College students collect lots of insightful morsels
of knowledge that add to their understandings of their chosen field of study.
Unfortunately, many graduates can’t conceptualize the wider context of
information and this limits their ability to integrate new information for
higher practical application. A study by Annavarjula, et. al. (2014) explores
the beneficial practice of creating integrative curriculum blocks to enhance international
business education learning.
Integrative learning helps students to make
connections between personal experiences and multiple pieces of information
learned in the classroom to deeper embed concepts for practical use. When
integrative learning is strong it can help students visualize, understand, and
overcome difficult problems by using creativity across different spectrums.
Integrative learning is important to international
business students as the complexity of understanding world markets can bury
even the brightest of minds. Having a mental framework for understanding how international
business functions requires knowledge of accounting, treaties, marketing,
management principles and many other fields synthesized into an idea of the
whole.
Integrative learning helps students make deeper and
further reaching connections among the different business sectors to solve
important business problems. Integrating
the self with this knowledge furthers the student’s preparation for successful
employment in multi-national organizations.
Problem solving through making connections between
seemingly independent elements has its advantages in commerce (Kovalik &
Olsen, 1994). Graduates with less integrated knowledge may be confused by how
or why certain influences are impacting the business environment while the
highly integrated graduates can understand the interrelated sources of those
influences.
The process in the study worked by having teaches
stay with students longer in the program before new teachers were introduced. This
is different than having teachers change with each course. Integrative blocks
were used that included curriculum, business strategy simulation game, guest
speakers, joint class lectures and coordination of faculty efforts.
Learning integration of knowledge is something some
students can do on their own while others need proper guidance to put the
information together. Offering various perspectives on business issues and
practicing through strategy simulation will help solidify the information.
Bringing in outside speakers encourages a variety of perspectives on similar
topics.
The report doesn’t discuss online education but many
of the principles found in ground-based university systems also apply to online
classrooms. Guest videos, teach a cohort of students through multiple courses, properly
sequencing courses, ensuring classrooms reflect multiple nationalities/cultures,
and if/then game simulation are more easily managed in online courses.
Annavarjula, M. et. al. (2014). Use of integrative
curriculum to enhance international business education. International Journal of Education Research, 9 (1).
Kovalik, S, & Olsen, K.
(1994). ITI: The model. Integrated thematic instruction (3rd Edition). Kent,
Washington: Books for Educators.
