Bridging the gap between theory
and practice in higher education
“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But,
in practice, there is.” – Manfred Eigen
It’s almost certain that every one of us has experienced this at one time
or another; you’re sitting listening to the lecture wondering – what is he
saying, what does it mean, what relevance does it have for my
understanding or my career?
The lecturers in your university only tell you things you should know, but
you’re not entirely sure why it’s so important to understand these things.
Does this scenario sound familiar? Because in many universities,
students are disengaged from the learning process because they’re not
urged to get involved.
Due to developments in education technology and shifts in the
employment market, the higher education landscape has changed a lot
over the past decade; no longer are universities looking purely towards
regimented classroom learning, assignments or exams as a means of
teaching students and evaluating their ‘success’; instead, valuable,
applicable, hands-on methods of teaching have proved much more
effective for this.
According to studies, students who practise what they’re learning first-
hand are three and a half times more likely to retain that knowledge than
when they’re sitting in a lecture room, hand-scribing notes.
As a result, more and more institutions are now implementing student-
centred teaching (or learner-based teaching), which moves the focus to
the student and gives them more control over their learning.
Master of International Business students on study tour at Hewlett Packard Korea
A prime example of this can be seen in the work of Monash Australia,
where major changes in pedagogy have taken centre-stage as
universities seek to transform the overall student experience. By shifting
the focus directly onto their learning outcomes, there’s an opportunity to
ensure all students reach their goals and enhance the reputation of their
host institutions as global hubs of excellence.
When it comes to creating an effective learning environment for all
students, Monash University Malaysia is an example of a world-class
institution, fostering several learning models:
Guided Learning
Career opportunities briefing by GSK Pharma Malaysia
Even with all our technological advances, nothing beats direct teacher-
to-student learning. When done the right way, guided learning helps
students understand the why behind what they’re being taught. At
Monash Malaysia, lecturers use the latest research findings to inform
students and engage them in discussion.
Its Bachelor of Business and Commerce program provides a wide range
of options, with nine majors, including accountancy, international
business management, and strategic marketing.
By the end of their studies, students are equipped with fundamental
knowledge of general concepts and theories, in addition to possessing
the ability to analyse, evaluate, and apply their expertise in order to
solve problems.
By emphasising critical thinking over rote learning, Monash Malaysia
aims to produce graduates with the capacity to merge knowledge from
different areas to create innovative solutions, while remaining aware of
ethical and social responsibility.
Prof Christina Lee, Head of Marketing Department, School of Business
Professor Christina Lee, Head of Marketing at Monash Malaysia, said:
“We encourage students to reflect upon what they have learned and
connect it to their work experience,” adding that the programme
emphasises building on students’ actual experience from the workplace,
which helps them see the relevance of what they are learning from
lectures and academic articles.
Collaborative projects
When taking part in collaborative projects, students get the chance to
work alongside peers towards a common goal. Team projects are
instrumental to the learning process, teaching students the value of
cooperation and collaborating with others who are different from
themselves.
In the recent Maybank GoAhead Challenge (MGAC) 2016, an annual
international competition, Monash Malaysia students William Teo and
Dedi Lee from the School of Business, and Neil Liew from the School of
Arts and Social Sciences were among the 60 finalists selected from
around the world to compete at the Grand Finals.
The competition is said to “challenge participants’ intellect, stretch their
creativity, and test their endurance” in a series of tasks.
Monash student among Grand Champion of Maybank GoAhead Challenge
Teo, a final year student at the School of Business, said that his most
memorable moment was when his team, including teammates from
China and Singapore, emerged as Grand Champions of MGAC 2016.
“[The competition] has taught me the meaning of believing in yourself
firmly without being affected by the negative comments, and that, truly,
perseverance is the best ‘teacher’ in life,” he said.
As for Lee, he said he was initially unsure of how he would fit in, but
found that as the competition progressed, he began to gain more
confidence when he realised that there was a lot more he could offer
than just his knowledge – like his presentation skills.
“We were assigned an airline company and I was made Chief Marketing
and Public Relations Director, which meant I was to address all related
aspects and issues when raised. Soft skills such as presentation,
debating, as well as negotiation skills, were highly required traits.
“As a student doing International Business and Marketing, I can proudly
say that Monash had prepared me well for this,” he added.
According to the Australasian Student Engagement Report, rates of
student-staff interaction are among the most important determinants of
high-quality learning. Both learning and development have been shown
to boost significantly when students are able to directly contact scholars
– particularly when the contact is academic, rather than administrative,
in nature, meaning lecturers can engage with students on a one-to-one
personal level.
The impressively low student-teacher ratio at Monash Malaysia means
all scholars benefit from high levels of engagement.
Experiential learning
3 Monash students awarded KPMG-ASEAN Scholarships 2016
The university’s School of Business has close links with its industry
partners, which comprise some of the largest local and global
corporations. Students benefit from this through internship programmes
where they gain working experience and translate theory into practice.
Students, especially undergraduate third year and postgraduate, work in
groups or individually in an experiential project in the corporate, public,
or community sectors where they attempt to solve real-life business
problems and present findings to the Board or senior management team.
Monash Malaysia students are not only encouraged to pick up the latest
skills; they’re also instilled with an invaluable global perspective.
For example, International Business and MBA students from the School
of Business go on annual international study trips, allowing them to meet
with business leaders and government officials to gain first-hand
experience of how companies and organizations operate in different
parts of the world.
Three students from the Monash School of Business, for example – Tan
Li Anne, Bhavan Sarpal, and Lakshman Palani – were each recently
awarded the KPMG ASEAN Scholarship, giving them the chance to join
the internship program and work placement at any of KPMG’s ASEAN
member offices located in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. The
program will undoubtedly provide outstanding opportunities for learning
and development, on top of invaluable career exposure.
Using these different models of learning, students at Monash Malaysia
can be confident that they will receive a comprehensive education that
will prepare them well for success in their future careers or in further
study.
Get to know more about Monash University Malaysia and its School of
Business.
Follow Monash Malaysia
on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Weibo
All images courtesy of Monash Malaysia
