The concept of acknowledging students' interests-both what they may be interested in and ... more The concept of acknowledging students' interests-both what they may be interested in and what is in their interest-is gaining increasing purchase in the new competitive economy of higher education. In addition to the obvious benefits of boosting student success in higher education institutions (HEIs), there are well-established educational advantages of foregrounding students' interests. The philosophical and psychological literature abounds with justificatory explanations of why interest is so crucial to learning of all kinds. Apart from the clear motivational benefits, organising learning around interests helps educators to realise the goal of Bildung, the education of the whole person. However, notwithstanding the obvious value of utilising interest in teaching and learning, there is a dearth of relevant research on the topic of relevance to HEIs. This research aims to help redress the balance by investigating how the interests of learners may be utilised effectively in the guidance and supervision of postgraduate students undertaking masters' dissertations in education.
The key objectives and targets of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC,2001) corporate plan con... more The key objectives and targets of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC,2001) corporate plan concerned with increasing participation in education, enhancing workforce training and raising the achievement of young people and adults are all dependent upon breaking down the barriers and obstacles which stand in the way of facilitating meaningful learning and progression. However, even after the welldocumented ‘situational; and ‘institutional’ barriers have been overcome, what McGivney (1993) calls the ‘dispositional’ obstacles – linked to learners’ attitudes, perceptions and motivations – still need to be addressed by tutors and mentors. A crucial aspect of such dispositions in the learner’s confidence and its role as an inhibitor or facilitator of learning. Although widely used – most recently in the DfES (2002) publicity about adult literacy gains – the concept of ‘confidence’ is, in the main, little understood and tends to be used imprecisely and rhetorically. This paper will seek ...
Against the background of the ubiquitous use of social media platforms by young people in general... more Against the background of the ubiquitous use of social media platforms by young people in general, it was entirely predictable that such media would be used by students in higher education. Our research in this sphere focussed on the ways in which social media-in both extent and type-were used by students completing Masters' dissertations. The study, involving 14 students on a management programme, was designed to answer questions about the nature, role and purpose of social media in the learning process and, in particular, to map the pitfalls and benefits of online platforms in this sphere. Our results identified a range of factors which influenced the type of social media selected by students and, on this basis, we make recommendations for student and staff training in social media use to be included as a part of dissertation programmes in higher education.
The concept of acknowledging students' interests-both what they may be interested in and ... more The concept of acknowledging students' interests-both what they may be interested in and what is in their interest-is gaining increasing purchase in the new competitive economy of higher education. In addition to the obvious benefits of boosting student success in higher education institutions (HEIs), there are well-established educational advantages of foregrounding students' interests. The philosophical and psychological literature abounds with justificatory explanations of why interest is so crucial to learning of all kinds. Apart from the clear motivational benefits, organising learning around interests helps educators to realise the goal of Bildung, the education of the whole person. However, notwithstanding the obvious value of utilising interest in teaching and learning, there is a dearth of relevant research on the topic of relevance to HEIs. This research aims to help redress the balance by investigating how the interests of learners may be utilised effectively in the guidance and supervision of postgraduate students undertaking masters' dissertations in education.
The key objectives and targets of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC,2001) corporate plan con... more The key objectives and targets of the Learning and Skills Council’s (LSC,2001) corporate plan concerned with increasing participation in education, enhancing workforce training and raising the achievement of young people and adults are all dependent upon breaking down the barriers and obstacles which stand in the way of facilitating meaningful learning and progression. However, even after the welldocumented ‘situational; and ‘institutional’ barriers have been overcome, what McGivney (1993) calls the ‘dispositional’ obstacles – linked to learners’ attitudes, perceptions and motivations – still need to be addressed by tutors and mentors. A crucial aspect of such dispositions in the learner’s confidence and its role as an inhibitor or facilitator of learning. Although widely used – most recently in the DfES (2002) publicity about adult literacy gains – the concept of ‘confidence’ is, in the main, little understood and tends to be used imprecisely and rhetorically. This paper will seek ...
Against the background of the ubiquitous use of social media platforms by young people in general... more Against the background of the ubiquitous use of social media platforms by young people in general, it was entirely predictable that such media would be used by students in higher education. Our research in this sphere focussed on the ways in which social media-in both extent and type-were used by students completing Masters' dissertations. The study, involving 14 students on a management programme, was designed to answer questions about the nature, role and purpose of social media in the learning process and, in particular, to map the pitfalls and benefits of online platforms in this sphere. Our results identified a range of factors which influenced the type of social media selected by students and, on this basis, we make recommendations for student and staff training in social media use to be included as a part of dissertation programmes in higher education.
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