comparing learners’ perceptions and expectations in professional training and higher education:...

Institut für Informatik und Wirtschaftsinformatik (ICB)

Comparing Learners’ perceptions and expectations in professional

training and HE: the German perspective

Thomas Richter

University of Duisburg-Essen Picture right: Winding- tower, Essen

EDEN 2014 Annual Conference, Zagreb From Education to Employment and Meaningful Work with ICTs

Thomas Richter @EDEN 2014, Zagreb Comparing Learners’ perceptions and expectations in AE and HE: The German perspective

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Learning Culture Survey

n  since 2008, international survey on learners’ perceptions of and attitudes in Higher Education

n  investigating culture-specific perceptions and expectations of learners towards education

n  Aim: Conflict reduction in international e-Learning & support for international adaptation of learning resources

n  based on standardized questionnaire (Likert style, 102 items; available in 11 languages)

n  study results so far available from n  2010 Germany (1817, 3 universities, online), n  2011 South Korea (286, 39 universities, paper), and n  2013 Ghana (352, 1 university, paper)

n  “test” studies in (questionnaire translated through students) n  2012 Bulgaria (30, 1 university) n  2012 Cameroon (French, 30 & British, 30, each 1 university) n  2012/13 Turkey (40, 1 university) n  2012/13 Ukraine (53, 1 university) n  2014 France (73, 1 university)


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Learning Culture: Investigated Issues

•  the role of professor and tutor •  tasks and responsibilities of professor and tutor •  perception of feedback •  motivation/de-motivation •  group work related issues •  group building processes •  time management •  experiences with group work in education •  general gender-specific issues


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Culture Research in Education and IS: Status quo

n  over 70% of research bases on Hofstede’s dimensions n  IBM value-based management-study from 1970s, over

115.000 sample elements from 40 countries n  4 dimensions resulted: PDI, IDV, MAS, UAI n  (relative) national key-values based on data from IBM study n  comprehensive discussions on results and consequences,

e.g. in relation to general education

n  Preconditions: n  concept of national culture generally is valid n  value systems are persistent over time n  key-values are transferable to all contexts


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Appropriateness of Method … Positions

n  Hofstede: n  national culture generally exists (Montesquieu’s “Spirit of a

Nation”) n  key-values generally valid across subcultures (basic values) n  values persistent because basic values are slowly changing

If above assumptions are valid, it would be very comfortable … à  rarely changing parameters: persistent research results, à generalization of results and experiences on cultural issues to

all educational contexts within a nation à but …

Several further doubts expressed in literature but no empiric studies available investigating the issue …

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 0

Impact significant

Germany (35)

Austria (11)

South Korea (60)

China (80)

Impact not

significant

Impact not

significant


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Learning Culture Survey in Professional Training

n  30+ German stock-noted enterprises invited for participation (providing in-house professional training)

n  5 enterprises offered support, each with 25 sample elements n  2 enterprises actually delivered 7+ sample elements n  choice of sample elements by enterprises (no influence)

n  study took place in 2012, paper based n  questionnaire was slightly adopted to context (e.g.,

“professor” became “instructor”)

n  results not representative but fully sound according to particular character of each context


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Comparing Results from LC: Role of the Lecturer


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Comparing Results from LC: Tasks of the Lecturer


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Comparing Results from LC: Gender Issues


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Comparing Results from LC: Group Work (perceived support)


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Comparing Results from LC: Group Work (perceived support)


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Findings and Conclusions

n  Learners’ perceptions of education and expectations are basically different between learners in Adult and Higher Education

n  The concept of national culture cannot be applied in the context of Education

n  Organizations appear to establish own and quite distinguished educational cultures, significantly inflicting the learners’ perception of usefulness and appropriateness

à  The national values and dimensions of Hofstede are not easily applicable

à  Research is required to differentiate between different learning contexts: Transferring results from one to another educational context even within a national context appears inappropriate

à  We cannot simply transfer didactics, courses and educational services from HE to AE: Adaptation of educational design appears to be required according to the general

à  Development of educational contents for a particular enterprise should reflect its specific educational culture


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Are there any open questions? Contact: [email protected]