Category: research

Research in Learning Technology now open access

~ Chris Hall ~ Leave a comment

Research in Learning Technology is the journal of the Association for Learning Technology and is now open access so that access, including back issues, is now available free of charge. The journal aims to raise the profile of research in learning technology, encouraging research that informs good practice and contributes to the development of policy. The journal publishes papers concerning the use of technology in learning and teaching in all sectors of education, as well as in industry

http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/issue/archive

Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do ?

~ Web Team ~ Leave a comment

Teaching and research can sometimes be slightly uncomfortable bedfellows, especially at institutions who pride themselves on their research. Learning and teaching can be viewed rather as the poor relation – albeit one that lives in the same house, has its name on the deeds and pays most of the mortgage.

The idea then of a public / private, teaching / research split (via Tony Bates and our Canadian source) is possibly one which could find considerable support in certain academic circles before any lobbying has been done.

Some private teaching companies are already working their way onto campuses (admittedly working with subsets of the student body – having stumped up for the privilege) and can sometimes be seen to have better facilities than the rest of their still public counterparts. Shining examples of how well the private sector can perform.

Interesting / depressing times ahead …

Social media: A guide for researchers

~ Web Team ~ 1 Comment

“Social media is an important technological trend that has big implications for how researchers (and people in general) communicate and collaborate. Researchers have a huge amount to gain from engaging with social media in various aspects of their work. This guide has been produced by the International Centre for Guidance Studies, and aims to provide the information needed to make an informed decision about using social media and select from the vast range of tools that are available”

Not only is it a very useful guide but it features our very own Chris Jobling, whose Fresh and Crispy blog is listed as an example of academic research blogs in the Links and resources section http://www.rin.ac.uk/node/1009

Thanks to Katrina Dalziel @dalziel1 for the highlighting the guide

You can find the full guide here –
http://www.rin.ac.uk/our-work/communicating-and-disseminating-research/social-media-guide-researchers

Free eBook: Emerging Technologies in Distance Education.

~ Chris Hall ~ Leave a comment

This new eBook from Athabasca University looks at a whole series of emerging technologies for distance education. Incidentally, it contains a Chapter by Rita Kop on the TRIO Project in DACE.

The blurb for the book call it a ” one-stop knowledge resource, Emerging Technologies in Distance Education showcases the international work of research scholars and innovative distance education practitioners, who use emerging interactive technologies for teaching and learning at a distance.”

An continues that this “widely anticipated book harnesses the dispersed knowledge of international experts who highlight pedagogical, organizational, cultural, social, and economic factors that influence the adoption and integration of emerging technologies in distance education. Emerging Technologies in Distance Education provides expert advice on how educators can launch effective and engaging distance education initiatives, in response to technological advancements, changing mindsets, and economic and organizational pressures. The volume goes beyond the hype surrounding Web 2.0 technologies and highlights the important issues that researchers and educators need to consider to enhance educational practice.”

Linking Research and Teaching

~ David Gill ~ Leave a comment

A series of papers, Linking research and teaching in Wales, edited by Simon K Haslett (York: Higher Education Academy, 2010) is now available [pdf].

There are three Swansea University papers:

  • David Gill, ‘Collecting Egyptian Antiquity’, considering the use of Web 2.0 technologies in MA modules.
  • Kasia Szpakowska, ‘Problems and practice in ancient Egyptian material culture’ linked to a research project on Lahun.
  • Emrys Jenkins, ‘Action learning (AL): research and practice development in community nursing’.

Research Techniques and Tools – The Presentation

~ Chris Jobling ~ 2 Comments

This is the Flowgram for my upcoming presentation on Research Techniques and Tools that was mentioned in the previous post. I will be presenting this to level 3 engineering students at 5.00 pm on Thursday 16th October in the Faraday Lecture Theatre (and you are welcome to come along) but as promised, I thought that I would give the learning-lab community a sneak preview. Although developed for my module EG-353 Research Project, and aimed at a particular group of students, much of what I say about the library resources and the use of Web 2.0 technology for finding materials, recording what’s found, reflecting on what’s been read or discovered, writing up research results, time management and backing up would be applicable to most disciplines I think. Any feedback you have (particularly from the library professionals!) would be gratefully received.

Research Tools and Techniques – The Bookmarks

~ Chris Jobling ~ Leave a comment

I am currently working on a new Flowgram about Research Tools and Techiques aimed at Level 3 Research Disssertation students in Engineering. As part of this, I am creating a set of delicious bookmarks of the sites that I will be presenting. If you’d like to check out what I have so far please visit eg353project on delicious.com, or follow the tags in the tag cloud in this post. At the time of posting, I was about halfway though compiling the list – it may be complete when you read this – but any suggestions for additions would be welcome. I will publish the actual Flowgram next week.

If you feel that this list of research resources would be useful to your own dissertation students, then feel free to get them to join the eg353project network. You and any bookmarks of your own that you’d like to share (tag them for:eg353project) woould also be most welcome.

How I used delicious for this purpose, including how to get a tag cloud like the one shown here into Blackboard, will be the subject of one of the Top Ten Tools presentations at the November 4th Lunch and Learn.