From action to learning:

development of teaching skills based on active strategies in graduate programs

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.2238-104X.2025v15n1.73260

Keywords:

Learning in action, Active strategies, Experiential learning, Teacher training itinerary

Abstract

Purpose: This research aimed to understand the action learning approach in the context of teacher training in Management courses at the graduate level. Methodology: To this end, the theoretical lens used was the action learning system. This study is qualitative in that data was collected in four phases and at three different times: form (pre-interview); semi-structured interview (before the simulated class); class notes, and semi-structured interview (after the class). The ten students who participated in the research were enrolled in a course for teacher training taught in a graduate program at a Higher Education Institution (HEI). Main results: The main results show that learning in action enhances the development of competences relevant to teaching practice. Academic contributions: As the main theoretical contributions, this study advances the scope of the action learning system for teacher training, outlines the spectrum of active learning, and reveals a new dimension of competence developed by the approach. Practical contributions: Practical contributions are also established, such as the elucidation of a set of tools for teaching in graduate programs.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Patrícia de Oliveira Campos, Universidade Federal da Paraíba

I am a Ph.D. student in Business Administration at Federal University of Paraíba, Brazil. I hold masters and bachelors degrees in Business Administration from Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. My work as a researcher was recognized by the Brazilian Academy of Management (ANPAD) with the Outstanding Student in Marketing Award. My scholarly research appears in leading academic journals, such as Journal of Business Research, Marketing Intelligence and Planning, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, and International Journal of Emerging Markets. During my masters degree, I worked as a teaching intern for Statistics for Business Administration. Alongside my undergraduate degree, I completed an undergraduate research internship on consumer behavior, supported by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). I also worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant for two years, teaching Statistics for Business Administration, and served as a professor for outreach programs. I completed an internship at a multinational company, where I worked on the management of industrial engineering projects. In high school, I spent a semester studying abroad at Garin College, New Zealand, as a fellow of the Win the World Program. My research interests include business analytics and data science.

Diliane Salustiano de Farias, Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Mestranda em Marketing no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração da Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB). Pós-graduanda em docência para a educação profissional e tecnológica (UAB/UFCG). Faz parte do Laboratório de Análises e Estudos do Comportamento do Consumidor (L@EC) da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG). Graduada em Administração pela UFCG. Foi aluna bolsista do PET Administração (UFCG), atuando como Coordenadora de Gestão de Pessoas, Organização e Extra Rotina e Diretora Executiva e Administrativa, desenvolvendo atividades de pesquisa, ensino e extensão. Integrou o Grupo de Pesquisa em Gestão de Negócios e Competitividade (GNC/UFCG) e atuou como pesquisadora bolsista e voluntária de iniciação científica (CNPq/UFCG). Foi monitora da disciplina de Análise das Demonstrações Contábeis. Atualmente desenvolve pesquisas nas áreas de Comportamento do Consumidor, Varejo, Marketing Analytics, Inteligência Artificial em Marketing, Ensino e Pesquisa em Administração.

Cícero Hermínio do Nascimento Júnior, Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Engenheiro de Produção Mecânica (UFPB), Mestrando em Administração (PPGA/UFPB), Bolsista Pesquisador de Apoio à Divulgação Científica (CNPq). Possui experiência em divulgação e popularização do conhecimento, gestão de projetos de pesquisa científica, palestras, treinamentos, consultorias nas diversas áreas da gestão em empresas privadas. Pesquisador e membro do Núcleo de Estudos em Aprendizagem e Conhecimento (NAC/UFPB), grupo de pesquisa cadastrado no CNPq.

