UK Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

Home and away: risk, familiarity and the multiple geographies of the higher education experience

With reference to an ESRC/TLRP project conducted across two academic years with working‐class students in higher education (HE), this paper explores the relationship between geographies of home and those of university at two UK HE institutions. It addresses how social relations inflected by class influence the experience of students as they adapt to new socio‐cultural environments and negotiate the terms of their emergent identities. By indicating the ways in which HE experiences are classed, but also situated and connected across geographical locations, this paper examines the ties between forms of working‐class identity and the contexts through which they are reproduced. In different ways, the security of locality and of what and who is already known is seen here as critical in dealing with risky and often alien educational environments as a form of social capital.

Beyond the books: case study of a collaborative and holistic support model for university students with Asperger syndrome

This article reflects on the experience of one UK higher education institution in its efforts to develop more effective support mechanisms for the growing numbers of students with Asperger syndrome and autism, in collaboration with a specialist support organisation. Case studies are used to illustrate the complex needs of this group of students. The authors found that this collaborative model was useful in enabling a very stretched student support service to offer an individualised and holistic model of support, in keeping with the needs associated with Asperger syndrome and autism. It is proposed that the model described here, although not without its own limitations, follows the best practice guidance laid down by the UK Disability Discrimination Act, and could be beneficial to students with other disabilities. Of particular note is the need for student support services to view pastoral, non‐academic support as being central to the support that they offer.

Paramedic research methods: importance and implications

The modern paramedic will now undertake their professional training within a UK higher education institution (HEI). In addition to their specialist clinical training, other critical elements such as research methods will feature as an integral part of their programme. Often this component of the programme is not delivered by academic paramedical staff, but by personnel with other professional backgrounds. In this paper we acknowledge that the base of paramedic practice is still developing in HEIs and the development of the academic paramedic is ongoing. Students often face many challenges when undertaking the research methods module within their programme and to best facilitate this, we advocate that this part of the programme is delivered by academics with a background as a paramedic to give the best contextual learning experience.

Entrepreneurship education in the UK

PurposeThis paper aims to explore stakeholder involvement in, and expectation of, entrepreneurship education in UK higher education institutions (HEIs).Design/methodology/approachLongitudinal telephone surveys were conducted annually over an eight‐year period (2000 to 2007) to document and analyse 336 respondents' involvement in, and expectation of, entrepreneurship education in UK HEIs.FindingsThe results indicate that stakeholder involvement in entrepreneurship education is explicit, widespread and linked to ongoing educational developments that have radically transformed management structures and accountability at all levels of the UK educational system. Stakeholders' expectations are equally complex and varied, reflecting a heterogeneous range of individual, group and community needs.Practical implicationsThe findings provide valuable insights into entrepreneurship education for students, university staff, policy makers and other stakeholders. Government could use the results of this research study to ensure that relevant policies and initiatives reach the targeted sector in a focused and cost‐efficient manner.Originality/valueThis study provides an original and empirically rigorous insight into stakeholder involvement in, and expectation of, entrepreneurship education in UK HEIs. It provides valuable longitudinal data for a wide range of stakeholders involved in entrepreneurship education in the UK.

Reflections on costing, pricing and income measurement at UK higher education institutions

In these days of radical contraction of funding and expansion in student numbers, universities are under pressure to prioritise their resources, as well as to achieve effective costing and pricing to support judgement and decision making for funding and any external work undertaken. This study reviews costing, pricing and income measurement in higher education institutions in the UK supported by a case study on resources management in a higher education (HE) institution in the south of England. The institution's resource allocation model – ICE model (income, costing exercise model) – was analysed based on relevant data obtained from institutional documentation, personal interviews and case studies, to understand how it guides resource allocation to academic schools in relation to business plans. The study, which focuses on two model schools in science and technology, and business disciplines, respectively, show that ICE model, as used for resource allocation, is based mainly on set targets and appears to ignore business plans that provide a more accurate record of income and expenditure over an academic year. Resource allocation formulae, therefore, could be less transparent, with implications for survival and economic viability of academic schools.

