Journals (University of Staffordshire)
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Teaching Android development using eLearning material in a traditional Java programming course
Get PDFWorld-wide some 152 million smart phones were sold in the first quarter of 2012 with a 49.9% increase from the year before (IDC, 2012). An important aspect of this popularity is the wide range of specialised programs known as apps that phone owners can readily acquire and install. For instance the number of apps on Google’s play market for the Android platform has almost doubled within a year to just under 500,000 apps (Appbrain.com, 2012) and the amount of apps is often used in advertising as a major selling point for phones (Apple, 2012). It is therefore important for students’ employability to gain skills in app development. Educationalists are starting to teach aspects of app development, for example developing workshops to aid learning the skills necessary to use the Google App Inventor tool (Abelson, Chang, Friedman, Lomas, & Wolber, 2010) (Hsu, Rice, & Dawley, 2012).
In this paper the author reports on their experiences of embedding an online tutorial on mobile Android programming development into the curriculum of a traditional second level undergraduate Java programming course. The distribution of the resulting marks did not follow the traditional distribution of a normal curve, and reflections on this unexpected distribution are provided
Social Media for Academics: A Practical Guide
Get PDFNeal, D. R. (Ed). (2012). Social Media for Academics: A Practical Guide. Oxford: Chandos Publishing Ltd
The Internet as a Challenge to HE: Implications for Plagiarism & Information Literacy
Get PDFThis poster examines the impact of the internet on academic dishonesty, and strategies to address this issue
The Innovative Use of Screencasts in Higher Education
Get PDFThis short reflective paper describes the innovative use of the screencasting technique in contemporary Higher Education. The main focus of the work is initially on the use of screencasts in mainstream teaching and student support where examples of screencast usage are demonstrated and evaluated. Later in the paper attention turns to the use of screencasts for staff development or information sharing. Again, examples are provided and briefly analysed. Finally, the author outlines some further opportunities for screencast use and closes with a brief outline of next steps
Managing the Transition from Further to Higher Education
Get PDFThis poster focuses on the impact of the transition from FE to HE on the student experience, and strategies to enhance student retention
Degrees of Disturbance: Working with Students with Mental Health Issues
Get PDFThis study explored issues around higher education (HE) staff working with students with mental health issues. It looked at the experience of staff taking part in training to help them become better equipped to support vulnerable students.
The study’s findings fit with those of other research which show the pressures experienced by staff working in HE (Collini, 2012; HUCS, 1999; Reisz, 2011). The recommendations correspond with those made by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP, 2011) which highlight the benefits of HE-based mental well-being services and relevant training for staff. Inclusive and transformational training is valuable, as are initiatives such as ’Health Promoting Universities’
Learning Development in Higher Education
Get PDFBook Review: Hartley, P., Hilsdon, J., Keenan, C., Sinfield, S, and Verity, M. (2011). Learning Development in Higher Education. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMilla
Case study: A community of practice for constructivist professional development in e-Learning
Get PDFCommunities of practice, social learning and constructivist learning are all increasingly seen as models for workplace learning but have rarely been applied in educational institutions for professional teacher development. This case study describes the use of both a constructivist and community of practice approach to e-learning skill development through two online events – the ‘e-Treat’ and ‘Ask the Experts: Mind-mapping’. These events have been designed using an e-Design template in order to embed constructivist principles of e-learning that support and scaffold learning. The ‘e-Treat’ also incorporated an e-Buddy system to provide peer-support and mentoring to participants. These events suggest that it is possible to plan, design and deliver effective professional development that incorporates a constructivist pedagogy in a community of practice approach
Degrees of Disturbance: Working with Students with Mental Health Issues
Get PDFThis study explored issues around higher education (HE) staff working with students with mental health issues. It looked at the experience of staff taking part in training to help them become better equipped to support vulnerable students.
The study’s findings fit with those of other research which show the pressures experienced by staff working in HE (Collini, 2012; HUCS, 1999; Reisz, 2011). The recommendations correspond with those made by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP, 2011) which highlight the benefits of HE-based mental well-being services and relevant training for staff. Inclusive and transformational training is valuable, as are initiatives such as ’Health Promoting Universities’
An institutional approach to modelling assessment and feedback processes incorporating technology
Get PDFThe project is funded by JISC to build capacity across the institution in using technology in coursework assessment and feedback. The project has addressed the coursework assessment process holistically and has taken an institutional approach to changing practice. The project aims to develop more efficient assessment and feedback processes by effective use of technology