Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Business Education

Abstract

Teaching methods in higher education have received a good deal of attention in recent years. Evidence of this has been particularly apparent in the field of business and management education.

The research reported here was carried out among students reading for a B.Sc.(Hons.) degree in Business Studies at a university. During their first year they were subject to three different teaching methods on separate courses: the formal lecture followed by tutorial, programmed learning and the project method respectively.

An assessment of the students' attitudes to these teaching methods was made at the end of that first year using a semantic differential scale. It was discovered that they preferred the lecture/tutorial method; attitudes were least favourable toward the project approach.

It is suggested that the students' attitudes were a product of the extent to which each teaching method made for the achievement of course objectives, and how far it was appropriate to the course content, the examination system and students' expectations.

It is concluded that the teaching method and examination system which are suitable for a "theory" course within a Business Studies degree may not be appropriate for an "applied" course within the same scheme. Moreover, it is pointed out that since students are likely to be least acquainted with the methods used in teaching "applied" subjects, it is on these courses that the need for educational resocialisation is likely to be met.

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