The academic attainment of students with disabilities in UK higher education

This study investigated the role of disablement as a predictor of academic attainment among students awarded first degrees by UK institutions of higher education in 2004–05. Disability explained only 0.1% of the variation in attainment, as measured by whether the graduates had obtained good degrees (i.e. with first‐class or upper second‐class honours). Graduates with dyslexia and graduates with multiple disabilities were less likely to obtain good degrees than graduates with no known disability, but this was mainly due to the confounded effects of demographic and institutional variables. Graduates with an unseen disability were the only group to show significantly poorer attainment when the latter variables had been controlled. In overall terms, disablement per se does not play a significant role in predicting attainment.

Reaping the fruits of collaboration: learning development research in the LearnHigher CETL network

The LearnHigher CETL is now is in its fourth year of developing research-informed resources to support student learning development. Partners at 16 UK Higher Education institutions have amassed a large quantity of data from students and staff on their preferences, needs and practices in twenty learning areas, as well as information about the use and design of learning spaces, and the role of learning developers. This article will report on LearnHigher's collaborative approach, using examples from a report to be published in Spring 2009 which takes an overview of LearnHigher research.

The use of bibliometrics to measure research quality in UK higher education institutions

Research assessment in the UK has evolved over a quarter of a century from a loosely structured, peer-review based process to one with a well understood data portfolio and assessment methodology. After 2008, the assessment process will shift again, to the use of indicators based largely on publication and citation data. These indicators will in part follow the format introduced in 2008, with a profiling of assessment outcomes at national and international levels. However, the shift from peer assessment to a quantitative methodology raises critical issues about which metrics are appropriate and informative and how such metrics should be managed to produce weighting factors for funding formulae. The link between publication metrics and other perceptions of research quality needs to be thoroughly tested and reviewed, and may be variable between disciplines. Many of the indicators that drop out of publication data are poorly linked to quality and should not be used at all. There are also issues about which publications are the correct base for assessment, which staff should be included in a review, how subjects should be structured and how the citation data should be normalised to account for discipline-dependent variables. Finally, it is vital to consider the effect that any assessment process will have on the behaviour of those to be assessed.

Enhancing the curriculum: shareable multimedia learning objects

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on an action research initiative designed to facilitate the creation of shareable multimedia learning objects at a UK higher education institution. The use of multimedia learning objects in educational settings has been the subject of much interest in recent years. However, it has been suggested that a significant barrier to the uptake and use of these resources has been the lack of technical ability and support available to teachers. The Faculty of Health at Birmingham City University (BCU) was committed to the use of learning objects in the university's learning environment. However, creating innovative and exciting resources had been out of the reach of most lecturing staff due to time, financial and technical barriers. The Centre for Enhancing Learning and Teaching (CELT) at BCU collaborated with the Department of Community Health and Social Work in the Faculty of Health to produce a number of shareable learning objects to be used for enquiry‐based learning.Design/methodology/approachThe paper begins by discussing some theoretical background and existing studies before going on to outline the collaboration and the pedagogy that inspired the creation of the learning objects and the processes involved in creating the resources.FindingsThe paper discusses some preliminary research results and plans for future development.Originality/valueThe objective of this initiative was to explore ways in which we could overcome barriers to the creation of pedagogically sound learning objects.

Crime and Prejudice: Exploring the Victimisation of Undergraduate Students

Whilst the area of young people and crime has been the focus of much academic research, the specific issue of the victimisation of university students has remained relatively under-examined. Based on a survey of 1,215 undergraduate students studying in UK higher education institutions, this paper examines the levels and nature of student victimisation alongside students' rationalisations for falling victim to crime whilst at university. These data reflect a sense that crime is an underlying feature of undergraduate student life in the UK, with just under a third of the surveyed students reporting being a victim of crime during their previous three-month term at university. Moreover, the qualitative data from the survey showed victimisation to be an often accepted element of student life. Whilst the data highlight some obvious practical opportunities for university and crime reduction organisations to address these patterns of victimisation, any significant amelioration will not be achieved without fundamentally changing undergraduates' expectations and understandings of the student lifestyle as well as the prevailing routine activities and ‘student cultures’ which underpin their often submissive responses to being victims of crime.

