Abstract:

This paper presents an example of a dialogical student-centered learning model introduced as part of a course in Ethics in Human Resources Management at a Business school in the Czech Republic. As a part of the final assessment, students were encouraged to co-create in teams a Code of Ethics and Sustainability Strategy of their University. The outcomes of the students' work are currently being incorporated into an official document of the ŠKODA AUTO University.

In order to assess the team outcomes of the Code of Ethics and Sustainability Strategy, the cohort of 57 students enrolled in the subject participated in a face to face dialogical session. The paper presents reports on results of this 180-minute dialogical face to face session with the students. The session was recorded, analyzed, coded and evaluated. In addition, a semi-structured in-depth interview was conducted with the Human Resource Manager of the university, who was present during the dialogical session, and who is at the same time responsible for carrying out the finalization of the document dealing with the Code of Ethics. The interview was also fully transcribed, coded and evaluated.

Apart from the practical outcome of the student co-creation of the above mentioned strategic document, the research yield results regarding the benefits of student-centered activity as well as benefits of project based learning. Lastly, the student experience adds to body of research about employment of the active learning strategies that, in our case, bridge education and business practice and are essential for the 21st century labor market and life in general.

Finally, data suggests that active learning strategies as employed during the course of Ethics in Human Resources management enabled the undergraduate students to develop the capacity for self-directed education and helped them to acquire knowledge about ethics and sustainability that are the utmost important topics of today’s world while empowering students through the authentic exchange of ideas, moving beyond simple discussion.

Keywords:

Sustainability, code of ethics, active learning strategies, dialogical learning, ethics in human resources management.