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Threshold capability development in intensive mode business units

Stuart Crispin (Tasmanian School of Business & Economics, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia)
Phil Hancock (Department of Business, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia)
Sally Amanda Male (School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia)
Caroline Baillie (The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia)
Cara MacNish (The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia)
Jeremy Leggoe (School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia)
Dev Ranmuthugala (University of Tasmania, Launceston, Australia)
Firoz Alam (Department of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia)

Education + Training

ISSN: 0040-0912

Article publication date: 13 June 2016

17170

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore: student perceptions of threshold concepts and capabilities in postgraduate business education, and the potential impacts of intensive modes of teaching on student understanding of threshold concepts and development of threshold capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The student experience of learning was studied in two business units: strategic management, and accounting. The method involved two phases. In the first, students and unit coordinators identified and justified potential threshold concepts and capabilities. In the second, themes were rationalized.

Findings

Significantly more so in intensive mode, the opportunity to ask questions was reported by student participants to support their development of the nominated threshold capabilities. This and other factors reported by students to support their learning in intensive mode are consistent with supporting students to traverse the liminal space within the limited time available in intensive mode.

Research limitations/implications

Respondents from future cohorts will address the small participant numbers. Studies in only two units are reported. Studies in other disciplines are presented elsewhere.

Practical implications

The findings will be important to educators using intensive mode teaching in business, and researchers working within the framework.

Originality/value

This is the first study to explore the potential impacts of intensive modes of teaching on student understanding of threshold concepts and development of threshold capabilities.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The participants are gratefully acknowledged. The authors thank the Reference Group Members for the project: Allan Goody, Peter Hoffmann, Robin King, Jan (Erik) Meyer, and Kathleen Quinlan; and the Project Evaluator Grace Lynch. Support for this project has been provided by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching. The views in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching.

Citation

Crispin, S., Hancock, P., Male, S.A., Baillie, C., MacNish, C., Leggoe, J., Ranmuthugala, D. and Alam, F. (2016), "Threshold capability development in intensive mode business units", Education + Training, Vol. 58 No. 5, pp. 521-539. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2016-0033

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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