What’s Inside June 2012: • • •
NEW
WEBSITE
OPOSSEM: the Online Portal of Social Science Education in Methodology http://opossem.org/ project to create , an online repository and community to enable sharing of resources for teaching social science research methods. Covers all levels from secondary to undergraduate to postgraduate. Emphasis upon teaching i.e. syllabi, lecture notes, slides. There are materials covering general literature searching. http://opossem.org/content/introduc ing-literature-grid-helping-studentsand-researchers-consistentlyproduce-quality-li Also strong coverage of statistical and data methods. Consult the site for information on copyright For uk try Jorumhttp://www.jorum.ac.uk/%20 a
Government reports Elearning New websites
repository of free teaching and learning resourcesSpecifically for methodology The social science methods textbook is well regarded from William M.K. Trochim http://www.socialresearchmethods. net/ this offers a basic knowledge base of methods suitable for undergraduate level. ESRC National centre For Research Methods provides support http://www.ncrm.ac.uk/%20 . See news, training events. See the online toolkit of useful training resources http://www.ncrm.ac.uk/TandE/onlin e.php covering different research methods. These include qualitative and quantitative methods and mixed methods approaches. NEW UK GOVERNMENT REPORTS
Expanding and improving part-time higher education Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Report http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscor
newsletter
e/higher-education/docs/e/12-906expanding-improving-part-timehigher-education Research that explores whether part-time undergraduate study in England can be expanded as an alternative for young students to the full-time three to four year model of first degree undergraduate participation. Also looks at how undergraduate parttime students of all ages can be encouraged and supported with their studies.
Understanding higher education in further education colleges Department for Business, Innovation and Skills http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscor e/higher-education/docs/u/12-905understanding-higher-education-infurther-education-colleges Following up the Wilson review of business-university collaboration: Next steps for universities, business and government http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscor e/higher-education/docs/f/12-903following-up-wilson-businessuniversity-collaboration-next-steps This response to the Wilson review of business-university engagement (sets out what the government will do to build on strengths to create the best conditions for universities and businesses to work together to create prosperity over the next decade.
JOURNAL ARTICLES: UNIVERSITY ECONOMICS Left Out. Forgotten? Recent High School Graduates and the Great Recession http://www.heldrich.rutgers.edu/site s/default/files/content/Left_Out_For gotten_Work_Trends_June_2012.p df report relating to the USA from John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development (Rutgers University) surveyed high school graduates from 2006 to 2011 . Measures unemployment levels, Pay levels and attitudes Study shows substantial economic return from state investment in Alevels and degrees IPPR and UCU union report. http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm? articleid=6123 ARTICLES:
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS
Engaging with international students online. The perspective from University of Bristol, Angela Joyce http://www.slideshare.net/heatherd awson/dear-mr-angela Presentation from the ALISS Conference on library support services
newsletter
– JOURNAL
ARTICLES: STUDENT
SATISFACTION
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for education. http://www.oiahe.org.uk/decisionsand-publications/annualreports.aspx annual report- on student complaints. JOURNAL
ARTICLES: E-
LEARNING
Mobile IT in Higher education 2011 http://www.educause.edu/library/resour ces/mobile-it-higher-education-2011report Useful report from EDUCAUSE. The 33 page report surveys the American situation. It includes useful statistics on the impact of mobiles on student life in usa plus general reviews of strategies in colleges. And clear guidelines for future development.
Compiled by Heather Dawson JOURNAL
ARTICLES:
OPEN
ACCESS
Expanding access to research publications Report of the Working Group on Expanding Access to Published Research Findings – the Finch Group- covers open access and repositories. http://www.researchinfonet.org/publ ish/finch/
h.dawson@lse.ac.uk