Using reflection to improve distance learning course delivery: a case study of teaching a management information systems course

ABSTRACT

Past research has considered the reflective practices of the teacher as an important activity in the learning cycle. Some of it has introduced the term ‘reflective teacher’, showing that such practice has become increasingly important.

This paper discusses literature related to various means of collecting feedback from students, the socio-technical approach to management information systems (MISs) and reflective models. It documents the reflective practices that the author followed while teaching an MIS distance education course.

The findings of this research show that actively reflecting on feedback collected from students could improve teaching quality and lead to better understanding for students in future cohorts.

KEYWORDS:

• Distance education
• feedback
• learning cycle
• management information systems
• reflection
• reflective teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Adil Fathelrahman

Dr. Adil Fathelrahman has over 30 years’ experience in the information systems field, in both industry and academia, enriched with other skills in leadership, program and curriculum design, research, and quality assurance. He has worked in major IT companies including IBM UK and Logica UK. His areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the fields of application and data integration, IT service management, e-business technologies, and teaching methods and strategies for information technology discipline. He has taught courses in IT service management, enterprise architecture, systems analysis and design, e-business, and decision support systems at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Dr. Adil Fathelrahman received both his MPhil and PhD in the field of e-business from the University of Bolton, UK.