Integrated e-Learning Paradigm in the Twenty-First Century: Management Education

Abstract

Since the early 2000s, online degree programs have been rapidly growing nationally and globally. Even traditional universities have been adopting learning-management systems to offer flexible, hybrid, and online classes. Concomitantly, textbook publishers have been improving e-Learning platforms and add-ons. The plethora of interactive e-Learning materials has produced a profound shift in the ways today’s students acquire and apply knowledge, and poses growing challenges for online programs, instructional designers, and instructors to customize e-Learning materials for different learning styles. To fit students’ learning needs, tailored instruction should be equipped with high-performing adaptable multimedia tools. We see the growing impact of live e-Learning and web collaboration technologies on the constructivist- and connectivist-based pedagogies. Accordingly, curricula of the twenty-first century digital age should foster collaborative learning, experiential learning, multimedia learning, and active learning. This chapter proposes a learner-centered integrated e-Learning paradigm that consists of these four interwoven learning components. Using the example of a global online MBA course, we also closely examine innovative e-Learning strategies that are vital to cultivating highly engaging and applied learning in the twenty-first century. Finally, we consider the implications of an integrated e-Learning paradigm in management education, discussing the most effective uses of pedagogical techniques.