Collaborative Conceptual Change during Networked Management Learning
Kewal Dhariwal
School of Computing & Information Systems, Athabasca University, kewald@athabascau.ca
Abstract
My research examines the collective construction of knowledge by participants
as they complete problem-based exercises during collaborative supply chain
simulations in competitive situations over the internet. My research has
helped me to improve my educational practice with international students
in my physical & virtual classrooms at various post-secondary institutions
in Alberta, Canada. The business exercises and simulations (lesson plans
& learning scripts) are co-constructions of a networked management
learning (NML) activity/program with research participants, using a new
technological innovation “ABiSim” a business simulator for
use in the networked classroom.
The business simulator while based on systems dynamics models enshrined
in the ‘MIT Beer Game’ developed from ‘System Dynamics’
research (Forester, 1960), is an extensible, complex and dynamic system
where decisions taken by individuals and strategies formed by groups can
have far reaching outcomes. Iteratively evolving lesson plans and scripts
provide for structured learning in a series of team-based competitive
business games over the internet simulating real-time demand-driven integrated
businesses, illustrative of emerging businesses alliances and management
needs in international settings. Intelligent software agents provide for
the exploration of “identities” which can be used to simulate
different behaviours and assist managers to learn how to collaboratively
construct new knowledge in emerging international business contexts.
Research Contributions
In carrying out my action research I am seeking to make a contribution
to the theory and practice of personal inquiry which impacts and includes
theory emerging from ‘the reflective practitioner’ (Schon,
1983); ‘living life as inquiry’ (Reason & Marshall, 1987),
“living theory” (Levy, 2003) and ‘living educational
theory’ (Whitehead, 2005) within networked management learning (Hodgson
& Watling, 2004).
My thesis is a personal inquiry where I ‘live life as inquiry’
using action research and personal engagement where I am both the researcher
and subject and I use this approach to improve my own teaching practice
(reflective practitioner) in the different teaching situations that I
choose to engage with or in those that serendipitously find me. My focus
is on me, my learning facilitation practice and the ICTs tools and techniques
that I develop. I am interested in how I extract learning and new understanding
through a critical analysis and examination of participant experiences
during my courses, thereby contributing to living theory in adult, career,
and technology education in networked arrangements - networked management
learning.
Collaborative Conceptual Change
The subject matter in my courses focused on the management of information
systems, integration both inter- and extra-enterprise, value chains and
supply chain collaboration. Participant experiences in my version of NML
and its design evolution are affected by how learners construct and make
sense of what they experience, how they experience it and how they prefer
to change their experience with flexibility to accommodate customized
and personalized learning leading to greater engagement, group sense-making
and deeper collaborative conceptual change.
Outcomes of collaborative conceptual effort resulted in identification
of participant understanding of business problems, problem formulation,
learning engagement, personal and group motivation, team-construction,
-building, -communications, -leadership, management, strategy formulation,
planning, execution, issues related to transportation, inventory, costs,
overhead, demand, supply, collaboration, trust, dependability, control,
bullwhip, overloading, reactive systems, integrated information systems,
enterprise resources planning, customer relationship management, service
oriented architectures, and business process management.
Initial course design had intended outcomes however unexpected outcomes
emerged as a result of collaborative conceptual change in participants
during various courses at different educational institutes.
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