Ana Lúcia de Araújo Lima Coelho, Universidade Federal da Paraíba

Doutora em Administração e Turismo pela Universidade do Vale do Itajaí (UNIVALI); Mestre em Administração e Bacharel em Ciências Contábeis ambas pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). Coordenadora do Curso de Ciências Contábeis da FIRB, posterior U:Verse Centro Universitário no Acre (Gestão jul./2002 a out./2004). Professora Adjunta vinculada ao Departamento de Economia da Universidade Federal do Acre (UFAC), de nov./2004 a mar./2013. Desde abril/2013, é Professora Associada vinculada ao Departamento de Administração da Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), com atuação no Curso de Administração (CADM), e nos Programas de Pós-graduação em Administração (PPGA/UFPB) e Pós-graduação em Gestão Pública e Cooperação Internacional (PGPCI/UFPB). Vice-Coordenadora do Curso de Administração da UFPB (Gestão 2017-2019). Coordenadora junto ao Programa de Pós-graduação em Gestão Pública e Cooperação Internacional (PGPCI) - atual Gestão 02/2023-02/2025. Vice-coordenadora do Núcleo de Estudos Qualitativos em Administração NEQUA/UFPB).Membro-pesquisadora do Núcleo de Estudos em Aprendizagem e Conhecimento (NAC/UFPB). Líder do Tema 5 "Aprendizagem e Formação Acadêmica"/ Divisão Acadêmica Ensino e Pesquisa em Administração e Contabilidade - EPQ/ANPAD (Triênio 2015-2017). Líder do Tema 3 "Experiências no ensino-aprendizagem", na área de Ensino e Pesquisa em Administração do Seminários em Administração (SemeAd, 05/2023 a 04/2024). Interesses de estudos e pesquisas nas temáticas: Ensino e Pesquisa em Administração e Contabilidade; Práticas de Ensino; Metodologias Ativas e Inovadoras; Educação e Sustentabilidade; e Liderança Sustentável Educativa.

References

Bardin, L. (1977). Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições.

Benilan, M. L., Cagape, W. E., Cajes, R. P., Pineda, C. M. R., & Quibod, A. K. G. (2023). Problem-based learning strategy integration: Increasing students’ motivation in doing scientific research. International Journal of Research Publications, 127(1), 208-222. https://doi.org/10.47119/IJRP1001271620235111

Børte, K., Nesje, K., & Lillejord, S. (2023). Barriers to student active learning in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(3), 597–615. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1839746

Breen, J. (2014). Exploring criticality in management education through action learning. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 11(1), 4–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767333.2013.874328

Brook, C., Pedler, M., & Burgoyne, J. (2012). Some debates and challenges in the literature on action learning: The state of the art since Revans. Human Resource Development International, 15(3), 269–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2012.687926

Burga, R., Spear, C., Balestreri, C., Boyle, J., Coasley, A., McGill, D., Ranjan, M., Sylvestre, S., Zanki, J., & Jacobs, S. (2023). Enhancing management education: How do experiences outside the classroom matter? The International Journal of Management Education, 21(1), 100758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2022.100758

Butzke, M. A., Alberton, A., Schmitt, T., & Marinho, S. V. (2021). Business simulation games as an active learning teaching methodology: Students' perceptions. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 30(4), 462-483. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJIL.2021.118873

Campos, P. O., & Costa, M. F. (2023). Regulatory focus and construal level theory on low-income consumer indebtedness: Evidence from an emerging market. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 18(10), 4343–4362. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-08-2020-0870

Chavan, M., & Carter, L. M. (2018). The value of experiential and action learning in business ethics education. Journal of Business Ethics Education, 15, 5-32. https://doi.org/10.5840/jbee2018152

Costa, F. J., Machado, M. A. V., & Câmara, S. F. (2022). For an orientation toward the societal impact of graduate studies in administration in Brazil. Cadernos EBAPE.BR, 20(6), 823–835. https://doi.org/10.1590/1679-395120210222

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design, qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Crisol-Moya, E., Romero-López, M. A., & Caurcel-Cara, M. J. (2020). Active methodologies in higher education: Perception and opinion as evaluated by professors and their students in the teaching-learning process. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01703

Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: Macmillan Limited.

Diogo, S., Gonçalves, A., Cardoso, S., & Carvalho, T. (2022). Tales of doctoral students: motivations and expectations on the route to the unknown. Education Sciences, 12(4), 286. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12040286

Freire, P. (1996). Pedagogy of the oppressed (revised). New York: Continuum.

Gold, J., & Pedler, M. (2022). Bridging research to practice via action learning. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 19(1), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767333.2021.2018288

Han, H., Papanagnou, D., & Cho, Y. (2023). Bridging human resource development and health professions education through action learning. Human Resource Development Review, 23(2), 151-163. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843231188248

Hauser, B., Rigg, C., Trehan, K., & Vince, R. (2023). How to facilitate critical action learning. Action Learning: Research and Practice, 20(2), 116-131. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767333.2023.2206994

Lovato, F. L., Michelotti, A., & da Silva Loreto, E. L. (2018). Estratégias ativas de aprendizagem: uma breve revisão. Acta Scientiae, 20(2), 154-171. https://doi.org/10.17648/acta.scientiae.v20iss2id3690

Marquardt, M. J. (2004). Optimizing the power of action learning. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black.

