International Journal of Business

Management & Research (IJBMR)

ISSN(P): 2249-6920; ISSN(E): 2249-8036
Vol. 6, Issue 5, Oct 2016, 51-62
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

PRACTITIONER ASSESSMENT OF BUSINESS COLLEGE GRADUATES

STEVEN E. MCHUGH
Centenary College, USA Business Program, USA
ABSTRACT
The overarching mission of higher education is the successful instruction of their student population and
therefore the creation of capable and proficient college graduates. This mission aligns with the critical need of hiring
organizations to obtain qualified college educated job candidates that are career ready and can quickly become productive
members of an organization. The practice of job candidate identification, recruitment, and selection is a time consuming
and costly process. Accordingly, practitioners place a high degree of importance on the teaching methodology used by
educational institutions in preparing students. Consequently, this study researches and evaluates the use of experiential
learning methods, as a means of developing business college graduates, from an organizational practitioner perspective.
This investigation provides an analysis that will empower the synchronization of higher educational teaching methodology
and organizational personnel needs.
KEYWORDS : Higher Education, Experiential Learning & Practitioner Personnel Needs

INTRODUCTION
Higher Education
Higher education is an encompassing term, which includes post-secondary educational entities; however,

Original Article

Received: Sep 18, 2016; Accepted: Oct 06, 2016; Published: Oct 14, 2016; Paper Id.: IJBMROCT20167

there are noticeable differences among the members in this educational category. One side of the spectrum includes
institutions with abundant resources, a wide offering of curricula, tens of thousands of students, multiple campuses,
and international affiliations. At the other side of the spectrum are small resource light community or private
colleges, offering associate degrees or certificate programs, with a small number of students, and operating with a
limited reach. Additionally, residing somewhere in this continuum are the growing corporate universities, which are
more likely to utilize distance technology and other cost effective delivery systems. Added differences include
globalization trends, the use of marketing, increased competition, and an amplified focus on outcome based
assessment (Barnett, 2004). This divergence therefore makes it difficult to say with specificity that all higher
educational institutions have at their core the same educational purpose. It may be stated, however, that the
overarching mission of higher education is successful student preparation.
Educational Theories & Methods
In preparing students, higher education selects from a number of varying educational theories and methods.
This selection is based on the belief that individual engagements between teachers and learners should not be
haphazard, short-term in orientation, or disconnected. Discrete classes flow from overall course outcomes and
courses are designed as part of concentrations, certificates, or degree programs. Therefore, an educators teaching
methodology should be an effective part of a programs course of study. If classes are designed, supported, and
implemented properly, there is a logical flow that facilitates student engagement (Weisz, 1990). Engaged students

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Steven E. Mchugh

develop an interest in the material at hand. They also demonstrate higher levels of participation during educational
activities, facilitating their long-term retentions and aiding in meeting the higher educational mission of achieving student
preparedness. Two common techniques used in higher education are directed instruction and experiential learning.
Directed Instruction
Directed instruction is a traditional teaching method used in the educational system of the United States.
Therefore, most individuals who attended school in America have participated in this process. The directed instruction
methodology provides students a highly structured learning environment, using predetermined content and defined
boundaries. This learning system finds application in a classroom using textbook readings, lectures, and standardized
assessment tools (Hansen & Williams, 2003). The lessons are likely to repeat in subsequent classes until the curriculum is
updated or course material changed. This method focuses on highly critical indicators, thereby simplifying a lesson by
limiting the number of variables.
Experiential Learning
Deweys early 1900s research facilitated the start of aprogressive education movement, which is considered to be
the early stages of experiential learning theory (Hickcox, 2002). This theory provides a dynamic learning alternative using
expandable training boundaries in association with real world learning environments. John Dewey suggested that
educational programs that are energetic, student-centered, and use shared inquiry, would provide a robust educational
experience for students. This methodology is also described as a multidimensional pedagogy, which is integrated within a
credit-bearing course in the form of an organized, thoughtful and meaningful project (Madsen, 2004, p. 329). The use of
experiential learning techniques grew in popularity during the 1960s and 1970s (Sherr, 2000). Additionally, since the end
of the Cold War Era, many international relations programs have increased their use of experiential learning practices due
to dynamic situations and vast cultural diversity (Lantis 1998).
Experiential learning curricula include the blending of directed learning and real world factors found in actual
occupational situations. Experience alone does not provide for a robust learning environment that meets the goal of career
preparedness. Research suggests (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 1998) that a balance of both directed and experiential
methods provides for maximum value. Therefore, experiential learning programs are designed to provide learners and
educators the chance to interact in a more individualized manner, thus enabling a focus on specific developmental items. It
has also been found to help increase a students critical thinking skills (Bethell & Morgan, 2011). Since many of the
experiential learning activities are unique, such as internships, faculty involvement is increased, thus permitting the use of
mentoring activities. Additional examples of experiential learning environments include on-site service projects,
apprenticeships, work-study opportunities, and job shadowing.
Purpose of Study
Although critical to a business organizations long-term success, the practice of identifying and obtaining
qualified job candidates, which have graduated from college,is a time consuming and costlyprocess. Therefore, hiring
organizations apply the goal of obtaining college graduate personnel who are prepared for careers and are able to quickly
become productive employees (Pfau & Kay, 2002). With this goal in mind, organizations must identify the proper criteria
to screen job candidates. Accordingly, this study is focused on the practitioner assessment of job candidates that recently
graduated from business colleges. This longitudinal study investigates the significance of experiential education as a viable
Impact Factor (JCC): 5.4362

