Teaching Ebusiness skills to the nonIT specialist : Supporting selfdriven, independent learning usin

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Teaching E-business skills to the non-IT
specialist Supporting self-driven,
independent learning using an Active Learning
approach

• Stuart Sanders
• Senior Lecturer, IBAL/Business School

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The Problem!

• Non-specialist student
• Fast changing problem domain
• Multiple, overlapping tools and techniques
• Large number of possible answers

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Subject Choice

• Business Studies students - business related
  problem
• Add
• technical complexity
• remove technical constraints
• focus on solution selection rather than technical
  competence

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INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Having completed this unit successfully the
• student is expected to demonstrate
• An ability to identify and develop a simple
  business model, which may benefit from the
  application of integrated information systems and
  technology.
• An ability to use information technology in an
  integrated (joined-up) fashion, linking
  different applications and IS resources to
  support a simple business model.
• An appreciation of the uses and limitations of
  information technology in implementing a business
  model.
• Application of the knowledge and concepts of the
  separate disciplines of the subject domain
  acquired in levels C and I.

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Learning and Teaching Methods

• This is by design a hands-on unit in which
  concepts and tools will be introduced in a
  laboratory environment.
• Specific detail regarding models, frameworks and
  other tools will be pursued through
  student-managed learning based on on-line
  materials, workbook /or core texts.
• Lab sessions will be used to discuss the
  application of the concepts and to develop
  understanding of business models and technology
  integration. They will also be an opportunity for
  students to raise specific problems experienced.

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The Assignment

• For the overall assessment for this unit you are
  required to produce a prototype E-commerce
  Web-site for a small/medium sized organization.
  The Web-site will consist of a number of
  inter-linked web-pages (probably 4 6 in number)
  and databases. These must include the following
  components
• An index page to the site
• Organization name and logoInternal information
  about the organization to include the latest
  balance sheet and PL account
• A means for a potential customer to enter
  structured information for transmission to the
  organization (e.g. an order form) and
• A means for the transmission of unstructured
  information to the organization.
• All sites must contain all of these components in
  order to gain a pass grade.

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Additional Functionality

• In addition you may consider a number of
  additional elements of functionality which could
  be incorporated into the web-site, such as
• A means of displaying current products for sale,
  including prices and availability
• A means of tracking an orders progress
• A graphical index to the site.

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The Process - Building the System

• 10 x 1.5 hour lab sessions
• Plus whatever additional time students wished
• Not evenly distributed - typically students
  underestimated the time commitment required
• Attendance at lab sessions tended to be front and
  back loaded - definition and completion phases.

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Supporting the Process

• 3 Principal roles of the lecturer
• Setting student expectations
• Facilitating student learning
• Assessing student progress.

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URLs of these sites

• http//www.bournemouth247.com/coursework
• http//www.cliffbolton.com

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Academic Underpinnings

• Active / Co-operative Learning
• Learning by Doing
• Problem Based Learning

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Further Reading

• Active/Cooperative Learning Best Practices in
  Engineering Education.
• http//clte.asu.edu/active/main.htm
• Dodge, B, Active Learning on the Web
  http//edweb.sdsu.edu/people/bdodge/Active/Acti
  veLearning.html
• Felder, R M, Active and Co-operative Learning
  http//www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Cooperative_Lea
  rning.html
• Felder, R M and R. Brent, "Learning by Doing."
• Chem. Engr. Education, 37(4), 282-283 (Fall
  2003).
• Problem Based Learning
• http//www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/pbl/index.html

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