Mattos, P. L. C. L. (2012). Feet of clay of the text “productivist” in the academy. Journal of Business Management, 52(5), 566–573.

McManus, C., Baeta Neves, A. A., Souza Filho, A. G., Rosa, A. A. S., Carvalho, C. H., Freire, D. M. G., Fioravanti, M. C. S., Báo, S. N., de Medeiros, I. A., Diniz-Filho, J. A., Diaz, B. L., de Carvalho, E. R., Audy, J. L. N., Silva-Filho, M. C., Gimenez, J., Carvalho, M., da Silva, R. R., & Napimoga, M. H. (2022). Assessment of the Brazilian postgraduate evaluation system. Frontiers in Education, 7, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.1036108

Neves, R. M., Lima, R. M., & Mesquita, D. (2021). Teacher competences for active learning in engineering education. Sustainability, 13(16), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169231

Nordi, A. B. A., Ogata, M. N., & Machado, M. L. T. (2022). Experience of disciplines from the Supervised Internship Program for Teachers’ Training in graduate studies: reflection and potency in higher education. Interface - Communication, Health, Education, 26, p. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.210342

Paiva, F. G., Jr., Leão, A. L. M. S., & Mello, S. C. B. (2011). Validity and reliability in qualitative management research. Journal of Administration Sciences, 13(31), 190–209. https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-8077.2011v13n31p190

Perusso, A., van der Sijde, P., Leal, R., & Blankesteijn, M. (2020). The effectiveness and impact of action learning on business graduates’ professional practice. Journal of Management Education, 45(2), 177–205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1052562920940374

Petrillo, R., Mello, C., & Pontes, A. (2019). Os desafios da educação contemporânea: Repensando o ensino-aprendizagem. In C. M. Mello, J. R. Almeida Neto, & R. P. Petrillo (Eds.), Metodologias ativas: Desafios contemporâneos e aprendizagem transformadora (pp. 1-25). Rio de Janeiro: Freitas Bastos.

Reeve, J. (2009). Why teachers adopt a controlling motivating style toward students and how they can become more autonomy supportive. Educational psychologist, 44(3), 159-175.

Revans, R. W. (1998). ABC of action learning. London: Lemos & Crane.

Revans, R. W. (1982). What is action learning? Journal of Management Development, 1(3), 64–75. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb051529

Santos, E. C., Silva, J. K. F., Campos, P. O., & Cordeiro, G. M. S. (2018). The learning in action in the course of administration: Intervention in cultural organization in the city of Caruaru-PE. Theory and Practice in Management, 18(1), 75–105. https://doi.org/10.21714/2238-104x2018v8i1-37355

Shore, A., & Dinning, T. (2023). Developing student’s skills and work readiness: an experiential learning framework. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 15(2), 188–199. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-02-2023-0016

Silva, A. B. (2016). Action learning: Lecturers, learners, and managers at the center of management education. In M.-T. Lepeley, E. von Kimakowitz, & R. Bardy (Eds.), Human Centered Management in Executive Education Global Imperatives, Innovation and New Directions (pp. 219–233). London: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137555410

Silva, A. B., Lima, T. B., Sonaglio, A. L. B., & Godoi, C. K. (2012). Dimensions of an action learning system for higher education in management. Administration: Teaching and Research, 13(1), 9–41.

Zhang, X., Zhang, B., & Zhang, F. (2023). Student-centered case-based teaching and online–offline case discussion in postgraduate courses of computer science. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(6), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-022-00374-2

Published

2025-07-09

How to Cite

Campos, P. de O., Farias, D. S. de ., Nascimento Júnior, C. H. do, & Coelho, A. L. de A. L. (2025). From action to learning: : development of teaching skills based on active strategies in graduate programs. Theory and Practice in Administration - TPA, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.22478/ufpb.2238-104X.2025v15n1.73260

Issue

Section

Artigos de Pesquisa (Research Papers)

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.