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Will computers blow up the school: or is our digital wisdom evolving?
No full textFollowing the unexpected lockdown of education in March 2020 and again in February 2021, this research looks at the subsequent online learning that took place during the second lockdown at a vocational further education college located in the south of England. These online sessions used Google Meet as a forum and teachers at the college suddenly had to adapt their planned teaching to suit this new environment, Observation data was collected using an assessment tool consisting of 11 criteria with which to assess these sessions. This was followed up with teacher self-assessment using the same criteria and students surveyed for their perspective after the lockdown had finished in March. The data shows some discrepancy between what the observer 'saw' and what the teachers thought about their own TPACK levels in terms of outcomes and the student data indicates that online learning was 'unengaging' in terms of activities. The conclusion looks to the concept of digital wisdom as a means of using technology as a meaningful learning tool rather than as simply a different way to cover content in the light of the changes to curriculum delivery.</p
Squeezed by austerity and pressured to recover costs: Portugal’s municipal water operators in need of public bank finance
Get PDFThis article maps the relationship between public banks and municipal water operators in Portugal. Multilateral public banks play a central role in financing the sector. However, access to public banking finance plays out unevenly across Portugal’s heterogenous water landscape. While the state-owned bulk system appears to face no shortage of finance, there is evidence of a financing crisis at the municipal level, where austerity and pressures to recover costs through tariffs serve as obstacles to bank borrowing. With a new public financial institution in the making, the article argues that new public–public financing relationships should be explored.<br/
A Qualitative Exploration of Parents’ Perceptions of Risk in Youth Contact Rugby
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore the understandings and perceptions of risk related to brain trauma amongst parents of children that play contact rugby. A qualitative approach was taken, using semi-structured interviews with 7 mothers and 27 fathers of children that participate in contact rugby. A thematic analysis of data suggests that parents used two primary cognitive strategies to process the risk they consented to with their children’s participation in rugby; (1) minimalizing rugby risk to be equivalent to less injurious sports; and (2) elevating physical and social advantages above what they think other sports are capable of providing. From the findings it is suggested that parents who permit their children to play contact rugby are both aware of the high risks of injury in the sport, but simultaneously utilize two cognitive distortion techniques to rectify the dissonance caused between their choice to have their children play, and the salient number of concussions they observe. These results suggest that it will take properly informed consent, inclusive of concussion rates compared to other sports, in order to reduce cognitive distortion and effectively communicate risks associated with participation in contact rugby
The Postgraduate Certificate & Master’s in Student Engagement in Higher Education: A professional development opportunity to critically examine and influence research, policy and practice.
No full textEvery member of staff within a higher education institution (HEI), whether professional services or academic, holds the potential to contribute towards the student experience through the engagement of students. Indeed, there has been a growth in universities recognising the importance of student engagement as a priority area, with sector regulators endorsing such practices too (Office for Students, 2020). This is manifested through strategies that highlight the key role of student engagement, and numerous staff at HEIs tasked with meeting HE sector regulations in relation to student engagement and enhancing the student experience. Yet, there are virtually no student engagement professional development qualifications available for those working in HE beyond discipline specific or teaching and learning focused programmes. The University of Winchester, having recognised this gap therefore launched the Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) and Master’s (MA) in Student Engagement in Higher Wducation. This brings together sector experts to look critically at student engagement research, policy and practice. The University of Winchester validated the PgCert in 2018 and the MA was validated in 2019. This case study will provide an overview of the blended approach taken to running the first MA and PgCert in Student Engagement in Higher Education programme in the UK, through offering our reflections on the academic programme three years on from its inception
