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Global management education via the Internet.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

This paper looks at the application of WebCT to one MBA level course, and discusses some of its advantages (such as increased student participation) and disadvantages (inadequate for the execution of simulations). Pointers for future Internet instructors are offered.

Introduction

Distance education has become a fairly common method of delivery for university programs. While this has accommodated the varied schedules of students, the comparable value of distance versus on-campus learning has been debated. Some researchers suggest that face-to-face interactions increase participant engagement in learning, and state that on-line courses lack the media richness and interaction effectiveness that facilitate behavioral and attitudinal change (Chidambaram & Jones, 1993; Fulk 1993; Siegel, Dubrovsky, Kiesler & McGuire, 1986).

Other studies stress the positive aspects of distance education. Hutchins (2001) found that when technology was used in a course, the students reported higher levels of satisfaction and felt that class communication was more equitable and varied. Both Gendreau (2003) and Morse (1999) concluded that online delivery has progressed to the point of being a quality alternative. One popular software program, WebCT, is used at thousands of institutions of higher education (WebCT, 2003). Williams' (2001) study of the program concluded that the only negative aspect of WebCT was the amount of extra work that faculty encountered. However, the level of student-to-student interaction was lower via the Internet, and the distance-students expressed that they missed the human contact. To overcome this, Goldberg (1996) posited that a combination of on-campus and WebCT sessions was superior to either a course taught completely via WebCT or entirely in a face-to-face mode.

A Distance Program at FGCU

Florida Gulf Coast University, part of the Florida state university system, opened its doors in August 1997, with a goal of offering 25% of the university's courses via distance. The College of Business made the strategic decision to offer its MBA program in both face-to-face and distance formats. In the first iteration of the distance MBA, professors sometimes chose to have both a distance and face-to-face component to their classes (consistent with Goldberg's 1996 findings). Since it is now necessary for some students to earn an MBA without coming to campus, all required courses, and an adequate number of elective courses, must be available in a 100% distance format.

While the on campus delivery of courses is the preferred format for behaviorally oriented classes, the author utilized WebCT to deliver a very experientially based, required course in the MBA program. My on-campus course (Global Organization Issues) is highly interactive and process-oriented, with objectives that focus on preparing students for global and cross-cultural management. One desired outcome is to move students away from an ethnocentric perspective, through the use of simulations and experiential exercises, to affect...

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