Nathan Polley 1,* and Gina Polley 2
1 School of Graduate Programs, LSi Business School, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2 Deputy Principal Office, Hope International School, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
* nathanp@lsi.edu.kh
Received: 14 June 2023; Revised: 4 November 2023; Accepted: 19 December 2023
Cambodian Journal of Educational Research (2023)
Volume 3, Issue 2
Pages: 7–34
https://doi.org/10.62037/cjer.2023.03.02.02
Abstract
This study 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.
Keywords: Higher education institution; enquiry-based learning; online learning; liberal arts; business education; Cambodia
Introduction
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.
Literature review
Characteristics and challenges in Cambodian higher education
Despite positive progress against significant challenges, there remain many obstacles for Cambodian HEIs and their students (Heng & Sol, 2023). Cambodian higher education is characterised by its relatively small size compared to ASEAN neighbours (Sok & Bunry, 2021), a notable number of private universities (Williams et al., 2016), students studying simultaneously in multiple institutions (Heng et al., 2023; Peou, 2017), and limited self-directed learning (Heng, 2014). The result has been an influx of graduates into the Cambodian economy (Sok & Bunry, 2021), particularly in business disciplines (Chet et al., 2022a). However, this influx is accompanied by significant quality gaps due to the prevalence of poor-quality qualifications (Ford, 2013). The challenge to provide both a breadth of education and sufficient disciplinary depth requires educators to consider more integrative and interdisciplinary approaches (Williams et al., 2016) that are aligned with the long-term development needs of Cambodia (Chet et al., 2022a).
Unfortunately, Cambodian educators also face limitations that restrict their ability to deliver quality education (Doeur, 2022; Leng et al., 2021). Many educators, particularly domestically educated lecturers without international experience (Leng et al., 2021), apply teacher-centred learning practices with a focus on lecturing discipline content, show little awareness or application of enquiry-based or problem-based learning (Leng et al., 2021), and lack professional development (Doeur & Heng, 2023). Furthermore, low teaching salaries (Ford, 2013) mean many educators have other employment, so they are not ‘research active’ (Chhaing, 2022; Chhaing & Phon, 2022). Despite efforts like the Foundation Year Program to introduce discussion-based learning to support language development, improve engagement, and increase critical thinking and problem-solving (Leng et al., 2021; Sok, 2021), these initiatives remain poorly understood (Leng et al., 2021). These factors point to a need for a business programme that integrates higher-order thinking skills with a foundational breadth that allows for broader and ongoing learning in a format that exemplifies ‘best-practice’ for other Cambodian educators.
Integrating business and liberal arts in Cambodian HEIs
Many HEIs outside of Cambodia have integrated business and liberal arts in their programmes, courses, units, or modules (Magro et al., 2022). The term ‘liberal arts’ is ambiguous as there is no definitive list of disciplines or subjects within a liberal arts qualification, and HEIs differentiate their qualifications by offering various combinations of disciplines drawn from natural and social sciences, arts, and humanities (Jung et al., 2016). In preparing the present study, the primary author drew inspiration from his involvement in a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Applied Management programme that integrated liberal arts, specifically philosophy, psychology, anthropology, sociology, and media studies with business in Aotearoa-New Zealand (McCurdy, 2015). Advocates have argued that liberal arts programmes promote the development of soft skills (Paris, 2007), something lacking in Cambodian university graduates (Yann, 2018), but is noticeably higher among graduates from private universities that incorporate liberal arts education (Leng et al., 2021). Liberal arts education has also been recognised by universities (Koba, 2013; Paris, 2007; Phillips & Hall, 2016) and the industry for developing graduates who excel in areas such as intercultural effectiveness, inclination to inquire and lifelong learning, well-being, and leadership (Seifert et al., 2008), to name just a few attributes (Pasquerella, 2019). Like other international HEIs, the University recognised the potential benefits that such a programme could bring to Cambodian students.
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.
Research methodology
Research design
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.
Table 1. Class composition
| Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D | |
| Total number of students | 31 | 31 | 29 | 20 |
| Male students Female students | 12 19 | 10 21 | 12 17 | 5 15 |
| Number of lecturers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Course iteration | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Course duration | 15 weeks | 15 weeks | 15 weeks | 12 weeks |
Research context
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.
Teaching framework
This study drew from earlier and concurrent experiences teaching Cambodian secondary students which were formalised in a teaching framework that sought to encourage holistic learning and ‘constructive alignment’ (Polley, 2021). The teaching framework consists of seven categories, including learning context, pedagogy course design, learning design, learning and assessment preparation, teaching and learning, and analysis and review. Table 2 summarises the categories and elements of this framework that were applied in the design and development of this study.
