MyOMlab as an enabling e-learning technology: Bridging the gap between student- and instructor-centered learning

摘要

Technology is continually allowing educators to combine didactic and democratic approaches to facilitate learning and producing successful managers. This paper discusses how one such technology, myOMlab—integrated within a learning management system, Blackboard—can deliver core operations management course, catered primarily to working students i.e., interns and future managers. To confront the bias against online education and engage in serious research on online education, we share our experiences of teaching one semester-long online course. Although robust research evidence is yet to be gathered to convince educators about its benefits, we propose a set of successful myOMlab activities (including manual and Excel-based Dice Game) used within a discussion-based format that will reduce the isolation of online students while maintaining the rigor of curriculum. We conclude that e-learning technology e.g., myOMlab, can be used as an empowering mechanism to pivot from traditional instructor-centered learning toward this improved pedagogical system of student-centered learning.