Technology-supported management education: a systematic review of antecedents of learning effectiveness

Abstract

AbstractThis paper provides a systematic, multidisciplinary review of antecedents of the effectiveness of technology-supported management learning and highlights potential directions for future research. Passive knowledge acquisition in physical classrooms is no longer the hallmark of higher education. Instead, the introduction of new technologies allows for active knowledge construction in increasingly virtual spaces. Such changes in the learning environment affect the education of the managers of tomorrow. Nevertheless, research on technology-supported management learning and its implications for management educators is fragmented and inconsistent across research areas. This paper uses a systematic approach to structure and integrate results from the fields of educational psychology, educational technology, higher education, and management education. This allows us to derive a comprehensive overview of the antecedents of the effectiveness of technology-supported management learning from the various disciplines. Our work reveals several areas that require further investigation, including: (i) the best way to blend and flip formats for different management disciplines and content types, (ii) the selection, design, and richness of the technologies used, (iii) the instructor’s teaching style, including feedback and deliberate confusion, and (iv) learners’ affective states, such as their motivations and emotions, and the role of prior knowledge.