Abstract
A growing body of literature highlights the challenges of research methods courses, especially thesis seminars. For most students, these are abstract courses with limited application in professional life. This perspective is intensified in eminently practical careers such as management. Because of this, many academic programs constantly seek to enrich the curricular design with new teaching-learning strategies. The context of the present study is an undergraduate management program at a private university in Peru that offers two sequenced seminars: one to develop the research up to the methodological design phase (S1), and another to carry out the field work and report the results (S2). This curricular structure underwent two changes: the creation of a course, previous to S1, focused on the delimitation of a viable thesis topic; and the incorporation of additional hours of tutoring in S1 on systematic literature search and consultation of information in sectoral repositories. The research sought to determine the effect of these changes on the academic performance of the thesis students. The methodology included a survey applied to the students and a combination of measurements on their academic performance, data on which regression analyses were subsequently carried out. The study showed mixed results: an initial positive effect of the first change, but limited effects of the second change. This serves as a basis for a reflection on the challenges faced by teachers and students when incorporating these changes.
Presenters
Mario Marcello Pasco-Dalla-PortaProfessor, Management Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima, Peru Fatima Ponce
Associate Professor, Management Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Peru
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Research Methods, Thesis Seminars, Teaching-Learning Strategies, Academic Performance
