Education alignment

This essay reviews recent developments in embedding data management and curation skills into information technology, library and information science, and research-based postgraduate courses in various national contexts. The essay also investigates means of joining up formal education with professional development training opportunities more coherently. The potential for using professional internships as a means of improving communication and understanding between disciplines is also explored. A key aim of this essay is to identify what level of complementarity is needed across various disciplines to most effectively and efficiently support the entire data curation lifecycle

Developing High Performance Computing Resources for Teaching Cluster and Grid Computing courses

High-Performance Computing (HPC) and the ability to process large amounts of data are of paramount importance for UK business and economy as outlined by Rt Hon David Willetts MP at the HPC and Big Data conference in February 2014. However there is a shortage of skills and available training in HPC to prepare and expand the workforce for the HPC and Big Data research and development. Currently, HPC skills are acquired mainly by students and staff taking part in HPC-related research projects, MSc courses, and at the dedicated training centres such as Edinburgh University’s EPCC. There are few UK universities teaching the HPC, Clusters and Grid Computing courses at the undergraduate level. To address the issue of skills shortages in the HPC it is essential to provide teaching and training as part of both postgraduate and undergraduate courses. The design and development of such courses is challenging since the technologies and software in the fields of large scale distributed systems such as Cluster, Cloud and Grid computing are undergoing continuous change. The students completing the HPC courses should be proficient in these evolving technologies and equipped with practical and theoretical skills for future jobs in this fast developing area. In this paper we present our experience in developing the HPC, Cluster and Grid modules including a review of existing HPC courses offered at the UK universities. The topics covered in the modules are described, as well as the coursework projects based on practical laboratory work. We conclude with an evaluation based on our experience over the last ten years in developing and delivering the HPC modules on the undergraduate courses, with suggestions for future work

Research education for diversity in educational research

Concern, expressed by government and other funding agencies and consumers of research, about the quality and relevance of research in the field of education affects not only the kind of research is conducted but also the way in which we educate researchers. The economic imperative for ‘value for money’ from research and researchers has, for instance, led to the education of research students to be seen increasingly in terms of training in a range of generic skills that can be applied to the investigation of a range of forms of research problem in a variety of contexts. Whilst breadth in the education of researchers has clear advantages, both for the careers of individual researchers and the wider research community, there is some tension between this approach and the more established view of a research degree as an induction into a narrow domain of knowledge and the production of a highly specialised academic identity. There are further developments that erode this notion of specialisation, for instance the growth of mixed method research, which has the potential to challenge the polarisation of qualitative and quantitative research, and shifts in the sites and agents of educational research signified by the growth of professional doctorates, which could further challenge the university as a dominant institution in the production of educational knowledge. In this paper I will explore what these developments mean for the teaching of research and consider how we can work collaboratively to develop both professional researchers and researching professionals, and reconcile the acquisition of skills with induction into specialised knowledge domains. This will involve exploration of both an overarching framework for thinking about the processes of doing research and specific examples of practice. Underlying the approach taken is a general commitment to research education, rather than to training and the teaching of methods, and the desire to ensure dynamism and diversity in educational research, in terms of approach, substantive focus and theoretical orientation, and of sites, practices and agents of knowledge production

Roles and responsibilities: Libraries, librarians and data.

Reviews opportunities and challenges for libraries and librarians in the research data arena, with reference to published reports and case studies of emerging practice, supplemented by evidence from university and library websites. Looks at connections between research data management (RDM) and established library roles and responsibilities to explore whether RDM represents an incremental step in professional practice or a paradigm shift in collection development and service delivery requiring fundamental rethinking of roles, responsibilities, and competencies to create “next-generation librarianship,” drawing on experiences and opinions of practitioners in the field. Also discusses professional education and continuing development needs for library engagement with research data, referring particularly to initiatives in the USA

Publishing undergraduate research: linking teaching and research through a dedicated peer reviewed open access journal

In 2015, the University of Huddersfield Press launched Fields: the journal of Huddersfield student research. The journal was developed with two key purposes: ensuring that high quality student research was made available to a broader audience and inspiring students to work to the highest standards by considering the potential of their work for impact in the wider world. The existing literature is reviewed regarding the growth of student research journals, as well as some of the benefits these journals can offer to students. The institutional rationale for Fields is outlined and the process of setting up a multidisciplinary open access student research journal is discussed. The outcomes of an evaluation are presented with particular focus to lessons learned and future developments to improve support for authors. The experience of the project team will be useful to universities and university presses considering strategies for supporting students to develop research for publication/dissemination

Army initial acquisition training: an analysis of costs and benefits

MBA Professional ReportThis research estimates the costs of training and educating Army Acquisition officers using three different courses of action. We analyze the most cost effective means for an officer to earn a graduate degree, complete military education level four and satisfy technical training requirements of the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act. The most cost-effective alternative is to accomplish these concurrently while attending the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). We also informally assess that, relative to the alternative courses of action, the NPS alternative has more benefits due to the defense focus of the degree and because all of the educational requirements are completed in the shortest amount of time, which benefits the Army. Our research provides senior leaders’ recommendations for the least costly way of developing a highly trained Acquisition Corps.http://archive.org/details/armyinitialcquis1094547908Major, United States ArmyCaptain, United States ArmyLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Educating the academic librarian as a blended professional : a review and case study

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Educating the academic librarian as a blended professional: a review and case study

Purpose This paper aims to explore the phenomenon of the hybrid information specialist in the academic library setting. It does this in relation to curriculum development for preparatory and continuing professional education for librarianship and makes particular reference to the contemporary iSchools movement. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews trends and developments in academic information services and the information science academy in the context of continuing technological advances and educational change. It presents a case study of curriculum development and portfolio renewal, using the specialist roles of digital library manager and information literacy educator to show how the principles of interactive planning can be applied in articulating an academic strategy to meet the changing demands of educational institutions, professional bodies and employers. Findings There are significant parallels between professional education and professional practice in the shifting boundaries, expanded portfolios and challenged identities evident in the current information marketplace. A combination of continuous incremental development with periodic fundamental review enables professional educators to meet the changing mandates of different stakeholder groups. When combined with a strong professional focus, the breadth and depth of multidisciplinary expertise found in a researchled iSchool facilitates the design of specialised pathways and programmes for practitioners moving into blended roles. Practical implications Practitioners intent on careers in academic libraries should consider the opportunities and demands of hybrid blended roles when choosing educational programmes and pathways. Originality/value The paper provides a conceptual framework to illustrate the nature of emergent professional roles and current challenges facing professional educators. Ackoff's interactive planning theory is used to illuminate the problem of academic planning in complex pluralist contexts. © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved