Research Methodology Khmer

[Yogprasad Moneta]

Thisstudy applied a framework previously established in a Cambodian secondary education institution using an action research methodology to develop and deliver an online and face-to-face course in a Cambodian public university during and after COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. The course sought to integrate business and liberal arts through enquiry-based learning to help learners explore the history and development of business through various art movements and social lenses. Findings from focus groups in this action research study suggest that integrated business-liberal arts education can be effective in creating holistic learning but requires Cambodian educators to consider the teaching context and scaffold the learning, particularly for critical thinking and research. Recommendations are made to strengthen the future delivery of this course and other courses delivered in Cambodian higher education.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has shaped many aspects of university education within the developing world. This is particularly evident in Cambodia, a developing nation in Southeast Asia that has rebuilt its higher education sector since it was decimated by war from the early 1970s to the mid-1990s (Heng et al., 2023). Despite the progressive restoration of higher education institutions (HEIs), challenges remain in creating an academic environment and delivering quality education (Long et al., 2021), particularly in business management schools (ASEAN Post, 2020) and in the few and often nascent liberal arts programmes. This study designed, delivered, and assessed the outcomes of an undergraduate course in a Cambodian university (coded as University) that integrated business and liberal arts using a teaching development and delivery framework previously developed in a Cambodian secondary education institution across two iterations of the course (Polley, 2021). The study provides insights into how liberal arts can complement business studies and help support the development of critical thinking and research skills in undergraduate studies in similar courses in the University (a public university) and other Cambodian universities. The study more broadly contributes to the literature on the convergence of language acquisition, business, and liberal arts education in higher education and strategies to improve tertiary course design.

Despite these potential benefits, there remain few Cambodian HEIs that integrate liberal arts and business. One notable university to offer such a programme is CamEd Business School, a specialist university focused on accounting and finance with a first-year undergraduate programme that includes courses in leadership, history, political science, and psychology (CamEd Business School, 2023). Another university is the American University of Phnom Penh which also offers a selection of introductory courses in humanities, arts and culture, ethics, world history, psychology, sociology, and geography for first-year undergraduates (American University of Phnom Penh, 2019). While both offer some liberal arts courses, these prestigious, private universities are smaller, more specialised, and have significantly higher fees than the University and other competing universities in Cambodia.

This study applied an action research methodology as it is best aligned with the course analysis and review process. Action research is characterised by being iterative, data-driven, and collaborative, with a focus on problem-solving, and organisational change (Mertler, 2014). It follows a cycle of planning, action, and review (Carr & Kemmis, 2006). Action research is also characterised by systematically engaging and collaborating with learners before, during, and after the course development and delivery to include their feedback and insights (Goold et al., 2006). Using this process, evidence was collected from Cambodian student volunteers aged between 19 and 23, studying in four classes at a Cambodian public university. These students participated in three focus groups over a period of 12 months in two course iterations. The classes and the composition of the focus groups are detailed in Table 1.

The University is a reputable public institution located in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. Despite an influx of new HEIs in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian tertiary sector remains one of the most underdeveloped in Asia, with less than 15% of secondary students progressing to tertiary education (World Bank, 2018a). Furthermore, as only 24.2% of the Cambodian population live in urban settlements (World Bank, 2018b), many students must relocate to Phnom Penh for face-to-face tertiary education. The travel and social restrictions imposed during COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 created an opportunity to pilot an online course that could reduce barriers to learning for many Cambodians and increase the reach of tertiary education within rural Cambodia.

While business programmes are popular in many Cambodian HEIs, there are mixed results on the quality of this education. Research by the SICA Network (2018) discovered significant deficiencies in quality assurance within Cambodian HEIs, and the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (Lanvin & Evans, 2018) ranked the quality of Cambodian management schools at 112 out of 119 nations. Contributing reasons include the relatively low government investment in tertiary education, few full-time equivalent researchers, and few scientific and technical journal articles (Heng & Sol, 2023; Lanvin & Evans, 2018). In this sense, applied research that designs, develops, and tests teaching and learning strategies within business schools can contribute to improving the quality of education provided by Cambodian HEIs.

The University offered various undergraduate and postgraduate business qualifications centred on international business, entrepreneurship, and management. Courses were taught in English by international and local professors with a preference towards experiential and action-oriented learning. There was no guiding institute or faculty-level graduate profile, but pre-course student interviews indicated that learners expected their degree to explore the history and cultural diversity of international business to prepare them for future leadership roles in Cambodian businesses. Content and learning approaches were adapted as learner expectations became clearer throughout the course.

The pedagogy (i.e., methods and practices of teaching and learning) sought to integrate liberal arts and business by exploring the history and development of business since the Reformation through the Renaissance to Postmodern art movements. Linking historic events to art movements allowed learners to anchor key business events, ideas, and principles to a period and understand the social context. As the pedagogy evolved and more learner feedback was collected, topics were changed to emphasise business concepts like accounting, banking, companies, stock and bond markets, and insurance, to name a few.

Each module sought to incorporate tools, activities, and feedback mechanisms that were believed to help facilitate a learning community. Modules were hosted in a Learning Management System (LMS) that included introductory videos, video teleconferencing software, an online interaction app, online forms, emails, and a shared forum for online discussions. To improve online engagement, an app was initially used to encourage engagement through quizzes, discussions, voting, questions, and feedback. Open questions and anonymous feedback were used in the app to encourage engagement and promote a diversity of opinions and perspectives.

Group-based learning and feedback were introduced with the intent to improve student learning. Yu and Li (2014) found that learners demonstrated higher achievement and reported higher engagement levels through group-based learning. Furthermore, the use of group-based learning and class discussions reduced teacher talk time by encouraging learners to engage more deeply with the ideas and provide feedback to their peers, a strategy consistent with the principles of CLT (Swan, 1985) and what was believed to improve teaching effectiveness (Hattie, 2012). To further strengthen learning, formal feedback with references to assessment rubrics was provided for each group in each assessment.

The teaching and learning approach aimed to encourage self-directed and self-paced learning. All course content was uploaded to Google Classroom prior to the course, with learners being expected to explore the content before class so they could engage in class discussions. Each lesson had the lecturer introduce the topic, expand on student presentations, and conclude the class by introducing the following weekly topic. Forums in the LMS, social media, and emails were used to communicate with learners during the weeks and provide any required guidance.

Evidence collection in this study included informal interviews with class monitors and student volunteers during the course delivery period and from weekly and final class surveys. These insights informed and framed the questions in the semi-structured focus groups. Evidence from these focus groups was analysed to identify key themes related to the teaching framework. Excerpts from these focus groups are shared in the following sections. The higher participation rate in the focus groups 2 and 3 during the second iteration reflects that the focus groups were held immediately after class while the first focus group was held on a weekend (see Table 3).

Findings are presented against the teaching framework processes in a reverse order to discuss course results first and the broader implications for teaching and learning in the University and other universities in Cambodia. We differentiate in this section between unnamed learners (those in the course) and the research participants (those in the focus groups), with dates on when the focus groups were conducted.

Feedback on the survey efficacy was mixed. Survey feedback generally correlated with feedback collected informally through the class monitors and appeared to reflect overall learning trends and learner sentiments. One notable exception was feedback on learner disengagement in the first iteration which emerged in the focus group but not in the surveys. As Leila reflected, some class monitors believed module surveys were largely ineffective as they were not widely utilised by learners and generated fewer insights than class monitor meetings. As a result, the later iteration emphasised class monitor discussions.

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