32 research outputs found
A tale of mice and (wo)men: will current policies on extending working lives improve quality of life for all.
A new framework for the design and evaluation of a learning institutionās student engagement activities
In this article we explore the potential for attempts to encourage student engagement to be conceptualised as behaviour change activity, and specifically whether a new framework to guide such activity has potential value for the Higher Education (HE) sector. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) (Michie, Susan, Maartje M van Stralen, and Robert West. 2011. āThe Behaviour Change Wheel: A New Method for Characterising and Designing Behaviour Change Interventions.ā Implementation ScienceāÆ: IS 6 (1): 42. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-6-42) is a framework for the systematic design and development of behaviour change interventions. It has yet to be applied to the domain of student engagement. This article explores its potential, by assessing whether the BCW comprehensively aligns with the state of student engagement as currently presented in the HE literature. This work achieves two things. It firstly allows a prima facie assessment of whether student engagement activity can be readily aligned with the BCW framework. It also highlights omissions and prevalence of activity types in the HE sector, compared with other sectors where behaviour change practice is being successfully applied
Using the āBalanced Scorecardā Method to Evaluate and Plan Writing Centre Provision
In the UK higher education context, central services such as writing centres are coming under management scrutiny and writing developers are being asked to demonstrate the impact of their work. This article discusses one way in which writing centres can evaluate their provision for evidence of effectiveness and to gauge their potential for expansion. Taking as a case study the development of the Coventry Online Writing Lab (COWL) at Coventry University, England, the article reports on the use of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) technique (Kaplan and Norton, 1992) to examine how extending one writing centreās provision through the development of an online component has been considered and justified. The BSC is an evaluation tool that takes into account stakeholdersā perspectives, internal institutional processes, finance and budgets, and staff development needs, and sees these as integral and important drivers of an organisationās results (Grayson, 2004: 1). The article discusses the benefits and limitations of such an approach within this case study and its implications for strategic planning for writing centres and other forms of university writing provision
A new lens on a persistent problem:Using emergent theory to investigate the barriers to progression of female STEM academics at a UK university
Using the āBalanced Scorecardā Method to Evaluate and Plan Writing Centre Provision: a Case Study of the Coventry Online Writing Lab (COWL) Project
In the UK higher education context, central services such as writing centres are coming under management scrutiny and writing developers are being asked to demonstrate the impact of their work. This article discusses one way in which writing centres can evaluate their provision for evidence of effectiveness and to gauge their potential for expansion. Taking as a case study the development of the Coventry Online Writing Lab (COWL) at Coventry University, England, the article reports on the use of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) technique (Kaplan and Norton, 1992) to examine how extending one writing centreās provision through the development of an online component has been considered and justified. The BSC is an evaluation tool that takes into account stakeholdersā perspectives, internal institutional processes, finance and budgets, and staff development needs, and sees these as integral and important drivers of an organisationās results (Grayson, 2004: 1). The article discusses the benefits and limitations of such an approach within this case study and its implications for strategic planning for writing centres and other forms of university writing provision
Staphylococcus aureus Manganese Transport Protein C Is a Highly Conserved Cell Surface Protein That Elicits Protective Immunity Against S. aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus
aureus and other staphylococci cause severe human disease, and there are currently no vaccines available. We evaluated whether manganese transport protein C (MntC), which is conserved across the staphylococcal species group, could confer protection against S. aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. In vivo analysis of S. aureus MntC expression revealed that expression occurs very early during the infectious cycle. Active immunization with MntC was effective at reducing the bacterial load associated with S. aureus and S. epidermidis infection in an acute murine bacteremia model. Anti-MntC monoclonal antibodies have been identified that can bind S. aureus and S. epidermidis cells and are protective in an infant rat passive protection model and induce neutrophil respiratory burst activity. This is the first description of a protein that has the potential to provide protection across the staphylococcal species group
An evidence based approach to creating an ageāfriendly culture
PurposeRecent changes in demographics make older workers a key issue for HR practices, policy and procedure. There exists a clear business case for valuing older workers but organizations are often unclear as to how this should be achieved. The aim of this paper is to show how an evidenceābased approach using a tool from Coventry University and ACAS can help in creating an ageāfriendly culture.Design/methodology/approachCoventry University and ACAS have developed an age audit tool (AAT) that enables organizations to examine various areas of the business. The results of the AAT allow organizations to develop targeted action orientated strategies that are pertinent to their situation.FindingsPilot results suggest that the AAT is relevant to different types and size of organization. However, like any change management approach, moving towards an age friendly policy will require careful planning, top level buyāin and ownership. It will also need to be evidence based and aligned to other HR policies, procedures and government legislation.Originality/valueAs more organizations use the AAT we will be able to build a picture of the issues facing organizations and provide focused workshops, conferences and consultancy. The anonymous data gathered will also allow companies to benchmark against similar organizations in their sector.</jats:sec