academic modules

academic modules

The Evolution of Academic Modules: A Comprehensive Analysis

1. Introduction to Academic Modules

Over the past quarter of a century, modules have become a central element of the degree programmes of most British universities. They appear to offer several potential advantages both to students and to staff, although the evidence of the extent to which these advantages are realized, particularly from the academic viewpoint, seems somewhat sparse. This paper reports an in-depth survey and analysis of the development of modules and their associated key issues in a single academic subject, accounting and finance. The empirical data presented is used to address a number of specific questions. To what extent do modules realize their potential objectives and how does practice compare with high-level design? What appears to have been the drivers of evolution of components of design?

In combination with the questionnaire responses from individual teachers in our sample, total academic contacts in accounting and finance during 1994/95 were used in responding to these questions. It is found that in the areas of accounting and finance, and in terms of the criteria selected by the present study, many of the traditional arguments and organization principles of module design appear to hold, with some potentially significant differences in terms of assessment and teaching. Upper level of analysis, is an approach reliant upon the concept of holism. Managerial holism builds upon the major contribution of general systems theory, which claims that the whole is more than the sum of its constituent parts. Although holism is concerned with the definition of the integrity of the whole unit, it also recognizes the necessary interdependence of the parts of organizations. In this sense, the management task is not merely a mechanistic one, aimed at the most effective co-ordination of a variety of subordinated actions themselves predetermined by means-end thinking. Rather, the manager should be an activist – a strategic thinker not just a tacticist – who responds integratively to environmental challenges.

2. Historical Development and Evolution

The evolution of the concept of academic modules has utilized various terminologies and descriptions. The emphasis in sectionalized pedagogy in secondary school education evolved from a perception of learner limitations – cognitive, emotional, and physical – in dealing with a wide range of subject answers. Emphasis on subject specialization in secondary teaching practice and ultimately, the development in training institutions of specialist subject teachers, mainly due to the rapidly developing knowledge in History and Geography, and the emerging division of subjects such as Chemistry and Biology. In technical institutions, the focus was on specific practical skills. For instance, a boilermaker’s course would emphasize practical work – hence templates used to construct a boiler jacket – but also a little design and primary skills in related subject disciplines such as physics, basic engineering science, and a little concern for the economics of boiler construction. The next stage aimed at somehow linking the various components of the course of instruction.

Subject departments in universities made great play on modular arrangements in which modules could be passed when offered, relatively independently, or be replaced by their equivalent at another institution. Hence a first-year module could be taught by one institution on a given day or time, another could use a different modular arrangement, or the same model could be offered in a later session-time. Inter-institutional clarification and interaction became possible due to the formal modular representation. Overall, inter-institutional arrangements were established to permit articulation into a conventional degree at a chosen university. Over time, this historical component arrangement became more explicit, upgrading its database and information technology tools, and consequently, VAAP’s accreditation requirements and procedures were dedicated to this form and structure. The dual credit industry attracted attention nationally and internationally in the 1990s, particularly in the construction industry, with its specialized knowledge and key players. At this time, the formal association of Australia’s various sectors of the construction industry, under the Industry Training Council, gave VAAP a preeminent, high-profile role in overseeing the building and associated national skill areas and training sustainability. The first and then accustomed track into higher education was increasingly opened to appreciable numbers of industry personnel. With a limited allowance, they had capacitated to advance to becoming authorities or university lecturers in a specialized area or subject of endeavor, primarily via circular study or distance education, usually on a part-time basis.

3. Types and Characteristics of Academic Modules

The rapid development of academic modules has left scholars and developers with no definition regarding what an academic module entails, nor about its dispensation as an educational technology tool. Previous studies that have addressed the topic point out that an academic module integrates several characteristics and types to be considered. However, none have developed these characteristics and types in depth that is presented in this study. According to what is found in the literature, the most important types and characteristics of academic modules have been gathered to help identify future work.

By observing some of the previous work on academic modules, as shown in the review section, one can point out that the authors referred to their research topic as a structured and material with its own objectives and assessment criteria. This perspective is the view acquired by constructing our taxonomy. However, it needs to be widened to encompass the several kinds of academic modules. Therefore, during the accomplishment of some consulting projects, the authors dealt with several participative consultants in order to learn about the characteristics and types of academic modules. A question was always asked: “What are the main differences and similarities between these modules?” The several answers have been gathered and the final structure was presented to these people in order to be validated. We believe that the diversity of its content, not evident in most of the previous work, as well as the endorsements acquired during its construction, represent our main contribution.

4. Benefits and Challenges of Academic Modules

Academic institutions offering modular academic curriculums have typically faced benefits and challenges from the inception of modules decades ago. However, up to now, these have not been comprehensively documented in the literature. This article provides an analysis of both the benefits and challenges of introducing and using academic modules in various academic disciplines. The comprehensive analysis is not discipline-specific and should thus serve as a benchmark for those institutions considering the introduction of academic modules in their curriculums. Overall, the benefits appeared to outweigh the challenges of introducing and using academic modules in the analyzed academic programs despite anticipated difficulties in scheduling and keeping to the continuity of the program delivery, assessment, student buy-in, and staff engagement. Benefits therefore appeared to outweigh the challenges, highlighted in discussion, of designing and delivering academic modules in various degree programs.

These requirements in the delivery of modules in various disciplines are crucial and can be logged for future reference by those instituting similar curricular changes at their academic institutions. Institutional relevancy, lecturers’ awareness and PC skills, assessment redesign, module enrollments, and students’ initial negative expectations have also been raised and the implementation concerns validated by other academic departments. It’s important that more academic departments currently running modules and those contemplating moving to this alternative curriculum approach for both traditional and VLE-based programs share their concerns about the underlying implementation process to ensure the long-term survival of VLE learning medium of instruction.

5. Future Trends and Innovations in Academic Modules

The higher education sector is undergoing unprecedented change with notable transformations to the traditional concept of a university degree. Globalisation, internationalisation, and diversification of the student body in further and higher education have resulted in the need for enhanced curriculum and the use of innovative teaching, learning, and assessment approaches. Imaginative, modular, and credit-based academic award frameworks were devised to meet these challenges. As a result, modules and credit-based learning became widespread in construction and property-related courses with the use of the modular method pre-dating many other disciplines. This method, however, raises issues such as the transfer of variant credit values and the balance between the diversity of modular content and employee and student satisfaction. Consequently, an internal strategic decision was taken by a UK university to remove the previous diversity of academic modules, and there were perceived challenges to the innovative modular approach. The driving forces were institutional preparation for nationally led student number expansion while enhancing the employability of students (a politically hot topic). Also, to further guarantee an enhanced student experience and a commitment that the programs would be current, scholarly informed, and affordable.

Future trends and innovations in academic modules On this basis, three key issues within the context of future trends and innovations in academic modules within an academic property department are explored. Firstly, the national approach to standardization is investigated, and there is identification that module design can be an embryonic process. Secondly, the buildable capacity for learning contained within a conceptual model for employability is revealed. Thirdly, the move to mechanical, electrical, and sustainable construction that faculty required during a difficulty in recruiting and retaining construction students is discussed. Related issues for consideration and possible future actions, in relation to mechanico-electrical-sustainable development and employability, are considered. This comprehensive analysis considers innovative academic property teaching as a prototype for other construction-related subjects. It is anticipated that the insights gained are transferrable from construction and property to other multidisciplinary academic areas and provide an exemplar to inform leader-member exchange and property bulletin exercises.