Exploring students' understanding of how blogs and blogging can support distance learning in Higher Education

We focus on exploring students' understanding of how blogs and blogging can support distance learning in Higher Education. We report on the findings from a survey of 795 distance learners at the UK Open University, and interviews with course designers whose courses utilise blogs. Despite enthusiasm from educators, the survey revealed that students are not enthusiastic about the potential for blogging activities to be built into their courses. Analysis of students' open-ended comments revealed that some students have positive expectations about blogging facilitating the sharing of material and ideas, for example, whilst the majority expressed concerns about subjectivity. We also discuss some empirically derived guidelines that we have generated that will enable educators to provide the appropriate scaffolds so that students can appropriate blogging tools for their own individual learning needs

Civic Engagement and Advocacy in Rural Wisconsin: Youth Development Through Legislative Forums

Youth Development programming that engages youth to work side by side with local leaders creates an environment where youth develop civic skills. These skills include a greater understanding of the legislative process, their role in our democracy, and increased engagement in the democratic process. Through their participation in the Superior Days Legislative Forum, youth increase their civic skills, are inspired to create change in their communities, ask questions and respond to challenges by bringing legislative issues of concern unique to their community to the entire representative body at the state capitol. Youth delegates also gain experience partnering with adults from their communities, establish healthy developmental relationships, and expand their social networks. This article draws from research related to civic engagement, youth in decision-making roles, and programming intended to raise youth voice to make community change. This paper uses focus group interviews as well as post-then-preprogram surveys to understand the impact of the Superior Days Legislative Forum on youth participants

The Quantitative/Qualitative Antinomy in Virtual World Studies

This chapter takes a resolutely reflexive look at a research carried out from 2007 to 2009 on the video game World of Warcraft. It aims at making explicit the reasons why, in this research, qualitative and quantitative methodologies were conjointly used. Consequently, it will make visible the scientific practice that is usually left out of articles and reports, the trials and errors that influence the conduct of a research project. An empirical perspective, grounded on actual field research practices rather than a priori ideas on the quantitative/qualitative divide, reveals how difficult it is to make sense of this gap. More specifically, I will argue against the two methodology thesis that downsizes this divide to a simple theoretical opposition between objectivism and subjectivism. There are many similarities between the two methods. Furthermore, their differences cannot be accounted for only with their respective theoretical grounds. This counterproductive opposition can thus be replaced, with much profit, by a set or methodological guidelines much closer to the practice of conducting a research. The real question, then, is not so much "which one is better?" as "what can each method show, and under what conditions?

Exploring the usage of a video application tool: Experiences in film studies

This paper explores our experiences in deploying a video application tool in film studies, and its evaluation in terms of realistic contextual end-users who have real tasks to perform in a real environment. We demonstrate our experiences and core lesson learnt in deploying our novel movie browser application with undergraduate and graduate students completing a Film Studies course in Dublin City University over a semester. We developed a system called MOVIEBROWSER2 that has two types of browsing modes: Advanced and Basic. In general, students found that the features we provided were beneficial for their studies. Some issues or mismatches arose during the trial. A ‘wish-list’ was drawn up that might be useful for the future system developer. The contribution and achievements reported in this article are on the demonstration and exploration of how advances in technology can be deployed, and media can be accessed in the context of a real user community. Exploring the usage indicates a positive acceptance among students, besides lessons learned that are important for further investigation

The social sciences and the web : From ‘Lurking’ to interdisciplinary ‘Big Data’ research

Acknowledgements This research is supported by the award made by the RCUK Digital Economy theme to the dot.rural Digital Economy Hub (award reference: EP/G066051/1) and the UK Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) (award reference: ES/M001628/1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

It\u27s all in the lens: Differences in views on obesity prevention between advocates and policy makers

Background: Intervention strategies to reduce obesity include policy and environmental changes that are designed to provide opportunities, support, and cues to help people develop healthier behaviors. Policy changes at the state level are one way to influence access, social norms, and opportunities for better nutrition and increased physical activity among the population. Methods: Ten states were selected for a broad variance in obesity rates and number of enacted obesity prevention policies during the years of 2006–2009. Within the selected states, a purely qualitative study of attitudes of childhood obesity policy using semistructured telephone interviews was conducted. Interviews were conducted with state policy makers who serve on public health committees. A set of six states that had more than eight childhood obesity policies enacted were selected for subsequent qualitative interviews with a convenience sample of well-established advocates. Results: Policy makers in states where there was more childhood obesity policy action believed in the evidence behind obesity policy proposals. Policy makers also varied in the perception of obesity as a constituent priority. The major differences between advocates and policy makers included a disconnect in information dissemination, opposition, and effectiveness of these policies. Conclusions: The findings from this study show differences in perceptions among policy makers in states with a greater number of obesity prevention bills enacted. There are differences among policy makers and advocates regarding the role and effectiveness of state policy on obesity prevention. This presents an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to improve communication and translation of evidence to policy makers, particularly in states with low legislation