Table 2. Teaching framework
| Category | Elements | Questions guiding learning design |
| Learning context | Vision, values and context | What are the unique characteristics of learners, the institute and the environment? What will be achieved through learning? |
| Graduate profile | What are the desired graduate characteristics? What ‘common thread’ links the institute programmes/units/courses? | |
| Pedagogy | Teaching and learning philosophy | What is the personal teaching philosophy of the educator? Of the institute? Of the culture? |
| Institute/curriculum philosophy | What are the best approaches to teaching this curriculum or discipline? How does the institute approach teaching and learning? | |
| Course design | Learning outcomes | What are the holistic, higher-order learning outcomes? How will learning create these outcomes through teaching? |
| Essential questions and topics | What are the key topics? What overarching (or essential) questions drive each topic? | |
| Learning design | Teaching tools and activities | What technology platforms will support the learning? What tools and activities will support these lessons? |
| Assessment design | What assessments will learners work towards? | |
| Learning and assessment preparation | Lessons | How do we design each lesson to create transformational learning? |
| Assessment measures | How do we measure learning in or through each lesson? | |
| Teaching and learning | Lesson delivery | How do we best deliver this lesson? |
| Marking | How well did learners demonstrate learning in the assessment(s)? | |
| Analysis and review | Student survey analysis | What do learners report is positive? What needs improvement or requires further consideration? |
| Moderation | How do our assessments, grades, and outcomes meet industry and academic expectations? |
The following sub-sections analyse each category and how these were considered within the course design and their relevance in this study.
Learning context
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 COVID-19 pandemic was an important factor in this study as it led to Cambodian institutions transitioning to online learning and negatively impacted learning achievement (Chea et al., 2022b; Vojvoda & Meas, 2022). This shaped the learning context as the first course iteration was delivered online and the second iteration was delivered with both online and face-to-face instruction. As COVID-19 disrupted the University’s delivery schedule, the second course iteration was also shortened from a 15 to a 12-week duration.
Pedagogy
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.
The course was designed around enquiry-based (or inquiry-based) learning, as it allowed learners to shape their own learning journey. Enquiry-based research is a student-centred pedagogy that encourages learners to craft and answer research questions (Dostál, 2015; inquirED, 2020) and choose perspectives aligned with their backgrounds, circumstances, or beliefs. Banchi and Bell (2008) defined four levels of enquiry-based learning, including Confirmation Inquiry (research with a given question, procedure, and solution), Structured Inquiry (research with a given question and procedure), Guided Inquiry (research with a given question), and Open Inquiry (independent research). Guided Inquiry (level three of the four) could best describe how learners were provided with a guiding research question and encouraged to undertake independent research. Learners presented research findings through weekly presentations, class discussions, and debates – an approach that encouraged them to co-construct meaning. This approach reflected our beliefs that effective learning is socially constructed within collaborative, inclusive, and discussive relationships between learners and in the facilitator-learner relationship.
Course design
Each module in the course followed an art movement and was developed around social ‘lenses’ based on liberal arts disciplines (Jung et al., 2016). These lenses included philosophy, social movements and structures, history, science and technology, economics, and religion/theology. Research questions were based on each lens and assigned to groups of learners who would share their findings with the class through weekly presentations. Each lens had assigned groups of students who were rotated each class to a new lens so learners explored multiple liberal arts perspectives across the development of business.
Learning design
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.
Learning and assessment preparation
Assessments were designed to scaffold learning so learners progressively developed research and critical thinking skills through class discussions and debates in areas of personal and business interests. As learners were communicating in English as a second language, assessments were designed so learners could demonstrate critical thinking in a format that best suited their English communication ability. After consulting with learners, we decided to use weekly presentations and a final written report as they promoted learner interaction and group work using various reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. This approach drew on aspects of Communicative Language Teaching(CLT) (Savignon, 2008) to help strengthen English communication without becoming an ‘English language’ course.
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.
Teaching and learning
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.
Analysis and review
The study sought to strengthen the University’s quality processes by liaising with previously appointed class monitors and by introducing optional surveys of each lesson to collect student feedback. These survey results were visualised on a class dashboard and discussed with class monitors in weekly meetings. Updates made based on these recommendations were shared with learners at the beginning of each class. These initiatives were further supported by informal moderation by the University’s Dean of International College and several lecturers. External moderation had not been completed at the time of writing this report.
Data analysis
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).
