Melding Traditional and Progressive Andragogy in Marketing Education, Using the Hermeneutic Competency Development Strategy

Abstract

Educators are concerned about dwindling class attendance, while employers call for work-ready, socially skilled, and self-driven graduates. Various andragogies have been proposed to supplement traditional lecture-based methods, but studies have not yet investigated a strategy of methods within a particular marketing topic. The present study focuses on sensory marketing and compares seven experiential teaching methods, designed to improve engagement, enjoyment, inter-personal and higher-order thinking skills. By strategically combining seven teaching methods, this paper proposes an inter-active teaching strategy linked to prior understanding, scaffolded by peer and practitioner advice, and aimed at applying the knowledge to real-world phenomena. Students rate teacher-led discussions highest of all methodologies used to explain marketing theories. Small group discussions were rated low across all domains; enjoyment, understanding and theory application. The hermeneutic competency development strategy (HCD) tested here is successful in achieving all preset learning objectives. This empirical study contributes to enhanced understanding of the value of flipped classrooms from students’ perspectives.