NAAS Rating: 3.07

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principle to be used during the screening of college educated job candidates. This project targets a graduates transition
from scholar to practitioner by concentrating on organizational hiring criteria using a practitioner assessment perspective.
This study is intended to determine if experiential learning methods meet the career preparedness criteria expected of
college graduates by hiring organizations.
Research Questions
The following questions focus on the practitioner assessment of college business program graduates:

What level of importance do practitioners place on a job candidate's experience?

How do hiring organizations rate directed instruction methodology and experiential learning methodology in
relation to college graduate preparation?

Do experiential learning methods prepare a college educated job candidate to quickly transition into a productive
member of an organization?

Significance of Study
This study researches the use of experiential learning methods by college business programs as the means of
developing their students into qualified job candidates. The evaluation is from apractitioner perspective and provides an
analysis that will empower the synchronization of higher educational delivery methods and organizational personnel needs.
This research area is related to the practitioner-oriented requirement for properly prepared job candidates and is
emphasized by the dynamics found in the business environment, which includes organizations that "are experiencing
unprecedented stress on their skilled labor resources including: lack of skilled knowledge workers in the right locations,
rapidly shrinking 'half-life' of critical knowledge within the enterprise driven by human capital turnover, increased
compensation for the best and the brightest, and a general talent shortage encompassing both hard and soft skills" (Myers,
Griffith, Daugherty & Lusch, 2004, p. 212). Changing business directions, organizational growth, and employee turnover
are all likely to increase an organization's use of external personnel hiring. Although organizations are best to view new
employee expenditures as an investment, the prudent allocation of monetary resources should always be a management
objective. Therefore, organizational human resource requirements and fiscal efficiency goals necessitate cost-effective
personnel actions.
The significance of this study offers a bridge between business program instructional methods and organizational
personnel requirements. The idea that "The pace of business is such that it now presents a significant financial advantage to
hire people who are already as close as possible to being able to do the job" (Pfau & Kay, 2002, p. 27) strengthens this link.
This statement also reinforces the value associated with the rapidity of new employee assimilation in two areas. The first is
related to the reduction in expense associated with the training of new employees, and the second is found with the speed at
which a new employee becomes productive, and therefore generates a cash flow beyond their costs.
Assumptions

The overarching mission of higher education is successful student preparation.

The practitioners surveyed have a basic understanding of higher educational methods and are in positions of
empowerment with abilities to assess job candidates.

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The study participants were honest and truthful in their survey responses.

The study's samplesare sufficient to generalize to the entire population.

The studys population is educated in college graduate assessment and is unbiased.

The samples used to collect data are free of bias and provides an acceptable representation of the population.

Limitations

When analyzing the learner population of higher education, one observes the inclusion of traditional age and adult
learners. The possible diversity in the age, and their prior experiences, could introduce influences not directly
related to experiential learning methodology.

This research is focused on experiential learning methods and does not fully develop other instructional methods.

The participants of the surveys (2) include systematic samples drawn from a purchased mailing list of
approximately 6,500 United States-based college recruiters from the National Association of Colleges and
Employers (NACE).

