Fostering Learning Competencies in Higher Education
Type
dissertation project
Start Date
November 1, 2004
End Date
November 14, 2008
Status
completed
Keywords
Motivation
Self-Organization
New Technologies
Learning Competencies
Instruction
Higher Education
Case Study Research
Qualitative Research
Description
Social, economic and technological changes require the development of learning competencies as a precondition for lifelong self-directed learning. Against this background, this research study investigates how learning competencies can be theoretically and practically justified as a pedagogic-didactical objective and fostered in the university context. Based on the detailed definition of the research problem, the meta-theoretical part demonstrates the pragmatic-interactionistic position underlying this study and deploys and founds the research design. The theoretical part elaborately investigates selected didactic-pedagogical theories and develops a pedagogical framework serving as a starting point and point of reference. The explorative empirical part then encompasses three qualitative good-practice case studies conducted at the University of Oldenburg (Germany, 2005), Stanford University (USA, 2006) and University of St. Gallen (Switzerland, 2007) in order to explore innovative practices to enhance the theory building process. Each case study has been investigated in the field over a period of at least two terms applying different research methods – among others 42 semistructured interviews with 53 people. As this research aims at theory generation, faculty members designing innovative university seminars in a technology-enhanced environment facilitating self-directed learning and as a consequence, explicitly or implicitly fostering learning competencies, were chosen as the primary unit of analysis. Data analysis was conducted applying the grounded theory methodology. As a result, a learning model fostering learning competencies has been developed in the theory-building part, comprehensively indicating the selfdirected learning process of students deducing multifaceted competencies required. The application part then transformed the findings obtained in the course of the theory-building process into a practical concept, i.e. a course was designed and conducted several times at the bachelor level at the University of St. Gallen. The study investigates the self-directed learning process in depth and uncovers crucial competencies as well as supportive and hindering learning conditions. It emphasizes the active part of both, the learner and the instructor when it comes to fostering learning competencies in technology-enhanced environments in higher education. In the final part the research questions are summarized. In addition, the adequacy of the research strategy and desiderata for future research are discussed.
Leader contributor(s)
Member contributor(s)
Partner(s)
Institute of Economic Education (IÖB), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg (Germany)
Stanford University School of Education und Stanford Center for Innovations in Learning, Stanford University (US)
Institute for Business Education and Educational Management, and Institute for Labor Economics and Labor Law, Social Sciences Department, University of St. Gallen (Switzerland)
Funder
Topic(s)
Higher Education
Learning Competencies
Teaching
Method(s)
Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Grounded Theory
Atlas.ti
Participant Observation
Online Questionnaires
Interviews
Video Analysis
Range
HSG Internal
Range (De)
HSG Intern
Division(s)
Eprints ID
21807
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Item type:Publication, Review: Hubert Ertl & Hugo Kremer (Hrsg.) (2005). Innovationen in schulischen Kontexten. Ansatzpunkte für berufsbegleitende Lernprozesse bei LehrkräftenType:book reviewJournal:bwp@ Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik - online (Online at http://www.bwpat.de/rezensionen/rezension_13-2005_ertl-kremer.pdf)Issue:13-2005 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Lernmodell zur Förderung von Lernkompetenzen an HochschulenType:journal articleJournal:Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung. Best-Practice Beispiele und Evaluationsergebnisse - Band III: Didaktik und Prüfungen (Online at http://www.zfhe.at)Volume:6Issue:1 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, CourseWork Research Report 2006Assessment of Stanford's Course Management System from a User's Point of View - an Online Survey - This research report provides an assessment of Stanford's course management system "CourseWork" from a user's point of view. The results were gathered from two open-ended online questionnaires among instructional staff and students during May 8-31, 2006. The goal of the survey was to gather feedback on the usefulness of CourseWork in order to better satisfy the needs of its users at Stanford University and as a consequence, support technology-enhanced learning and teaching. The findings rely on a random sample of overall 2561 respondents participating on a voluntary basis. Data analysis is based on quantitative and qualitative methods utilizing Excel software and creating categories referring to general features of course management systems as well as to specific tools provided by CourseWork. The analysis reveals in great detail how users assess the course managment system and its single tools. Based on this evaluation, a matrix has been developed identifying both the