Reusable process architectures and process models: an experience report from higher education

We apply a particular process architecture development method, Riva, to a study and comparison of specimen processes in two UK higher education institutions. We developed an outline process architecture for one common area of activity (development and delivery of taught programmes), then drew role activity diagrams for two selected processes at both institutions, in order to compare them. We found considerable variation at the concrete level even in these similar organisations, but saw more commonality when we developed abstract models using only core elements. Though even the abstract models were not identical, there was enough similarity to suggest some potential for reuse of process designs between organisations. Such designs may usefully serve as examples, to be copied, modified or extended as locally appropriate. It might be useful to build repositories of process models and architectures, for use by organisations in the same business sector.

`Informed By, but Not Guided By, the Concerns of the Present': Contemporary History in UK Higher Education — Its Teaching and Assessment

In September 2007, the Higher Education Academy's Centre for History, Classics and Archaeology commissioned a detailed survey of how and where contemporary history is taught in UK higher education institutions and further education institutions offering degree-level courses. The aim was to establish where contemporary history is taught in UK higher education departments and to understand chronologies used by departments; the resources used in its teaching; how learning is assessed; and the distinctiveness of contemporary history. The survey, based on analysis of university and further education college websites and answers to a questionnaire, resulted in a report which was presented at the Subject Centre's annual conference in 2008. The findings of the survey revealed some interesting comment from those involved in contemporary history teaching in higher education in the UK, feeding into wider issues and ongoing debates about the scope and meaning of contemporary history. The following article discusses the results of the survey in detail and outlines concerns raised. It is intended as a platform for further discussion and to aid fuller understanding of contemporary history teaching generally at higher education level in the UK. It is hoped that this initial investigation and discussion will spark ongoing interest in how the subject is taught in the future and will provide groundwork for enhancing the subject and its further development.

Online Discussion

International students arriving at UK higher education institutions often find the first stage of the period of transition from home to British university difficult. Research has shown that the difficulties relate to finding themselves in a new culture. This University of Ulster project encouraged them to explore their feelings by participating in a series of online WebCT discussion tasks during their 6-week presessional programme with the aim of helping to mitigate any disabling effects of arriving in a new country. The article found that virtual contact did not help students to openly express their thoughts by producing comments at an emotional level; that supportive friendships can be built across cultures as well as in conational groups and that the provision of direct advice on practical and physical problems indirectly brought emotional benefits therefore helping students to manage this time of transition more effectively.

The UK LOCKSS Pilot Programme: A Perspective from the LOCKSS Technical Support Service

Over the last decade libraries have increasingly shifted journal access from print to digital. The preference of users for online content, the demand of readers for a broader range of content, and the rising costs of library shelf space all contributed to bringing about this change. A variety of approaches has emerged to support access to these digital journals. The common ones require libraries to access content through publishers, which invariably means libraries lose long-term control of the journals to which they have subscribed. As an alternative, the Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe (LOCKSS) approach enables libraries to regain custody of journal assets while maintaining the access and licence terms stipulated by the publisher. This article describes the UK LOCKSS Pilot Programme; a two-year JISC/CURL (Joint Information Systems Committee/Consortium of Research Libraries in the British Isles)-funded initiative to explore issues associated with the practical implementation of LOCKSS in the UK Higher Education institutions. It examines the pilot from the perspective of the LOCKSS Technical Support Service, a core component of the Pilot Programme.

A national subject profile for materials: Views of graduates and materials teaching staff

The UK Centre for Materials Education, on behalf of the UK Higher Education Academy, has undertaken a year-long review of the current state of teaching and learning of materials programmes in UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The aim was to establish a national subject profile for the materials discipline, providing a snapshot of current materials teaching in the UK. Part of the study involved a survey of all the UK HEIs who provide significant levels of materials teaching to allow us to quantitatively map the variety of materials degree programmes and obtain the views of those who teach materials and the current challenges they face, in order to identify possible future developments in teaching the materials discipline. A parallel survey of recent materials graduates who have remained in the profession was also undertaken to establish their motivation for choosing to study the discipline, their views of the materials curriculum they studied and its relevance to their chosen career. A decline in materials student numbers, and students facing more external pressures, are perceived as being the two most important challenges faced by academic staff teaching materials programmes. A large majority of materials graduates are happy with the content of their degree programme and its relevance to their career.

