Abstract:

With a blended model, already used extensively in a transnational context, precedence is given to establishing communities of practice (CoP) during the face-to-face component, delivered in the earliest weeks of the program. Activities and interaction were intentionally designed to engage students with other group members to build strong social bonds and provide pedagogical scaffolding. Positive feedback indicated that transnational students continued to engage proactively in knowledge construction, during the online component. Given the success of the approach with our transnational students a small pilot study was conducted using a similar blended model with on campus students used to traditional face-to-face delivery, supplemented with access to Blackboard. We investigate how on campus students (assumed to be technologically savvy) engage with this community of practice and blended approach, and in the “collaborative, guided construction of meaning” to enhance their learning outcomes. The pilot study entailed a focus group with on campus students (N=12), who provided detailed responses on their experiences of blended delivery, including their perceptions of participation in a CoP. We draw on additional data, from an earlier survey of (N=104) transnational students, for points of discussion.

We found that:
• Unanimously, on campus students appreciated the opportunity to work in their CoP prior to being assessed for independent work to complete collaborative tasks on-line.
• The benefits of working in a CoP were evident in the quality of work submitted by groups with indications of a holistic approach being used for collaborative tasks.
• The CoPs and blended approach was viewed less positively by on campus students, than by transnational students.
• Some on campus students found working independently online difficult, given the challenging nature of the unit based on selected readings and seminal texts.
We suggest overall, results were mixed with on campus students compared with the transnational student cohort, in terms of how CoPs were perceived, and operated, to engage students directly in knowledge production.

Keywords:

Blended delivery models, Communities of Practice, Management education, Student engagement, knowledge construction, meta-cognition.