A Case for Integration

Author(s):  
Alex Moseley

There is growing interest in assessment of student learning within education, not least because assessment practice within some sectors (the UK higher education sector for example) is stagnant: many courses designed independently to the assessment method and assessed through a small number of traditional methods. Games-based learning has shown little deviation from this pattern – games themselves often removed from assessment of the skills they are designed to teach, and in the worst cases from the intended learning outcomes: gamification being a particularly formulaic example. This chapter makes the case for an integrated approach to assessment within learning games and the wider curriculum, drawing on elements within game design that provide natural opportunity for such integration. To demonstrate and evaluate such an approach, integrated assessment case studies (including a full study from the University of Leicester) are presented and discussed.

Gamification ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 1865-1880
Author(s):  
Alex Moseley

There is growing interest in assessment of student learning within education, not least because assessment practice within some sectors (the UK higher education sector for example) is stagnant: many courses designed independently to the assessment method and assessed through a small number of traditional methods. Games-based learning has shown little deviation from this pattern – games themselves often removed from assessment of the skills they are designed to teach, and in the worst cases from the intended learning outcomes: gamification being a particularly formulaic example. This chapter makes the case for an integrated approach to assessment within learning games and the wider curriculum, drawing on elements within game design that provide natural opportunity for such integration. To demonstrate and evaluate such an approach, integrated assessment case studies (including a full study from the University of Leicester) are presented and discussed.


Author(s):  
Kirsten Forkert ◽  
Ana Lopes

This article examines unwaged posts at UK universities, using recent examples of advertised job posts. While unpaid work is common in the UK higher education system, unwaged posts are not. The posts under scrutiny in this article differ from traditional honorary titles as they target early career academics, who are unlikely to have a paid position elsewhere, rather than established scholars. The article contextualizes the appearance of these posts in a climate of increasing marketization of higher education, entrenching managerialism in higher education institutions, and the casualization of academic work. We also discuss resistance to the posts, arguing that the controversy surrounding unpaid internships in the creative industries created a receptive environment for resisting unwaged posts in academia. We analyze the campaigns that were fought against the advertisement of the posts, mostly through social media and the University and College Union. We explore the tactics used and discuss the advantages and limitations of the use of social media, as well as the role of trade unions in the campaigns against these posts, and we reflect on what future campaigns can learn from these experiences.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Netta Weinstein ◽  
James Wilsdon ◽  
Jennifer Chubb ◽  
Geoff Haddock

The UK first introduced a national research assessment exercise in 1986, and methods of assessment continue to evolve. Following the 2016 Stern Review and further rounds of technical consultation, the UK higher education community is now preparing for the next Research Excellence Framework – REF 2021.Despite its importance in shaping UK research cultures, there is limited systematic and nuanced evidence about how academics across the sector view the REF, and which aspects are viewed favourably or unfavourably. The aims of this pilot study were twofold: first, it was designed to gather initial data to address this evidence gap; second, it was aimed at testing the feasibility of conducting a longitudinal study into academic and managerial attitudes towards the REF. We argue that further research to better understand the effects of the REF on research cultures, institutions, and individuals should be part of the evidence used to inform the development of future iterations of the exerciseThe Real Time REF Review Pilot Study was developed and delivered by a research team from Cardiff University and the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with Research England.


2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan Lawson

Design is central to the discipline of architecture. Despite this, the question as to whether design constitutes a form of research seems to raise more questions and strong feelings than any other aspect of the UK Government's research assessments of university architecture schools (arq 6/1, p5). No one is better fitted to set out the arguments than Bryan Lawson: an architect and psychologist, he has acted as an assessor for the last two exercises, has extensive knowledge of the university sector and has undertaken research on the design processes of such influential designers as Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, Herman Hertzberger and Ken Yeang. (See also leader, p99, and letters, pp101–106 in this issue.)


2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (62) ◽  
pp. 5-10
Author(s):  
Catherine Edwards ◽  
Joan M Day ◽  
Graham Walton

The IMPEL Project (IMpact on People of Electronic Libraries) is now into its second year. The project's focus, succinctly expressed by its title, is on the human implications of increased provision of information by electronic means, all too easily neglected at a time when technology is developing faster than it can easily be assimilated. The project grew out of it's leaders' personal and professional interests, those of a Head of Department of Information and Library Management and of a practising academic librarian; it is strengthened by such collaboration. A Steering Group of seven, each with acknowledged special expertise, meets regularly and provides guidance and support; the value of their input cannot be underestimated. This initial stage of IMPEL concentrates on qualified librarians in the UK higher education sector, laying the groundwork for possible future study of other groups and related aspects of the phenomenon commonly referred to as the 'electronic library'.