METHODOLOGY
Nature of Study
This study uses the scientific method and the mixed methodology research approach to provide the blending of
both qualitative and quantitative data. This blending will add mutual support for the research project, a balanced research
structure, and the flexibility to provide for findings that are both subjective and objective. In orienting this study's rationale,
one may refer to its mission as evaluative in nature; therefore, it seeks to provide insights into the considerations used by
the practitioner hiring community. This study's data collection population includes business practitioners from human
resource, and other hiring positions, that are located throughout the United States. This group interfaces with business
college graduates and personnel in the role of assessing particular academic programs and job candidates. Data collection
was administered by use of a self-developed and self-administered mailed survey targeting systematic samples drawn from
a mailing list purchased from the NACE, which includes approximately 6,500 college recruiters. This study concentrated
on measuring this practitioner group's assessment of job candidate preparedness in relation to their academically developed
experiences, including relevant experience and participation in experiential learning environments.
Research Design
The scientific method was utilized for this research study. This method provides a structure and characteristics
that promote properly designed, executed, and presented business research. Therefore, the use of the scientific method
provides procedural importance and a configuration that promotes the creation of quality research. This study applies a
research problem-solving emphasis and is explanatory in nature. It also utilizes the mixed methodology research approach
to support the blended data collection process. This selection leverages the benefits of blending both qualitative and
quantitative methods, which adds mutual support for the research project.
Population
The population of this study includes practitioners that assess business college graduates during the organizational
hiring process. A database of approximately 6,500 college recruiters purchased from the NACE represents this population.
Impact Factor (JCC): 5.4362

NAAS Rating: 3.07

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NACE is an organization whose membership includes educational faculty and staff, practitioners, as well as employers that
operate as liaisons between scholars and practitioners by providing training, statistical research, and publishing journals.
NACE provides database products that permit the targeting of college recruiters. Additionally, NACE activity maintains
these records, consequently increasing the datas quality by reducing outdated mailing addresses and enhancing the
specific targeting of college recruiters. This college recruiter population finds an association to this study by its influence
on a job candidate's ability to obtain employment. Therefore, targeting of college recruiters provide individuals that have a
familiarity with business programs and experience with recruiting college graduates. Their evaluation of college graduates
is indirectly an assessment of a college's ability to effectively develop and implement academic business programs that
create prepared job candidates. Although this populations membership is educated in college graduate assessment, their
knowledge is not assumed to create problematic bias and therefore is deemed accurate.
Instrumentation and Data Collection
The instrument used for this study is a self-designed and self-administered (McHugh, 2005) mail survey. This
method provided access to individuals who are not otherwise accessible. The process also offers the participants an
extended period to interact with the survey tool and therefore provide complete responses. The survey was administered
twice with no changes to the instrument or the process. This first implementation of the survey was administered in the Fall
2005/Spring 2006. The second implementation of the survey was administered in the Fall 2015. The surveys were
distributed to the samples using the United States Postal Service. These mailings included a postage paid and
self-addressed return envelope. This survey method provides anonymity to the participant, which is intended to increase
the surveys response rate (Cooper & Schindler, 2003). In addition to the use of postage paid return envelopes and the
existence of anonymity, the survey procedure employs other techniques designed to reduce the response error including
proper questionnaire length, orientation of survey sponsorship, detailed cover letter, and deadline dates. This survey
instruments content validity was established by use of a pilot studyprior to its first use.
The survey design is intended to facilitate the participants interaction with the survey and aid in the data entry
stage after return of the surveys. The survey blends summated rating scales, providing for standard data collection methods
and open-ended questions, which provides the opportunity to collect qualitative narratives. The survey design supports the
mixed research methodology. This selection of the data collection methods is based on an understanding of controls and
counter measures to ensure data value. Responses from the returned surveys underwent a process that included data entry,
coding, and validation.
Samples
Meeting a census while collecting data from this population is not feasible based on the population's size of
approximately 6,500 records. Therefore, this research project utilizes a systematic sampling protocol. This sampling
method provides an uncomplicated sampling design that facilitates sample selection. Systematic sampling is appropriate
based on the populations characteristics. The population contains no regular reoccurrence of demographic information and
therefore is free of periodicity. The population is also free of monotonic trends and therefore is free of a biased estimate
based on the systematic sampling starting point. The systematic sampling method is assumed to provide an acceptable
representation of the population and therefore a satisfactory precision of estimate. The same population was used to draw
samples for the pilot and both field surveys. Additionally, records identified in the pilot were excluded from the studys
first sample and both the pilot and the first samples records was excluded from the second field study sample. The field
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study sample size of 363 was calculated using a confidence level of 95%, confidence interval of 5, and the population
6,500 records. Therefore, 363 records were sampled during both the first and second field studies.
Data Analysis
The research questions were analyzed using statistical procedures. This process wasaided in 2016 by the use of
IBM SPSS Statistics software. In 2006 SPSS Version 14 was used. The analysis also applied analytical procedures
including the noting of patterns and themes. Although this method is one-dimensional, it aids in categorizing the raw data
and prepares it for further analysis. This process synchronizes with the method of clustering or the "clumping things into
classes, categories, bins" (Miles and Humberman, 1994). This method enables a researcher to create layers of information
for analysis under varying criteria. Furthermore, the technique of counting is applied based on the value of occurrence. In
addition, comparisons and contrasts aid in identifying the similarities and differences in the data. This is an effective way
to analyze multiple indicators. It also provides a neutral view of a research area. This study's focus is directed toward the
assessment of experiential learning methodology as related to the career preparedness of students. Therefore, it is
significant to investigate the existence of logical flow originating in instructional methodology and culminating in a
graduate's successful job obtainment. The statistical analysis presented below is an active process directed at the
verification of the population representativeness. Additionally, data triangulation methods are used to combine survey
responses with research presented in the literature review. In analyzing the data, it was determined that no survey responses
constitute outliers and therefore no trimming procedures were used. Consequently, the data is free of unintended skewness,
which increases its explanatory benefits and allows the use of generalizability.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Data Collection
Eighty-nine (89) of 363 surveys were returned during the 2005/2006 field study for a response rate of 24.52%.
Additionally, three (3) surveys (0.83%) were returned due to non-deliverable addresses. Ninety-one (91) of 363 surveys
were returned during the 2015 field study for a response rate of 25.07%, with two (2) surveys (.55%) returned due to nondeliverable addresses. These response rates are comparable to the pilot surveys response rate of 25.26%. No adjustments
were made to the response rate due to the non-deliverable surveys. No significate variations were found between the
2005/2006 survey and the 2015 survey, therefore their results are combined below.
Discussion of Results
This study aligns with Weiszs (1990) view that teaching methodology should be an integral part of an
educational programs course of study. This concept, coupled with higher educations mission of developing highly
prepared college graduates that can quickly transition into a productive practitioner, provides the motivation for this
research. The following discussion triangulates the academic methodologies with practitioner responses.
Key Finding 1
One hundred (100) percent of the research participants rated work experience as Desirable" or higher, 71.9%
rated experience as Very Desirable or higher, and 42.3% rated it as Essential. A relationship is found in this variable
associated with organizational size. Specifically, smaller organizations collectively selected a higher ranking for work
experience. This relationship parallels Bartram, Lidley & Marshalls (1995) research, which suggests that the size of an
organization is likely to affect its selection criteria use in the hiring of new employees. The researchers propose that the
Impact Factor (JCC): 5.4362

