News

What new ways of learning, particularly in higher education, will Canadians need to thrive in an evolving society and labour market? Two teams of researchers led by members of the Faculty of Management have received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to conduct knowledge synthesis projects that will answer this question.

This was a particularly hard competition, with only 20 awards given nation-wide. Dalhousie was one of only three universities to receive more than one award, and Dalhousie’s Faculty of Management was the only faculty to receive two awards!

A knowledge synthesis combines current academic information about a topic in ways that make the information more accessible to a broad audience. These projects provide great training opportunities for the Faculty’s graduate students. Chantel Ridsdale (MLIS), James Rothwell (MPA/MLIS) and Alieda Blandford (MLIS) are making important contributions to these projects and learning about the subject areas and research along the way.

Team: Martine Durier-Copp (Principal Investigator) and Joyline Makani
Graduate Assistant: Alieda Blandford (MLIS)
Title of Project: Strengthening Deeper Learning through Virtual Teams in E-Learning: A Synthesis of Determinants and Best Practices

E-learning has transformed traditional ways of learning in higher education. It has potential to enable more dynamic and student-centred learning; however, this potential has not been realized, as most e-learning practices merely replicate traditional existing teaching methods and have not fully exploited the interactive and social components of peer learning. Social aspects of peer learning can contribute to student motivation, enhance social connections and lead to increased engagement. Group or team work, often utilized in the professional context, can promote "deeper" learning and skills that professional program students require in the workplace. Virtual teams are one such example of a form of workplace team with potential implications for e-learning.

E-learning also has the potential to fuel social and economic development and innovation, and foster lifelong learning in our society. However, research on e-learning is lacking in Canada, and it is not yet a standard feature of workplace training. A stronger understanding of determinants of effective online learning is therefore essential for the future success of education and training. This project will consist of a systematic search and interpretive synthesis of the evidence base regarding e-learning and virtual teams, resulting in a framework of key determinants of effective e-learning. Findings will be shared via an open website and a colloquium held with key stakeholders to discuss the findings and their implications. Results will help to inform policy-makers on how to strengthen e-learning in Canada. Visit our project’s website at http://elearningforum.management.dal.ca/

Team: Mike Smit (Principal Investigator), Hossam Ali-Hassan, Michael Bliemel, Dean Irvine, Daniel Kelley, Stan Matwin and Brad Wuetherick
Graduate Assistants: Chantel Ridsdale (MLIS) and James Rothwell (MPA/MLIS)
Title of project: Strategies and Best Practices for Data Literacy Education

We are a data-rich society, but governments, corporations, schools and individuals strugglie with the volume of data available to them. The challenge is to make the best possible use of this data: create actionable information, derive economic value, improve performance and make decisions based on evidence. In addition to technical expertise, analysts agree there is need for a data literate workforce, and that this need is not currently being met. Data literacy is the ability to comprehend, create and communicate data. Data literate individuals are capable of connecting people (including themselves!) to data, effectively making use of this vast resource.

While elements of data literacy are taught, explicitly or implicitly, across all disciplines and at all levels of post-secondary institutions, there is no systematic approach to understanding how best to teach data literacy across programs, and no common standard for certifying data literacy. It is also not taught as a transferable skill; students learn how to work with data in their specialty, but are not cognizant of the broad applicability of such skills. This project investigates how post-secondary institutions in Canada can best equip graduates with the knowledge, understanding and skills in data literacy required for the data-rich knowledge economy. Our results will be communicated to the scholarly community and to educators, as well as to the public via our website. Visit dataliteracy.ca to view our study’s progress, learn more about the team and submit your thoughts to us about the study.