show interaction percentages between students and the LMS and monitoring student participation in breakout groups, project work and case discussions. For both online and on-campus modes of delivery, respondents were then given a list of activities and asked to indicate which they find effective in promoting student interaction and participation. When students are working online, polls (92 per cent), quizzes (84 per cent) and readings (81 per cent) are the most popular answers. In contrast, for students working in person, the most popular answers are workshops (96 per cent), lectures (92 per cent) and seminars (91 per cent) [ see chart on p22 ]. Given the widespread adoption of hybrid teaching [ see section below for details ], it seems vital that schools ensure courses are delivering a balance of activities that are engaging and allow students to interact with resources in all learning settings. Group assignments, collaborative case studies and simulations of problems in real-world settings are just a few of the approaches that can be adopted to increase online engagement. Using some of these more interactive methods in the lecture room can help boost participation levels there too. New ways of working and assessment How have business schools been creating and adapting to new ways of working? Among the innovations implemented, hybrid learning opportunities are by far the most common – 80 per cent of respondents say their business school has introduced this format. A further 55 per cent say their school has invested in employing learning design or technology-enhanced learning experts and 53 per cent say it has implemented a virtual learning environment (VLE) or LMS. Meanwhile, 26 per cent of respondents say their school has implemented a virtual campus. Business schools are also generally positive about their existing online provision. Nearly half (49 per cent) think their
school’s current online offerings are ‘good’, while 24 per cent think that they are ‘excellent’. There is, however, clear room for improvement at some schools – 20 per cent of respondents describe their current online provision as ‘fair’, while six per cent rate it as ‘poor’. The report’s results also reveal the most common tools used to facilitate online learning at business school. Most popular is the use of live online lectures (72 per cent), ebooks (67 per cent) and online journal articles (66 per cent). Other prevalent tools include internal online assignments and assessment platforms (64 per cent), online video links (again, 64 per cent) and surveys (56 per cent). Slightly less common are online assignment and assessment platforms from external providers (48 per cent) and online case study banks (52 per cent). Assessment is a fundamental part of any learning course, regardless of the format, and the results show that an overwhelming majority of business schools are using online assignment and assessment platforms. A total of 80 per cent of respondents say that they use these platforms in conjunction with case study work, while 75 per cent say they use them to ask critical-thinking questions. Other popular uses for these platforms are to ask open-ended essay questions (cited by 68 per cent), multiple choice questions (54 per cent) and to facilitate additional reading (33 per cent). Student challenges Where do business school leaders believe their students struggle when they are working online? The top answer here is thought-provoking – 63 per cent feel that students struggle with feelings of isolation when they work online. This issue comes out ahead of working without distraction (cited by 56 per cent), interacting with lectures (52 per cent) and creating peer-learning opportunities (46 per cent).
METHODOLOGY The results of this report are based on an online survey of 155 business school leaders and decision-makers conducted between November 2022 and February 2023. Of those surveyed, 36 per cent represent business schools in Europe (excluding the UK); 17 per cent represent schools in Latin America; 15 per cent represent schools in the UK; 13 per cent represent schools in Africa; six per cent represent schools in Asia and the Middle East (excluding India and China); five per cent represent schools
directors at business schools; 10 per cent are management academics; eight per cent work in designing or delivering business school programmes; eight per cent work with management students and graduates (for example, as careers and alumni staff); eight per cent work in another role within a business school; three per cent work in a technology-enhanced learning team to support business schools; and 25 per cent work within another, unnamed capacity. Three-quarters of those surveyed (75 per cent) say they work at a business school that offers the blended/hybrid mode of learning that combines in-person and online instruction.
in North America and the Caribbean; four per cent represent schools in China; three per cent represent schools in India; and one per cent represent schools in Oceania. In terms of their role, 39 per cent of respondents classify themselves as deans and
24 | Ambition | SEPTEMBER 2023
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