Interactive learning in operations management higher education

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to describe a computer-assisted learning experience in operations management (OM) higher education that entailed the development of interactive learning software, its evaluation in an experimental environment and the formal analysis of the teaching method's influence on student perceptions. Design/methodology/approach -The software design follows the constructivist focus based on widely-accepted educational technology principles. Objective tests of knowledge and subjective appraisal of the learning process were used in the experiment to compare two educational scenarios (computer-assisted learning and on-site class). Students' perceptions of the software's technical and teaching features are also analyzed. Findings -The study shows that the teaching method can significantly affect students' perceptions of the learning process. The findings also confirm the pedagogical effectiveness of the software that was designed and that information communication technologies (ICT)-based methods are an alternative to traditional methods used in OM education.Research limitations/implications -The experiment involved strict control over various potential threats to validity. From a statistical point-of-view, the conclusions can only be generalized in the population analyzed. Nevertheless, the features of the software and the student profile allow the main conclusions to be generalized to other OM environments. Practical implications -The use and evaluation of interactive software in OM educational environments are reflected on, with emphasis on the influence that the teaching methodology has on students' attitudes to the learning process. It is of interest for researchers interested in improving teaching through the use of ICT. Originality/value -There are very few studies on interactive self-learning software for OM and its effects on student perceptions. This paper is a new contribution to this field.

Assessing the Flipped Classroom in Operations Management: A Pilot Study

“…In OM, students are exposed to multiple criteria for making decisions and these criteria are not limited to the use of a single technique or approach. Innovative games, simulations, and interactive learning software have already been used to create blended learning environment for promoting student engagement (Arenas-M arquez et al, 2012;Lewis & Maylor, 2007;Pasin & Giroux, 2011;Tan, Tse, & Chung, 2010;Yazici, 2006). Therefore, there exists a strong case for investigating students' perception about their effectiveness in OM (Arenas-M arquez et al, 2012;Yazici, 2006).…”

“…Further, there are evidences of immense pedagogical value offered by ICT-based tools in creating blended learning environment in business education literature (Arbaugh, Desai, Rau, & Sridhar, 2010;Arenas-M arquez, Machuca, & Medina-L opez, 2012;Hwang & Arbaugh, 2009;Merrill & Galbraith, 2009). The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools Business (AACSB)-the international accreditation body for business schools-has also quoted technology as an area of context in business courses (AACSB, 2013).…”

A first approximation to the SPOCs-FC in the context of the Supply Chain Management

“…El éxito de estos modelos puede estar muy relacionado con la complejidad de las situaciones propias de la planificación y control de la producción manufacturera que demandan la utilización de las tecnologías de la información. Más recientemente, el muy interesante trabajo de Arenas-Márquez et al (2012) evalúa la eficacia del uso de software interactivo para la docencia de la Dirección de Operaciones en entornos experimentales apreciando que, en efecto, el modo en que los estudiantes perciben el curso, su utilidad y aplicabilidad de los contenidos cambian cuando se aplican estos modelos de software. Otras contribuciones interesantes dignas de mención son las recogidas en Zainuddin & Attaran (2015) y en Zanaidun et al (2016).…”

An analysis of the causes of Master's Thesis dropouts

“…A pesar de que los nuevos modelos educativos en los últimos años buscan una mayor autonomía de los alumnos, lo que supone el cambio de un enfoque basado en la enseñanza a otro centrado en el aprendizaje (Alfalla-Luque et al, 2011;Medina-López et al, 2011ay 2011b, todavía, incluso a nivel de Máster, no parece que su aplicación esté resultando todo lo efectiva que sería necesario. La necesidad de responder a un variado perfil de estudiantes con diferentes edades, motivaciones e intereses sigue siendo un reto para la docencia actual (Medina-López et al, 2011a;Arenas-Márquez et al, 2012).…”