Exploring knowledge broker influences on sharing and use of evidence for health policy and practice in low- and middle-income countries

Little is known about how intermediaries called knowledge brokers work in low- and middle-income countries to help move evidence into policy and practice to improve health outcomes. The aim of this PhD research project was to understand how knowledge brokers spread and mobilize evidence in multiple countries and regions in the context of an internationally funded global health program. It used case studies, interviews, and surveys of nearly 600 health professionals in more than 65 countries. Findings show knowledge brokers participating in the studies worked in multiple roles in healthcare systems and used their professional networks to help policymakers, healthcare providers, and others adapt evidence for use in the local context. They exhibited attributes such as a “can-do” spirit to overcome challenges in implementing evidence. Knowledge brokers were influenced in selecting evidence by having an opportunity to share it during their professional duties, how well the evidence fit their professional role, successes in using the evidence in similar contexts, and how well it fit the healthcare decision-making culture of the country. Initiatives to increase evidence uptake should consider strengthening the use of knowledge brokers in health organizations and building their capacity to work across countries and regions

Managing university-industry linkage in government universities of Ethiopia : challenges and opportunities

This study set-out to examine how university-industry linkage (UIL) is managed in government universities of Ethiopia to contribute to the economic development of the country. Basic questions related to the level of management of UIL, areas of linkage, benefits obtained so far from this partnership, challenges to the proper management of UIL, and the existing opportunities for promoting UIL were raised. In addition to this, strategies for strengthening UIL were also dealt with. In relation to this, the study was framed with the system theory viewpoints and human capital theory viewing universities as a system linked to its external environment like industries. As a model, interactive/balanced type of Triple Helix model was used as it integrates the activities of the government, universities and the industries. Moreover, this study reviewed global perspectives on UIL and an overview of the study context with greater emphasis on higher education reforms and proclamations. Philosophically, this study followed pragmatism research paradigm using mixed research approach. It also employed concurrent/parallel/convergent design in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected simultaneously, interpreted separately and combined at the time of discussion for better understanding of the problem. Equal importance for both data sets was given. Data were gathered from 99 college deans and department heads, 200 instructors and 316 prospective graduates. In addition to this, 23 interviewees from UILOs, industries, MoE, and MoST took part in this study. Moreover, two focus group discussions were also conducted with the university alumni and data were gathered through survey questionnaires, semi-structured interview, FGD question guides and document reviews. The study result indicated that both quantitative and qualitative data support one another. It was found out that UIL was at its infant stage of development in government universities of Ethiopia with limited areas, dominated by students’ internship. Ethiopian government universities have a link with the industries in areas of some limited joint research projects, consultancies and capacity building. Consequently, universities benefitted by attaching their students with the industries and students got practical exposure to the real world of work. Industries also benefitted from the training provided to them, consultancies and joint research projects. On the other hand, UIL in government universities of Ethiopia was challenged by institutional bottlenecks, policy-practice gaps, contextual variation and information gaps, finance and awareness related caveats, work overload, and facility related hurdles. Moreover, lack of trust and commitment between U & I, lack of commitment and support from the leadership of both universities and industries, and the reluctance of the local industries to work with the universities remained a big rift to UIL. This study also sheds light on the expansion of universities and industries in different parts of the country as the opportunities to be tapped to promote UIL. Further, the attention of the government by designing different policies, strategies, directives and conferences was taken as the opportunity. As a major contribution, this study came up with the model that was designed to improve the practice of management of UIL in government universities of Ethiopia. To overcome the above challenges and to make use of existing opportunities, it was recommended that improving leadership and management related challenges through joint planning, organising, staffing and decision-making. Moreover, it was highly laudable to make a paradigm shift in the roles of universities from teaching dominated to research and innovation universities. Finally, bridging policy-practice gaps, increase networking, arranging various sensitising and advertising programmes and creating a further avenue for more research were commented.Educational Leadership and ManagementD. Ed. (Education Management