NAAS Rating: 3.07

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57

process and indicators used to hire individuals for small businesses differ from the processes followed by large businesses.
Bartram, Lidley & Marshall (1995) predict that these differences are based primarily on three factors: institutional
resources, job scope, and employee turnover. This logic suggests that the hiring process and skills sought by small
organizations will differ based on an organization's infrastructure and job task variations. This condition can be witnessed
within smaller organizations, which often have considerable functional breadth within their job assignments.
Smaller organizations experience challenges in developing functional crossover in employees, including limited
headcount and significant training costs. Conversely, larger organizations have the ability to utilize a more job specific
focus, while using a higher number of specialized employees (Bartram, Lidley & Marshall, 1995). Therefore, it is plausible
that a small business's limited resources provide for a greater disadvantage relating to employee turnover and thus a higher
focus on experience, as reflected in this researchs results.
Key Finding 2
When being asked to rank a list of academic assignments by order of importance to career preparedness,
participants classified experientially centered assignments the highest. The highest ranked assignment is Internships.
Internships are a real world immersed educational method. They offer the learner the opportunity to perform in a
practitioner setting, while under the mentorship of a faculty member. The second highest ranked assignment is Research
Projects, also an educational process that requires experiential components. Research Projects offer the educational
infrastructure while empowering the learners to develop their qualitative and quantitative research skills. The third highest
ranked assignment type is Group Projects, which again involve real world activities to meet the educational requirements.
Team based activities are highly relevant to a learners development based on their widespread use in an authentic work
environment. The Case Study Method is the fourth highest ranked assignment. The use of Case Studies requires students to
assess a collection of data and formulate the situations dilemma, thus performing a function similar to real world
activities.
The two lowest ranked academic assignments, Classroom Lectures and Textbook Assignments, require a high
degree of directed instructional support and offer few experiential opportunities (Hansen & Williams, 2003). Their
rankings in the fifth and sixth positions provide support for the stance that practitioners value experiential learning
activities over directed instruction methods. Although, a traditional directed instruction process is a reliable method of
educating students, this process limits students to secondary information (Fileva, 2004). Directed instruction critics suggest
that the method is designed to prepare students to perform well on standardized tests, and as a result limits the learners
ability to obtain practical knowledge that may be applied in real world situations (Knowles, Holton & Swanson, 1998).
These research findings indicate a practitioner preference for experiential learning.
Key Findings 3
When asked if the directed instructional method could properly prepare entry-level employees that could quickly
transition into productive employees, 81.1% of the research participants responded NO. Their negative indication was
supported with open-ended statements commenting on the methods lack of real-world relevance.
Key Finding 4
Ninety-one (91) percent of the participants acknowledged that experiential learning methods prepare entry-level
employees that could quickly transition into productive employees. This result was supported by open-ended statements
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that specifically commented on the importance of a real-world component.