What is postgraduate marketing education for? Observations from the UK

PurposeThis paper seeks to highlight the significance of the recent debate on the “academic‐practitioner divide” for postgraduate marketing education in terms of informing objectives, chosen scope and structure and service provision.Design/methodology/approachData were collected on 60 programmes at 45 UK higher education institutions (HEIs) by desk research and from 129 PG students enrolled at five British Universities by means of a questionnaire.FindingsIt was found that these were close parallels between PG and UG programmes in the UK. From the perspective of students intending to become marketing practitioners, five key strengths and weaknesses of current marketing education provision were identified.Research limitations/implicationsData on current PG marketing programmes was only collected from a sample of UK HEI's and not internationally. Data from students was collected only from five UK Universities.Practical implicationsSuggestions are made for the ways and means by which PG programmes can be enhanced pedagogically and made more relevant to practice. Brief proposals are also made in respect of improving input into programme and class design by current practitioners – especially programme alumni.Originality/valueIt is hoped that all sections of this paper will be of value to postgraduate programme leaders in directing, leading and developing their courses strategically and tactically.

‘Not necessarily a bad thing …’: a study of online plagiarism amongst undergraduate students

Whilst the copying, falsification and plagiarism of essays and assignments has long been a prevalent form of academic misconduct amongst undergraduate students, the increasing use of the internet in higher education has raised concern over enhanced levels of online plagiarism and new types of ‘cyber‐cheating’. Based on a self‐report study of 1222 undergraduate students, this paper explores the nature and patterning of online plagiarism amongst students in UK higher educational institutions. The data find around three‐fifths of students self‐reporting at least a moderate level of internet‐based plagiarism during the past 12 months, with significant differences in terms of gender, educational background and—most notably—subject discipline. Students’ online plagiarism was also found to correlate strongly with their self‐reported levels of offline plagiarism. The data therefore highlight the need to contextualize online plagiarism in relation to the wider ‘life‐world’ of the contemporary university student and, in particular, the role of the internet in their everyday non‐academic lives. The paper concludes by discussing how university authorities may go about addressing internet‐based plagiarism in the contemporary university setting.

Engineers: Going Global

This article demonstrates the need for engineering courses in UK higher education to give a higher priority to global and sustainability issues. In support of this case, the author summarizes and assesses evidence from a recently-concluded study by the Institute of Education, University of London, and Engineers Against Poverty, a specialist international development non-governmental organization working in the field of engineering and international development. It is argued that engineering does and can play a major role in combating global poverty, and that higher education needs to prepare engineers for these challenges. Tim Feest, Executive Director of the UK's Occupational Standards Council for Engineering, considers the report of the study and the effect its recommendations, if implemented, would have on engineering undergraduate curriculum content in UK higher education institutions.

Analysis of academic attitudes and existing processes to inform the design of teaching and learning material repositories

The last couple of years have brought a rise in the number of institutional repositories throughout the world and within UK Higher Education institutions, with the majority of these repositories being devoted to research output. Repositories containing teaching and learning material are less common and the workflows and business processes surrounding these types of repositories were unclear. The user motivations to contributing to and downloading from repositories were also unknown. This article reports on two studies: a wide-scale survey carried out with HE staff to identify barriers and incentives to contributing to teaching material repositories; and interviews carried out as part of a workflow study at Loughborough University, to identify existing practice in the creation and sharing of teaching material. Confusion is reported with regard to the difference between a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and a repository. However, many different purposes of a teaching and learning material repository are highlighted. This article discusses how repositories could successfully interoperate with other institutional applications and highlights the benefits of teaching material repositories to the user, through scenarios. Recommendations relating to the key aspects of the design and implementation of a repository service are outlined.

The impact of higher education on lifelong learning

The UK’s National Adult Learning Survey has emphasised that graduates are more likely than other groups of people to engage in further learning and to be motivated by the intrinsic nature of the subject matter. However, beyond this we know relatively little about the learning of graduates as a specific group. In particular, we know very little about how experiences of higher education affect attitudes towards learning in the years after graduation. To start to redress this gap, this paper draws on in‐depth interviews with 90 graduates from six different UK higher education institutions, five years after they completed their first degree. It argues that, in the case of many of these young adults, the influence of higher education on further learning was exerted at three levels in relation to: the process of learning; the construction of learner identities; and understandings of the relationship between learning and the wider world.