Improving the attention students pay to, and the extent to which they act upon feedback.

Report of a CELT project on supporting students through innovation and researchThat learning is a cyclical process and that assessment drives learning are established facts. It is essential that an assessment regime considers not only what a student should know but also their approach to their learning. If students are required to evaluate, for instance, the ethical implications of IT, then it is not appropriate to use an assessment instrument that simply asks for regurgitation of information. In order to improve future performances, feedback on work presented by a knowledgeable other person, whether tutor, placement supervisor or peer, is essential.2 Staff perceive that feedback prompts student discussion of their work, enables understanding and improves learning. The aims of this project were to improve the efficacy of the feedback process and the quality of assessment feedback in the School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT). This was through the implementation of a range of steps, based on those proposed by Gibbs during the University of Wolverhampton Campaign on Assessment 2002/03)

Talking Glossary of Genomics Terminology: A Genomics Education Module for American Indian Communities

This paper describes the development of an audio visual genomics glossary that was designed as an education tool for American Indian communities. This “Talking Glossary of Genomics Terminology” is a multimedia DVD that was modeled on the “Talking Glossary of Genetics,” which was developed by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). The NHGRI Glossary was modified and expanded with content designed to increase awareness among American Indians about cancer, genomics, and personalized medicine. Partners on the project include the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., Phoenix Indian Medical Center, Arizona Cancer Center at the University of Arizona, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, as well as Arizona State University and University of Arizona graduate students

Do we (mis)recognise the political power of Twitter?

We are told that Twitter is the new public sphere, the place where we hold government accountable, encourage diverse voices, and provide resources for public benefit like education, healthcare, and welfare. Using the #metoo campaign as a case study, Naomi Barnes and Huw Davies question whether Twitter really is a public sphere or if it is simply a platform capitalist that monetises displays of outrage

Livelihood Adaptation, Public Action and Civil Society: A Review of the Literature

The political dimensions of sustainable livelihoods are explored here, drawing on the livelihood adaptation literature in India and Sub-Saharan Africa. The focus is on adaptation to short-term shocks and the negative consequences of longer-term change in livelihood strategies. Relationships of social exclusion, in particular gendered relationships with the state, formal and informal civil society, are found to be key in determining the effects of interventions into livelihood systems for different stakeholders. The very different configurations of public action, civil society and community involvement in reinforcing livelihood activities are compared, to see whether there are useful lessons to be transferred between the regions. The complexity of these relationships and the importance of societal differences between the two regions indicate that no single model offers an optimum relationship between the state and civil society in livelihood adaptation. However, many policy initiatives are advocated for Sub-Saharan Africa as a result of their success in India, without considering differences in formal and informal institutional arrangements. Attention needs to be paid to these underlying institutional arrangements, and to the outcomes of public or social action on livelihood activities for different stakeholders

Social anxiety in learning: Stages of change in a sample of UK undergraduates

© 2014 UCU. Social anxiety in learning is prevalent amongst traditional-age students and has a marked effect on their engagement with higher education. It receives little attention from academic or support services and there is a presumption that students will manage their anxieties. Yet it is unclear what psychosocial resources they might bring to this task and how these may develop through the undergraduate years. This study sought to identify possible change processes in student social anxiety by analysing qualitative responses obtained from Level 2 undergraduate students (n=39) in relation to their experience of learning situations such as lectures, seminars and group presentations. Thematic analysis suggested a four-stage developmental progression for students in terms of their experience and orientation to coping with social anxiety. Implications for staff development and student support are outlined

How professionalisation of outreach practitioners could improve the quality of evaluation and evidence:a proposal

Professionalising outreach and evaluation work would enhance the quality and rigour of provision, benefit widening participation students and achieve regulatory requirements (Bowes et al. [2019]. The National Collaborative Outreach Programme End of Phase 1 report for the national formative and impact evaluations. Office for Students; Rainford [2020]. “Working with/in institutions: how policy enactment in widening participation is shaped through practitioners’ experience.” British Journal of Sociology of Education 42 (2): 287–303). This article presents practitioners’ experiences of how social justice can often feel unaligned to the technical expertise required in rigorous project design and evaluation. Professionalising outreach would achieve both improved practice and meet practitioners’ needs for development and a united professional voice. A professional body sharing standard methods of practice, offering CPD and skills would elevate outreach practitioners to a ‘professional’ standing (Eraut [1994]. Developing professional knowledge and competence. Falmer Press)

Who Attends Couples Counseling in the UK and Why?

In England, publicly funded couples therapy is reserved for couples where one or both partners present with psychological disorders, rather than relationship distress, despite evidence of a bidirectional relationship between the two. Demographics and presenting issues for 14,726 couples who received counseling through a third-sector counseling organization in England and Wales were investigated. Clients were often White, aged 25–54, and presented with interpersonal issues. “Mental health problems” were identified as an issue by about a quarter of all clients. This suggests that many couples seeking relationship counseling wish to address relational versus psychological distress, which has implications for publicly funded services