Discussion of Key Findings 3 & 4
Research indicates that the skills sought by organizations include speed of adaptability and cultural fit (Pfau &
Kay, 2002). In addition to the real world advantages, speed of adaptability research suggests the directed instruction
method as stimulating the development of individualized skills, hence omitting the overarching desires of business,
employee fit, and practical ability. A study performed by Lewis and Sappington (1993) supports the notion that speed to
productivity is a common employer desire for individuals hired into all levels of an organization. This concept is addressed
by the use of an experientially designed environment that provides a learner the opportunity to work in a number of
divergent settings. Speed of adaptability and cultural fit find organizational importance based on a number of indicators,
including financial position, performance quality, and degree of synergy. This research finds practitioners who support the
use of real world educational tools as a means to develop college educated job candidates.
Key Finding 5
Noting the importance of experience as a hiring criterion, survey question number 11 explores experiential
learning methodologys ability to substitute for relevant work experience. In response to this inquiry, 72.3% of the survey
participants indicated that experiential learning methodology does substitute for relevant work experience. This finding is
initially interesting based on the often referenced separation between scholar and practitioner. Historical practitioner
criticisms mention educational failures associated with practitioner isolation and slow program modification. In addition,
higher education's deployment of academic programs and often its inability to efficiently modify programs to address
current industry requirements, have led members of the academic profession to forecast the end of education in its current
form. Peter Drucker (1997, p. 128) states, "Thirty years from now the big university campuses will be relics. Universities
won't survive."
Research suggests that there is a gap between the perceptions of the scholar and practitioner
(Yardley, Teunissen, & Dornan, 2012). This perception gap is plausible motivation for the 27.7% of respondents that did
not feel that experiential learning methodology substitutes for relevant work experience. However, research indicates that
the benefits of experiential learning include the flexibility to move students out of a traditional classroom environment and
away from exclusively directed instructional methods. Instead, students are placed into real world work situations
(Babbar, 1994). This environment naturally provides expandable lesson boundaries while it facilitates learning by
immersing students into typical practitioner surroundings (Ousnamer, 2002). This permits students to observe cases first
hand rather than through predefined academic lenses. Experiential learning environments permit students to have their
performance assessed by both academic and practitioner standards (Rocha, 2000). These benefits address the limitations
projected on higher education.
Key Finding 6
When asked to choose between the directed instruction and experiential learning methods in relation to college
recruiting efforts, (94.9%) of the research participants preferred to align their organizational recruiting efforts to business
schools using the experiential learning method. This response is a strong indication of the significance placed on business
schools using the experiential learning method by practitioners.

Impact Factor (JCC): 5.4362

NAAS Rating: 3.07

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Key Finding 7
In relation to the speed of transition from business school graduate to productive employee a clear majority,
96.6% of the research participants favored graduates that received their education from educational institutions that use the
experiential learning method, as opposed to the directed instruction method. This response is also an important indicator
highlighting the practitioner-oriented importance of business programs using the experiential learning method.
Discussion of Key Findings 6 & 7
Upon graduating from business programs, college graduates are likely to seek employment with organizations that
are members of the following three sectors: for-profit, government, or not-for-profit. Although the general missions of
these three sectors often vary, each are assumed to be practicing conventional fiscal management. Consequently, all
organizations seek to leverage their scarce resources, while obtaining new personnel. Therefore, key findings number 6 and
7 provide an important insight into the practitioner value placed on colleges using experiential learning. College programs
seeking to provide an effective education for their graduates should assess this practitioner orientation.
It is important to restate that directed instruction and experiential learning methods are not mutually exclusive
approaches. Indeed, experiential learning is created by blending directed instruction methods and real world factors found
in actual occupational situations. Therefore, a properly implemented experiential learning environment provides a
theoretical background and an applied focus. Research suggests (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 1998) that the balance of
both directed and experiential activities provides for maximum value.