current state-of-the-art and potential for improvement. Following this structure, the report points out key areas for continuing development and support, and provides various suggestions for enhancing the usability of CourseWork from a user's point of view.Type:work report - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Learning in Activity: A Pedagogical Innovation in Higher Education(2006-06-25)Active, lifelong learning has advanced to a "buzz word," requiring highly motivated learners who are able to learn in a self-regulated manner, and to actively engage within a learning community utilizing new media. Facing this challenge, this paper focuses on pedagogy regarding both the learning process as well as the methodical and didactic creation of the social and cultural learning environment in the field of teacher education in the university context. As a consequence, a pedagogical framework will be outlined which serves - together with the initial research question/subquestions - as a starting point and a point of reference. This framework consists of three intertwined perspectives: individual learning process, media and social interaction, and sociocultural context. In order to develop an applicable pedagogical concept empirical exploration will be based on best-practice case study research. The paper briefly outlines some important preliminary findings of the first case study which I conducted in the field of teacher education at the University of Oldenburg, Germany in 2005Type:conference paper - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Learning in Activity via New Media Challenges Higher Education(Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE, 2006-06-28); - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Learning in Activity: A Pedagogical Innovation in Higher EducationActive, lifelong learning has advanced to a "buzz word," requiring highly motivated learners who are able to learn in a self-regulated manner, and to actively engage within a learning community utilizing new media. Facing this challenge, this paper focuses on pedagogy regarding both the learning process as well as the methodical and didactic creation of the social and cultural learning environment in the field of teacher education in the university context. As a consequence, a pedagogical framework will be outlined which serves - together with the initial research question/subquestions - as a starting point and a point of reference. This framework consists of three intertwined perspectives: individual learning process, media and social interaction, and sociocultural context. In order to develop an applicable pedagogical concept empirical exploration will be based on best-practice case study research. The paper briefly outlines some important preliminary findings of the first case study which I conducted in the field of teacher education at the University of Oldenburg, Germany in 2005. Zu bestellen unter http://ijl.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.30/prod.1179Type:journal articleJournal:The International Journal of LearningVolume:13Issue:9 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Teaching and Learning in Stanford's Smart Classrooms(2007-01-30)In the age of telecommunications and multimedia, university teaching and learning occurs more and more in technology-enhanced environments. Scanning the current research landscape it is clear that the development of innovative pedagogies lags behind the progression of new technologies. To investigate innovative educational practices, the author attended and observed courses conducted in the high performance learning spaces at Stanford's Wallenberg Hall. The goal of the study is to analyze how the technology-enhanced learning spaces can be designed to facilitate different learning activities and active student learning to foster key competencies. The presentation is available at http://www.eife-l.org/publications/proceedings/ilf07/ppt/Contribution125_b.ppt.pdfType:conference paper - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Teaching and Learning in Wallenberg Hall's Experimental Classrooms(Stanford Center for Innovations in Learning (SCIL). Online at http://wallenberg.stanford.edu/teachresources/findings/findings/HoidnGilbert_WhitePaper.pdf, 2006); Gilbert, DanIn the age of telecommunications and multimedia, university teaching and learning occurs more and more in technology-enhanced environments. Scanning the current research landscape it is clear that the development of innovative pedagogies lags behind the progression of new technologies. In this context, the authors investigate educational practices by analyzing two classes of a videotaped course conducted in one of the high performance classrooms at Stanford University to explore new ways of teaching and learning utilizing state-of-the-art technology. The study shows how technology-enhanced learning environments can be utilized to facilitate learning in activity. Moreover, implications for the implementation and application of innovative technology-enhanced pedagogies in higher education will be outlined. A project description as well as major results of the joint study are published on the SCIL homepage at http://wallenberg.stanford.edu/research/findings/HoidnGilbert_WhitePaper.pdf The results were also published at https://www.openeducationeuropa.eu/en/article/Teaching-and-Learning-in-Wallenberg-Hall%E2%80%99s-Experimental-Classrooms#main-content on May 16th, 2007Type:working paper
