The Assurance of Learning Process Components and the Effects of Engaging Students in the Learning

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American Journal of Business Education – September 2011 Volume 4, Number 9 The Assurance Of Learning Process Components And The Effects Of Engaging Students In The Learning Joseph B. Mosca, Ed.D, Monmouth University, USA Gilder Agacer, CPA, Ph,D, Monmouth University, USA Linda Flaming, CPA, Ph.D., Monmouth University, USA John Buzza, MBA, Monmouth University, USA ABSTRACT Assurance of learning process plays a major role in higher education and has increased the accountability on the part of instructors at all levels. This paper will discus s the role of assurance processes in teaching and the ways to measure these processes of student learning. The research focus will be to determine if student engagement in problem solving and hands on experiences during the learning assist the learning process? INSTRUCTION AND THE ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT E mpirical and theoretical learning illustrates Vygotsky‟s (1986), belief that well designed instruction is as if the instructions were a magnet. How this magnet works is if the instructor designs the lesson slightly ahead of what the students know at the present time, the material currently being presented along with the currently known knowledge will magnetize bringing the students to the next level. This process is also linked to scaffolding that is a technique supporting student learning. Simply put, helping students answer difficult questions or solve problems by giving them hints or asking leading questions is an example of scaffolding (Gallimore & Tharp, 1990, Ratner, 1991). The role of assurance learning processes in teaching: Many business school instructors attempt to develop their students‟ understa nding of business. According to Durden (2008), there is actually a degree of confusion and uncertainty about what “developing understanding” really means. Therefore a number of
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