A Learning-Experience Alignment Framework for Business Education Outcomes

Thesis Abstract

This study addresses the persistent misalignment between learning experiences and business education outcomes in higher education, which undermines graduates’ readiness for industry demands and strategic decision-making. Despite extensive curriculum reforms, evidence remains inconclusive on how pedagogical designs, assessment practices, and lived learning experiences collectively influence employability, ethical reasoning, and entrepreneurial performance. The aim is to develop and validate a Learning-Experience Alignment Framework (LEAF) that articulates how curriculum design, instructional methods, assessment strategies, and workplace learning interact to produce specified business education outcomes. Specific objectives are (1) to identify core learning experiences associated with employability, ethical judgment, and strategic thinking; (2) to theorize the mechanisms by which alignment among curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment enhances these outcomes; (3) to quantify the strength of relationships between alignment indicators and outcome measures; (4) to develop a validated instrument for measuring learning-experience alignment across business programs; and (5) to propose actionable guidelines for policymakers, program designers, and instructors. The methodology adopts a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional survey will be administered to a stratified sample of 680 final-year undergraduate and master’s students across five accredited business schools in a metropolitan region, complemented by program coordinators. The instrument combines previously validated scales for employability, ethical reasoning, and strategic thinking with a new Learning-Experience Alignment Scale (LEAS) developed for this study. Model specification will employ structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the LEAF constructs, with reliability assessed by Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity evaluated via average variance extracted (AVE) and Heterotrait–Monotrait (HTMT) ratio. In the qualitative phase, 40 semi-structured interviews with students, faculty, and industry partners will be conducted to elicit in-depth insights into perceived alignment, followed by thematic analysis using an iterative coding framework guided by Braun and Clarke’s approach. Data triangulation will be achieved by integrating SEM results with thematic patterns to refine the framework. Key expected findings include (a) a robust, multidimensional model of learning-experience alignment consisting of curriculum-structure alignment, pedagogy-ic alignment, assessment-alignment, and workplace-learning alignment; (b) statistically significant positive relationships between alignment and the three outcome constructs (employability, ethical judgment, and strategic thinking), with mediation effects identified through alignment pathways; (c) validation evidence for LEAS with sound psychometric properties across programs and degree levels; and (d) rich qualitative insights into contextual factors that facilitate or constrain alignment, such as industry partnerships, supervisor involvement in projects, and the integration of experiential learning. Contributions to knowledge comprise (i) a theoretically grounded, operational framework linking learning experiences to business education outcomes, advancing curriculum design theory in higher education; (ii) a validated measurement instrument (LEAS) that can be employed by institutions for benchmarking and improvement; and (iii) practical guidelines for aligning learning activities, assessments, and experiential components with desired outcomes, informed by cross-stakeholder perspectives. The study will also extend theoretical understanding by integrating constructivist learning theories with capability-based employability models and ethical decision-making frameworks, supported by the empirical evidence generated. The main conclusion anticipated is that higher levels of learning-experience alignment are positively associated with enhanced employability, ethical judgment, and strategic thinking among business students. Recommendations include (a) embedding structured experiential learning opportunities that are explicitly mapped to assessment rubrics and program learning outcomes; (b) developing interlocking assessment designs that capture knowledge, skills, and dispositions; (c) fostering sustained industry-academia collaboration to support authentic tasks; and (d) adopting the LEAS as a routine diagnostic tool for ongoing curricular refinement and program accreditation processes.