Table 3. Information about the focus groups
| Focus group 1 | Focus group 2 | Focus group 3 | |
| Iteration | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Number of participants | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Number of females | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Number of males | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Aliases of participants quoted in this study | Henry Richard Valerie Leila | Sandra Christine Davina | Claire Cindy Victor |
The data analysis process was informed by grounded theory principles. The seven categories – learning context, pedagogy, course design, learning design, learning and assessment, teaching and learning, and analysis and review – were informed by the teaching framework adapted from Polley (2022). New codes within the categories were created through a process of thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) based on the prevalence and recurrence of emergent themes within focus groups and across focus groups. These themes then guided the study results, analysis, and recommendations. This research followed the general principles of research ethics in the social sciences and met the Cambodian research ethics guidelines (Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, 2022) while encouraging learner participation in the research process.
Findings
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.
Analysis and review
The class monitors believed monitor meetings were efficient and effective in addressing student concerns as they helped consolidate feedback, discuss issues, and resolve real or perceived problems. These meetings resulted in increased content on academic writing, plagiarism, and research – efforts that may have improved learners’ overall grades. The meetings also resolved concerns about software platforms, assessments, and resources. Class monitors believed these meetings improved the learning experience and should be implemented in other courses in their programme. As Leila concluded:
[Future meetings should] just [include the] class monitors discussion and trying to find a solution to that problem… I would rather have a meeting [than use student surveys], like you did with [the class monitor meetings with] us. (24 December 2021)
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.
Teaching and learning
The learners and participants noted how lessons and learning resources were easy to follow, insightful (particularly in relation to art movements) and scaffolded learners towards later topics and assessments. As Henry shared:
I enjoyed this course. Our other classes were harder to catch up and learn, but [the facilitator] made this class easy to follow and [it was] easy to do my own research and put in my own work. (24 December 2021)
Many participants believed the formal and informal communication channels through various social media platforms, the LMS forum, and emails made teachers accessible and reduced the physical barriers imposed by online learning. Communication was subsequently streamlined to Telegram and LMS in the subsequent iteration.
Some participants reported how the acquisition of new concepts and language was a problem as each team explored a unique topic. This meant learners found it difficult to comprehend new terms and concepts that were not explicitly introduced and discussed in the weekly class presentations. As Richard shared:
There were some words that were hard to pronounce and understand. I encouraged people to do research on these words and try to pronounce them. I think it’s not bad, but also not great… Concepts that are difficult to understand, maybe we should note it and then discuss the term in class? (24 December 2021)
The participants in focus group 1 also suggested that a glossary of relevant terms be included to help scaffold comprehension on topics learners did not research. While these initiatives were implemented in the subsequent iteration, learners still found the transition to higher study difficult. Sandra shared that:
It was challenging for me also as my English is not at that level yet. I can understand it, but I’ve only studied English in high school… I can’t say I understand all the English, but I can manage. (14 September 2022)
While many participants noted difficulty in understanding the level of English, several noted how the English level was “what we should have” (14 September 2022). While further improvements are required to better meet the needs of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners, participants cautioned that any initiatives to improve language learning must be aligned to business education as English communication is already taught in a separate class.
Learning and assessment preparation
Participants felt the overall course structure was easy to follow and aligned well with the subject content. Valerie shared:
I would rate the course almost a five [out of five] because it is informative and has a good structure. I loved how [the facilitator] structured and prepared everything for us and gave us sources and guidelines. (24 December 2021)
Some participants were initially confused and overwhelmed by the assessment process, tertiary-level assessment expectations, and the purpose of assessment marking rubrics. As Leila explained:
From my perspective, at the beginning of the course it was hard to know what I did wrong [in assessments]. [The facilitator] provided explanations on what I did right and wrong, but it was still confusing until we nearly reached the end of semester. Then I could fully understand it. (24 December 2021)
These challenges were raised in class monitor meetings and led to more class time being allocated to discuss marking rubrics and how to cite references. Participants in focus group 1 recommended that more time be allocated to discuss the assessment process and progressively scale assessment expectations, recommendations that were applied in the second iteration. As Henry shared:
Starting out, the students need to get familiar with the course and the structure… I found it a bit overwhelming at the start of the course [when there were sound issues with online learning and new approaches to learning]. (24 December 2021)
Despite content and class discussions on referencing, participants were still uncomfortable with referencing as they were new to enquiry-based learning and academic research. Claire, who found this challenging, made the following comment:
[In other classes] there is no research unless we are specifically told how and what to research. We are normally given everything on the screen. (14 September 2022)
In both iterations, the participants believed that their lack of research and business experience encouraged plagiarism by their classmates, although they had no evidence that this happened. They recommended future courses apply more anti-plagiarism tools and allocate more time to discussing plagiarism, referencing, and academic writing.
Learning design
The participants believed that the LMS was easy to use with a clear structure and helpful resources. Participants also felt that the designated online word processor functioned well, but participants in focus group 1 were critical of the presentation software as it often meant classmates could accidentally (or intentionally) change other learners’ work. As Richard shared:
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