Author(s):  
Tanya Lubicz-Nawrocka

This case study describes how Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) worked in partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s Information Services division to implement one of the first Open Badge schemes used in the UK higher education sector. Based on student feedback, EUSA developed an effective Open Badge model to recognise and reward students’ work as Class Representatives. The paper describes EUSA’s model of badges, badge criteria and implementation, before focusing on qualitative examples of the positive impact of this pilot project for both individual students and for the Students’ Association. It provides examples of how students reflected thoughtfully about the impact of their work as Class Representatives to develop skills in negotiation, problem solving, diplomacy, leadership, and change management. EUSA’s Open Badge scheme now rewards students for sharing their achievements. In turn, students’ Open Badge blog posts have helped EUSA to gain more meaningful insights into the broad work of Class Representatives and how students benefit when they engage fully with the role.


2015 ◽  
pp. 124-137
Author(s):  
Michael Allhouse

As more and more self-access facilities face up to the challenge of shrinking budgets and responding to the ubiquity of mobile devices for learning, Michael Allhouse’s column examining the movement towards social learning that has taken place at the University of Bradford reminds us that such centres have a valuable role beyond providing access to physical resources. In this final instalment of his three-part series, Allhouse examines the provision of self-access in UK Higher Education, in order to determine to what extent Room 101’s journey towards becoming a social learning space is reflected in other centres around the country. By widening the scope of his research to examine not only the attitudes of learners at his own centre, but also wider trends across the UK, he reveals a diverse picture of self-access, and one in which social learning plays a vital and growing role.


While defining resilience is recognised as complex with recent research highlighting the disparity of interpretations, there is however, a common appreciation of the wide range of contributory factors impacting on students’ resilience within the Higher Education sector. These can include but are not limited to, an increasingly competitive environment for graduate jobs, increased financial pressure from student tuition fees, alongside the more traditional concerns of moving away from home and transitioning towards greater independence. Building on previous research at the University of Surrey with high achieving students, this paper outlines the development and delivery of a student focused workshop designed to enable the participants to build their understanding of resilience using different but complementary pedagogic approaches: LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and Concept Mapping. The case study included within this paper demonstrates one student’s reflection of the workshop and previous experiences which have contributed to their own resilience. What has become apparent at the University of Surrey, and more broadly within the UK Higher Education sector, is that universities have a vital role to play in fostering positive mindsets amongst students and developing strong and resilient independent learners.


2010 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Foden-Lenahan

The Courtauld Institute of Art, a college of the University of London, is one of the foremost centres to study art history in the UK. Like a giant Matruschka doll, the Book Library at the Institute is a specialist art library that contains within it special collections which, in turn, have individual bequests that also contain discrete rare collections. In addition to more than 7400 books catalogued online, it has a range of material that is yet to be catalogued onto the Aleph system, some of which remains inaccessible. The special collections also contain the research papers of several notable former members of staff, and a number of small archive collections that have been donated over the years. Without a dedicated reading room, the special collections feel more integrated into regular use within the library. This gives students a taste of research with historic books, but there are some inherent risks associated with such relaxed usage conditions. This article examines the origins of the Library and its place in the Institute today. It reveals the breadth of its special collections and some of its treasures, but also explains how the present funding crisis in UK higher education may harm the custodial role the Book Library has over this unique research resource.


ReCALL ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
JUNE THOMPSON

EUROCALL continued to operate from the Language Institute at the University of Hull. The former CTI Centre for Modern Languages became part of a much larger Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies, in turn part of the Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) funded by the UK Higher Education funding bodies. The team at Hull is responsible for aspects of the Centre’s activities relating to communication and information technologies (C&IT), and consists of June Thompson, Fred Riley and Julie Venner who serves as EUROCALL membership secretary. We were pleased to be joined in May 2000 by Janet Bartle who is the Academic Co-ordinator, C&IT for the Subject Centre.


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