Detail Learning from a Field Trip: Reflections of Myanmar Executive MBA students   Oleh:  Khaing, Moe Moe ; Kopka Jr., Donald J. Jenis: Article from Proceeding Dalam koleksi: SIBR-Thammasat 2014 Conference on Interdisciplinary Business & Economics Research June 5th- 7th, 2014 di Emerald Hotel Bangkok, page 1-2. Topik: field trip; active learning Fulltext: b14-138.pdf (16.32KB) Isi artikel What can graduate students with more than ten years work experience learn from a field trip? Field trips in American higher education are less common than in primary or secondary school, though there is a growing trend for such experiences through active and service learning. Unlike the United States, universities such as the Yangon Institute of Economics in Myanmar have required field trips as part of their curriculum. This research reports on the learning of Executive MBA students at the Yangon Institute of Economics from a four-day field trip in Myanmar. During their MBA programs, the Institute’s students are required to take one short and one long multi-day field trip. The field trip in Myanmar was in early January 2014 and included visits to an industrial development park and cement factory in Mandalay, and a lacquer ware business in Bagan. Fifty-one students participated in the trip and completed a reflective assignment on their learning from the trip, which is the basis for this report. Field trips in higher education are rare (Smith, 2007), and the learning from such first-hand experiences has not been a topic that has received much attention in prior research. Higgins, Dewhurst, and Watkins (2012) in a summary of the benefits of field trips pointed out that they bridge the gap between theory and books, encourage critical and creative thinking, foster more active student engagement, increase motivation and enthusiasm for learning, make the learning experience more enjoyable, and facilitate bonding between students. In their answers, the Executive MBA students identified these benefits from the field trip. After the field trip, the lead author developed a reflective assignment to ensure that the students treated the trip as a serious learning experience and not simply as time away. The assignment had six questions that dealt with: specific knowledge gained from the trip, how the knowledge added to the entrepreneurship course, how teachers could connect the trip to course content, benefits or surprising information from the trip, recommendations for government policies, and how knowledge from the trip could be used in present work. Several learning themes were evident in the students’ answers. Many students saw business processes they had never seen before, cement and lacquer ware, and recognized the importance of logistics management and cash flow. At the industrial development park they learned about a new economic development tool and were 2 able to question managers on park objectives and policies. Their comments connecting the trip to coursework were especially relevant. They appreciated thinking about the course concepts in terms of Myanmar businesses, expressing frustration that the textbooks use only western businesses that they never heard of. They also observed that teachers could have better prepared them before the trip by discussing the businesses they would visit, and they would have liked to have had class time after the trip to review the experience. They observed that government policies are needed to improve infrastructure and worker safety. They also experienced better bonding with teammates, and several made contacts for future sales. Opini Anda Klik untuk menuliskan opini Anda tentang koleksi ini! Kembali

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