TY - JOUR
T1 - Tutor and international student perspectives on an action research project
T2 - use of a business strategy simulation with mixed nationality cohorts
AU - Kerridge, Clive R.
AU - Simpson, Colin
PY - 2021/9/21
Y1 - 2021/9/21
N2 - Purpose: This study aims to present the results of a curriculum design intervention, which was undertaken to address the inhibitors and enablers facing international (mainly Chinese) students on a capstone undergraduate strategic management module at a UK university business school. Design/methodology/approach: Using an action research approach, the pre-intervention phase identified two main concerns: low levels of student engagement and avoidance of generic academic and language support. The module was subsequently redesigned around a group-based strategic business simulation (requiring collaborative participation of all students), with embedded language and academic support, plus the involvement of bilingual teaching staff. Findings: Post-intervention results from the four-year study indicated enhanced academic engagement of international students and a narrowing of the performance (grade) gap between domestic and international students. Practical implications: Overall findings should provide strong support for the inclusion of active learning pedagogies in undergraduate business course deliveries, also complementing educational literature that advocates the effectiveness of constructivist pedagogies in mixed-nationality classrooms. Originality/value: This study exemplifies a form of participatory action research. The juxtaposition of comments from support and specialist tutors, along with those of students, highlights the validity of views from each stakeholder group.
AB - Purpose: This study aims to present the results of a curriculum design intervention, which was undertaken to address the inhibitors and enablers facing international (mainly Chinese) students on a capstone undergraduate strategic management module at a UK university business school. Design/methodology/approach: Using an action research approach, the pre-intervention phase identified two main concerns: low levels of student engagement and avoidance of generic academic and language support. The module was subsequently redesigned around a group-based strategic business simulation (requiring collaborative participation of all students), with embedded language and academic support, plus the involvement of bilingual teaching staff. Findings: Post-intervention results from the four-year study indicated enhanced academic engagement of international students and a narrowing of the performance (grade) gap between domestic and international students. Practical implications: Overall findings should provide strong support for the inclusion of active learning pedagogies in undergraduate business course deliveries, also complementing educational literature that advocates the effectiveness of constructivist pedagogies in mixed-nationality classrooms. Originality/value: This study exemplifies a form of participatory action research. The juxtaposition of comments from support and specialist tutors, along with those of students, highlights the validity of views from each stakeholder group.
KW - Action research
KW - Active learning
KW - Business simulation
KW - Constructivist pedagogies
KW - Experiential learning
KW - Mixed-nationality classes
KW - Mixed-nationality classrooms
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096998570&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JIEB-07-2019-0034/full/html
U2 - 10.1108/JIEB-07-2019-0034
DO - 10.1108/JIEB-07-2019-0034
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85096998570
SN - 2046-469X
VL - 14
SP - 240
EP - 258
JO - Journal of International Education in Business
JF - Journal of International Education in Business
IS - 2
ER -