The research was conducted on the student population at the University of Mostar (N=283). The principal research findings suggest that various study groups of students provide various assessments of lifelong learning competencies, depending on their professional orientation.

Undergraduate management education: Its place, purpose and efforts to bridge the skills gap

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Economy ◽  
Business School ◽  
Management Education ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Gap ◽  
Business Graduates ◽  
Common Response ◽  
Industry Professionals

AbstractAustralian business graduates are deemed by industry as not being ‘job ready’ (BCA 2006; BIHECC 2007), lacking the skills required to successfully apply disciplinary knowledge and add value to our globalised, knowledge economy. There exists a lack of empirical evidence and professional input for business schools on profiling the attributes valued by industry. This is especially true for those majoring in management who are consistently overshadowed by their more commercially attractive postgraduate counterparts. In a bid to satisfy industry demands, the most common response among Australian business schools are the development of employability skills and enhanced involvement of industry professionals in curricula content and design, both subject to potential failings and criticism. This review of business school efforts to bridge the skills gap also examines the role, function and impact of undergraduate management education, a research area significantly overlooked in recent years.

Learning from Home: Implementing Technical Infrastructure for Distributed Learning via Home-PC within Telenor

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristian Folkman ◽  
Zane L. Berge
Keyword(s):  
Distributed Learning ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Telecom Operator ◽  
User Skills ◽  
Do So

This article presents research findings from a study conducted at Telenor, a Norwegian telecom operator. The company distributed home Personal Computers (PCs) to their employees in an effort to encourage professional development outside working hours and mainly on an individual basis. The report includes results from a systematic survey of 2500 employees of the approximately 11,000 home-PC users concerning their use of home-PCs for learning. Findings suggest that home-PCs can contribute positively to increasing employees' knowledge about information and communications technology (ICT), and improve specific user skills. While the use of home PCs can also enable employees to learn while using information and communications technologies, the number of employees who actually do so is modest.

scholarly journals A Pillar For Successful Business School Accreditation: Conducting The Curriculum Review Process A Systematic Approach

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 39-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Gundersen ◽  
Susan Evans Jennings ◽  
Deborah Dunn ◽  
Warren Fisher ◽  
Mikhail Kouliavtsev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Business School ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
External Validation ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Business Programs ◽  
Curriculum Review ◽  
Affinity Group ◽  
Wide Range

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) describes their accreditation as the hallmark of business education. According to information at BestBizSchools.com (n.d.), AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Being AACSB accredited means a business school is able to continuously pass a strict set of standards that ensure quality. As of December 2010, only 5%, or 607, of the academic business programs globally were accredited by AACSB. This number represents schools in 38 countries where the majority of programs incorporate both undergraduate and graduate education covering business, accounting, or both. An institution must be a member of AACSB in order to apply for accreditation. It is important to note, however, that membership does not imply that the program is accredited (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.-a). Recent emphasis demanding external validation on the quality of Business Schools has resulted in the promotion of AACSB accreditation as the de facto quality standard. Earning this quality seal of approval, business programs can verify they have met the 21 AACSB standards that cover strategic, participant, and assurance of learning achievements and processes. Programs with AACSB accreditation are encouraged to promote the standard using it to externally validate their quality and to market their programs to external groups including students, employers, and contributors (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.-b). Despite established standards, no single approach to meeting standards for accreditation is suggested by AACSB. Rather, varying approaches to meeting standards should be developed to fit individual programs of institutions (Bryant & Scherer, 2009). This position by AACSB underscores its recognition of the diversity across accredited programs and allows educators wide latitude in developing and implementing approaches to excellence. Small programs are not disadvantaged so long as their students, faculty, graduates, and the employers who hire them receive the quality outputs that help them meet the external competitive requirements (Olian, 2007). In recognition of member institutions diversity, the AACSB has established the Affinity Group program where school administrators from schools sharing similar characteristics can interact, exchange ideas, and present views on a wide range of issues (Olian, 2007). This allows AACSB member schools, who have varying missions and constituents, to find and link with other programs of a similar nature where creativity and synergy can more easily occur. The AACSB wants the accreditation process to help facilitate creativity in designing business school strategies rather than being viewed as an impediment to a programs push to quality (Romero, 2008).

The influence of creativity on the entrepreneurial intention of university female graduates: An SEM approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 095042222110612
Author(s):  
Mohamad Osmani ◽  
Ramzi El-Haddadeh ◽  
Nitham M Hindi ◽  
Vishanth Weerakkody
Keyword(s):  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Business Programs ◽  
Business Graduates ◽  
Career Option ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The University

Entrepreneurial activities have been vital to economic growth as a feasible career option for many university graduates. Nonetheless, it has been recognised that the lowest intentions to undertake entrepreneurial activity are among female graduates. While entrepreneurship is claimed to be a reflection of creative activity from which individuals generate value, graduates’ creativity can be a crucial aspect of entrepreneurship, with innovative concepts, products and services. This study examines the role of creativity skills in the entrepreneurial intentions of female university students attending business programs. Built on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the survey results collected from 303 female business graduates identified the positive influence of creativity on entrepreneurial intentions. Recognising the need to embed creative skills and activities in the university curriculum is fundamental to encouraging entrepreneurial aspirations among female graduates.

Taking Making Into the Schools

2016 ◽  
pp. 559-587
Author(s):  
Susan E. Crichton ◽  
Deb Carter
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Maker Movement ◽  
Globalized Economy ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Diverse Groups ◽  
Initial Research ◽  
The Maker Movement

This chapter introduces professional learning (PL) challenges in a Digital Age and makes a case for an immersive, sustained, experiential approach including diverse groups of professionals. It explores how this approach informed novice and experienced educators to incorporate design thinking and making into their current practice. After providing background on the Maker Movement, an immersive PL model is explored. This model comprises an integrated series of PL experiences designed to encourage participants to actively engage in four distinct yet related elements. Drawing on a qualitative, iterative process, initial research findings and experiences suggest that such a model may support good PL and professional development for educators designing and developing 21st century learning environments. These findings suggest this model may allow for collaborative re-thinking of established course and curricular designs, while addressing significant social issues, encouraging participants to become thoughtful contributors in an increasingly complex, globalized economy.

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