CONCLUSIONS
The results of this longitudinal study document the practitioner support relating to experiential learning
methodology. These findings assert college recruiters strongly prefer educational methods that focus on theory and
practice. This substantiation aligns with the benefits placed on business school education that involves real world activities.
These findings offer that organizations of all sizes favor the qualities and skills developed in learners while participating in
experiential exercises. Therefore, while real world educational exercises offer students the opportunity to interact in the
practitioner environment, these exercises provide worthwhile experiences that align with practitioner-sought qualities and
skills valued by hiring organizations. This research indicates that practitioners feel experiential learning methods provide
learners with the opportunity to develop functional skills designed to facilitate career realization and achievement.
Furthermore, experiential learning methodology offers business schools an effective educational approach that
facilitates the mission of successful learner preparation. An experiential learning foundation will provide an active
component to business college programs by blending theoretical and authentic educational assignments that enable the
advantageous positioning of business school programs. This positioning facilitates the consideration of business schools by
college recruiters, as documented in the research findings. Accordingly, the utilization of experiential learning
methodology offers both educational and job placement benefits. The successful placement of qualified business school
graduates is not only a value to business school learners, but also an indicator used to measure a schools success.
Therefore, the use of real world assignments can provide the development and placement of qualified job candidates,
which will facilitate long-term recruitment relationships benefiting business schools and hiring organizations. These
relationships also offer the practitioner community a tangible opportunity to develop scholar-practitioner connections likely
to facilitate educational synergy.
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Accordingly, "a growing trend in management education involves the development and use of experiential
exercise learning materials in management training situations" (Certo, 1976, p. 113). It is encouraging to note that many
educational organizations actively use experiential learning methods as part of their program design. However, there are
business schools that limit the use of real world learning techniques. These business programs possess practitioner
limitations that filter learners employment potential, while conceivably slowing the transition of successful job candidates
into productive personnel. Therefore, the absence of real world assignments are likely to limit the opportunities offered to
business program graduates, while reducing the focus placed on a business school by college recruiters.
As a result of this research project, a clear recommendation is made for the deliberate design of business programs
that embrace experiential learning methodology as a curricula focal point. The proper design and implementation of a
highly experiential learning business program will aid an educational institutions ability in meeting the mission of
successful learner preparation, while developing a practitioner interest in the schools graduates. It is the finding of this
research that experiential learning methodology provides value to the learner, business school, and practitioner community.
Research Question 1
What level of importance do practitioners place on a job candidate's experience? The practitioners surveyed
placed a high level of importance on experience as a hiring criterion. This statement is supported by the responses to
survey question number 7, where 100% rated experience as Desirable or higher. Additionally, 71.9% rated experience as
Very Desirable or higher and 42.3% rated it as Essential.
Research Question 2
How do hiring organizations rate directed instruction methodology and experiential learning methodology in
relation to college graduate preparation? A number of questions address this research topic. Collectively, practitioners
strongly prefer experiential learning to directed instruction methodology, with, 81.1% of the practitioners responding that
directed instruction methodology does not properly prepare college graduates that can quickly transition into productive
employees. Alternatively, 91% of the responding practitioners stated that experiential learning methodology could do so.
Furthermore, 72.3% of the respondents stated that experiential learning methodology could substitute for relevant work
experience. Additionally, 94.9% of the respondents would prefer to recruit college graduates from business programs using
the experiential learning methodology, rather than programs using the directed instruction methodology. Together, this
information supports these research findings.
Research Question 3
Do experiential learning methods prepare a college educated job candidate to quickly transition into a productive
member of an organization? The practitioners who participated in this study clearly felt that experiential learning methods
did prepare job candidates for rapid scholar-practitioner transitions. This finding is supported by the responses to survey
question number 13, which returned a 96.6% practitioner favorable rating for experiential learning methodologys ability to
better prepare job candidates for a quick transition within the workplace.

Impact Factor (JCC): 5.4362

NAAS Rating: 3.07

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