Connecting subject disciplines in the MBA through common pedagogies Bill Sutherland Ken Russell Allan Scott Aberdeen Business School Robert Gordon University

Agenda Overview Background and Context Activities and Examples of Practice – The use of intensive workshops – Course Design Intensive (CDI) method Key points Sharing Practice Future plans

Overview: Aberdeen Business School MBA ‘Four Pillars’ Academic Career Development Academic Behavioural and Skills Behavioural and Skills Industry Engagement Industry Engagement

Key Literature and Concepts Biggs (1999) – ‘constructive alignment’ Mayes and de Freitas (2004) – Challenge underlying assumptions – Take account of the context of delivery mode Koper and Olivier (2004) – ‘pedagogical expressiveness’

Background and Context Staff development Course design Interdisciplinary teams AMBA – half of learning from within the cohort

Aims of the project Effective and efficient use of time Learner Expectations Balance learner competency Consistency Constructive alignment Framework for new Module design Staff development in pedagogy Course design, but Module delivery

Course Design Intensive (CDI) Oxford Brookes curriculum design in extended, multi- professional teams design at programme level speed up development times cascade e-learning design expertise into academic departments

CDI Process OXFORD BROOKES, Course Design Intensives

Future Plans - where next? Review each MBA module, starting with the first four. Opportunities to link activities across modules Determine other projects and sub teams – Authentic assessment – Reading strategies and directed study – Transition management – ‘Handbook’ of module design

Acknowledgements Oxford Brookes – Dr. Greg Benfield – Dr. Frances Deepwell RGU DELTA – Prof. Alan Davidson – Catherine Ogilvie – Technical Support Team MBA Teaching Team, Administration Team and Support Team

Sources BIGGS, J Aligning teaching for constructing learning. Higher Education Academy. [online] available from: ng_teaching_for_constructing_learning.pdf [accessed12 April 2013] ng_teaching_for_constructing_learning.pdf CHICKERING, A.W. and GAMSON, Z.F., Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin March 1987, 3-7. DEMPSTER, J.A., BENFIELD. G. and FRANCIS, R., An academic development model for fostering innovation and sharing in curriculum design. Innovation in Education and Teaching International 49(2), HERRINGTON, J., REEVES, T.C., and OLIVER, R., Authentic tasks online: A synergy among learner, task, and technology. Distance Education 27(2) pp KOPER, R. and OLIVIER, B., Representing the learning design of units of learning. Educational Technology and Society 7(3),

Sources MAYES, T. and de FREITAS, S., Review of e-leaning theories, frameworks and models. JISC Commissioned Review: JISC e-learning Models Desk Study. [online] available from: 20(Version%201).pdf [accessed12 April 2013] 20(Version%201).pdf OXFORD BROOKES, Course Design Intensives REEVES, T.C., HERRINGTON, J. and OLIVER, R., Authentic activities and online learning. Quality Conversations: Proceedings of the 25 th HERDSA Annual Conference, Perth, Western Australia, 7-10 July 2002, pp content/uploads/conference/2002/papers/Reeves.pdf content/uploads/conference/2002/papers/Reeves.pdf SHEEC, Developing and Supporting the Curriculum. Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee supporting-the-curriculum supporting-the-curriculum