Podcasting - putting the library back at the centre of learning

During the first three months of 2006 Glasgow University Library looked at the use of podcasting following a request from Joe Maguire, a final-year student who wanted to carry out a project to podcast a talk on how to gain entry to the building. The introduction of podcasting at Glasgow University has been a user-generated project developed with a user perspective from conception to end service

Teacher competence development – a European perspective

This chapter provides an European perspectives on teacher competence development

Mekanisme pengurusan hutang dalam pembahagian harta pusaka orang-orang Islam di Malaysia

Pengurusan hutang merupakan tanggungjawab setiap individu untuk melangsaikannya. Namun masyarakat Islam di Malaysia kini memandang ringan mengenai tanggungjawab pengurusan hutang dalam menguruskan harta pusaka sehingga mengakibatkan timbulnya isu harta beku yang semakin meningkat peratusannya setiap tahun. Pengabaian menguruskan penyelesaian hutang dalam harta pusaka boleh berlaku disebabkan beberapa faktor antaranya, kedudukan dan status hutang si mati yang tidak jelas dan faktor daripada sikap tidak prihatin di kalangan ahli waris atau pentadbir yang dilantik menguruskan harta si mati. Salah satu faktor fenomena ini berlaku disebabkan ketidakfahaman pentadbir atau ahli waris terhadap prosedur di agensi pengurusan harta pusaka termasuk hal mekanisme untuk menyelesaikan hutang peninggalan si mati. Justeru itu, kajian ini bertujuan mengenal pasti prosedur pengurusan hutang si mati dalam pembahagian harta pusaka. Oleh itu, pengumpulan data dengan penggunaan kaedah kualitatif melalui kaedah temu bual dan analisis dokumen daripada fail kes digunakan di dalam kajian ini. Hasil kajian mendapati agensi pengurusan harta mempunyai bidang kuasa tertentu dalam menguruskan hutang peninggalan si mati bergantung kepada jenis dan kedudukan status harta dan hutang. Selain itu, didapati pengurusan hutang peninggalan si mati didapati lebih kompeten dikendalikan oleh Unit Pembahagian Pusaka Kecil (UPPK) manakala Amanah Raya Berhad pula lebih memainkan peranan sebagai Pentadbir harta pusaka si mati manakala Mahkamah Syariah pula lebih kompeten dalam urusan pengesahan ahli waris melalui perintah serta penentuan kadar bahagian ahli waris masing-masing termasuk Baitulmal. Beberapa cadangan turut dikemukakan di dalam kajian ini bagi meningkatkan pengetahuan umat Islam terhadap permasalahan hutang dalam harta pusaka dan meningkatkan perkhidmatan agensi-agensi yang berkenaan di Malaysia

Student user preferences for features of next-generation OPACs: a case study of University of Sheffield international students

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to identity the features that international student users prefer for next generation OPACs. Design/ methodology/ approach. 16 international students of the University of Sheffield were interviewed in July 2008 to explore their preferences among potential features in next generation OPACs. A semi-structured interview schedule with images of mock-up screens was used. Findings. The results of the interviews were broadly consistent with previous studies. In general, students expect features in next generation OPACs should be save their time, easy to use and relevant to their search. This study found that recommender features and features that can provide better navigation of search results are desired by users. However, Web 2.0 features, such as RSS feeds and those features which involved user participation were among the most popular. Practical implications. This paper produces findings of relevance to any academic library seeking to implement a next-generation OPAC. Originality/value. There have been no previous published research studies of users’ preferences among possible features of next-generation OPACs

Adapting the 23Things programme for health librarian professional education

In the UK, as elsewhere, continuing professional development is seen to be a necessary professional activity. However resourcing is problematic and funding varies between employing agencies. The 23Things programme has evolved to address these constraints. In particular it reduces the time for staff to be absent from core functions and makes maximum use of peer support. Within a common structure the programme delivers development to personnel at all professional levels. Activities are learner defined and relevant to their personal context. The pace of progress is learner determined. Cambridge University Medical Library (CUML) has designed its own 23Things programme. While conforming to the general model of 23Things, CUML adapted the programme in three ways. 1. to meet the specific learning needs of the library staff 2. to select topics and tasks related to the subject focus of the library 3. to include a new strand of professional development called Follow That.. Follow That... was designed to foster better understanding of each team members role in delivering core services in the library, and to improve the integration and awareness of expertise within a relatively large team This paper will describe the way in which the programme was set up, the selection of tasks and activities, and the pitfalls encountered. Also included will be an overall evaluation of the programme from the perspective of the participants and the programme designers

Community-based mentoring and innovating through Web 2.0

The rise of social software, often termed Web 2.0, has resulted in heightened awareness of the opportunities for creative and innovative approaches to learning that are afforded by network technologies. Social software platforms and social networking technologies have become part of the learning landscape both for those who learn formally within institutions, and for those who learn informally via emergent web-based learning communities. As collaborative online learning becomes a reality, new skills in communication and collaboration are required in order to use new technologies effectively, develop real digital literacy and other 21st century skills

Vote With Your Purse 2.0: Women's Online Giving, Offline Power

Examines trends in women's online political giving; how they use Web 2.0 tools to engage in, donate for, and network for social change; the characteristics of online donors; and the potential impact on women's political clout among donors

Weblogs in Higher Education - Why Do Students (Not) Blog?

Positive impacts on learning through blogging, such as active knowledge construction and reflective writing, have been reported. However, not many students use weblogs in informal contexts, even when appropriate facilities are offered by their universities. While motivations for blogging have been subject to empirical studies, little research has addressed the issue of why students choose not to blog. This paper presents an empirical study undertaken to gain insights into the decision making process of students when deciding whether to keep a blog or not. A better understanding of students' motivations for (not) blogging may help decision makers at universities in the process of selecting, introducing, and maintaining similar services. As informal learning gains increased recognition, results of this study can help to advance appropriate designs of informal learning contexts in Higher Education. The method of ethnographic decision tree modelling was applied in an empirical study conducted at the Vienna University of Technology, Austria. Since 2004, the university has been offering free weblog accounts for all students and staff members upon entering school, not bound to any course or exam. Qualitative, open interviews were held with 3 active bloggers, 3 former bloggers, and 3 non‑ bloggers to elicit their decision criteria. Decision tree models were developed out of the interviews. It turned out that the modelling worked best when splitting the decision process into two parts: one model representing decisions on whether to start a weblog at all, and a second model representing criteria on whether to continue with a weblog once it was set up. The models were tested for their validity through questionnaires developed out of the decision tree models. 30 questionnaires have been distributed to bloggers, former bloggers and non‑ bloggers. Results show that the main reasons for students not to keep a weblog include a preference for direct (online) communication, and concerns about the loss of privacy through blogging. Furthermore, the results indicate that intrinsic motivation factors keep students blogging, whereas stopping a weblog is mostly attributable to external factors