Archive | August, 2006

New Internet Economist tutorial released

17 Aug

A new edition of the “Internet Economist” online tutorial has been released in the Intute Virtual Training Suite at:

http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/economist

The tutorial, which teaches Internet research skills for students, has been completely updated and revised by Dr. Martin Poulter of the Economics Network, University of Bristol.

It is ideal for use in higher education economics courses, particularly in research methods or study skills modules.

The tutorial recommends key Internet resources for education and research; offers advice on Internet searching, with improved interactive exercises; and has a new section called “Success Stories” to illustrate how the Internet can be used effectively to support education and research in a variety of scenarios:

  • Finding conferences
  • Finding current economics research
  • Teaching an economics course
  • Keeping up to date with economics discussion
  • Applying for economics degrees
  • Seeking a job as an economist

The tutorial adopts a new pedagogic and Web design, giving it a new look and feel with improved graphics and interactivity.

“Internet Economist” will be updated and maintained by staff at Intute: Social Sciences.

Women in Business

16 Aug

Access to and the use of finance in the UK are seen as major barriers preventing more women from developing successful businesses, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

While the research found no evidence that banks deliberately discriminate against women business owners, it does call for changes in the training of bank loan officers, small business advisers and women entrepreneurs.

Researchers looking for more information on this topic could try the networking organisation the Women’s Business Network, the Centre for Women Business Leaders at Cranfield University or the journal Women in Management Review.

Intute: Social Sciences links to more resources on the issues of Women and Employment and Women in Business and Management.

Intute: Education news round-up

15 Aug

Here’s a round-up of the latest news to have wound up on the desks of the Intute: Education Editors.

August is the cruellest month for hundreds of thousands of teenagers waiting for GCSE and A-level results. But now research supported by the Teaching and Learning Research Programme, has shown that it is not only students who suffer from the stress of major public exams and national tests. Teachers, too, are unhappy about the pressures created by high-stakes exams and tests, the need to cover the curriculum at break-neck speed, and the tick-box culture that has developed in many schools.

Fewer young people entering further and higher education are choosing to study maths, according to the DfES Find Out More blog. Concerns over the decline in high-level maths qualifications and lower-level maths skills are reflected in a number of recent studies. Making Mathematics Count, Professor Adrian Smith’s inquiry into post-14 maths education, is especially influential. Its recommendations form much of the basis of the Government’s policy on maths.

Secondary schools must rethink the way they place pupils in classes if they are serious about all children reaching their potential, warns newly published research from the Institute of Education. A survey of 5,000 13- to 14-year-olds in English secondary schools showed that 62 per cent of pupils preferred to be in classes with others of similar ability (setting) – so long as they were in the high or middle sets. Those in the lower sets, or from poorer families said they preferred classes with pupils of all abilities (mixed ability) because of the stigma attached to being considered “thick”.

Intute: Education links to the best web resources for the study of education. If you have any suggestions for items that might be added to our collection, please do get in touch.

Tags:

Intute: Education news round-up

9 Aug

Here’s a round-up of the latest Education news to have landed in the desks of the Intute: Education Editor.

The latest Spotlight from SCRE (Scottish Council for Research in Education) looks at White children’s perspectives on inter-ethnic relations following the move from primary to secondary school and finds that most pupils appreciate the opportunity to mix with pupils from a broader range of backgrounds.

The theme of transition continues in a recent entry on the DfES Find Out More service. It examines how dips in academic performance following the transition from primary to secondary education can be avoided and what the Government is doing about this for English schools.

The Teaching and Learning Research Programme from the ESRC has announced a new series of projects looking at the subject of Technology Enhanced Learning or e-learning, in a variety of educational contexts. Further details of the projects that have been funded are available in the press release from TLRP.

The National Foundation for Educational Research has reluanched its publication Topic as Practical Research in Education with a new look and feel for its latest issue. While it remains a subscription based publication, the site also provides a series of articles on research engaged schools which are freely available.

Intute: Education links to the best web resources for the study of education. If you have any suggestions for items that might be added to our collection, please do get in touch.

Digital tribes and e-types

9 Aug

New research from the ESRC has highlighted 23 different e-types or digital tribes in Britain today, based on people’s use of technology.

Researchers on the e-Society Programme have moved beyond the simplistic noption of the digital divide – the haves and the have-nots – and provided a digital map of Britain’s technology use.

Members of the public can access their digital profile by tapping in their postcode on the e-Society profiler and seeing the likely use of ICT in their neighbourhood.

Researchers can find out more about this research from the BBC News report, the Spatial Literacy website, the research paper UK Geography of the E-Society (PDF) or the list of classifications or e-types.

Intute: Social Sciences provides access to the best educational web resources on the issue of social impact of technology or you may wish to browse the Sociology section on Science and Technology.

Tags:

Podcasting in the Social Sciences

4 Aug

Earlier in the year SOSIG, which has now become Intute: Social Sciences, produced a podcast for ESRC Social Science week called Social Science Voices, which tried to make the Social Science community more aware of the potential audio has for learning, teaching and research.

Since then a number of other Social Science related podcasts have come to our attention, including StatTalk, which deals with data and statistical topics, EconTalk, produced by the Library of Economics and Liberty, which features discussions of public policy with leading Economic researchers and the Travel and Tourism podcast directory which features links to series of academic podcasts in these subjects.

Search Intute: Social Sciences for more resources to do with podcasts, sound or audio

What effect does migration have on Britain?

3 Aug

A new booklet on ‘Globalisation, population mobility and impact of migration on population’ (PDF, 1.9Mb), produced by the ESRC highlights the effects that migration has on Britain, its economy and the future of our society.

Professor John Salt, of University College, London, said:

“Opening up of the labour market to citizens of the new member states of the EU from May 2004 initiated what is almost certainly the largest ever single wave of immigration the British Isles have ever experienced, with Poles the largest ever single national group of entrants.”

Researchers looking to find out more about the effects of migration could try the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) at the University of Oxford, the Migration Research Unit at UCL, or for an international perspective the OECD Trends in International Migration and in Migration Policies.

Intute: Social Sciences features many more websites on the issue of migration.

Education research round-up

1 Aug

Here’s a round-up of the latest Education research news to have reached the inbox of the Intute: Education editors.

The National Foundation for Education Research has just released the summer edition of nfernews which presents brief summaries of research items, including assessment of reading, the issues concerning headteachers and the impact of feedback on school performance.

The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth draws our attention to gifted youngsters who do not wish to have their food choices dictated by school policy and they are promoting the national register for gifted and talented pupils.

The General Teaching Council for England has released its latest Research of the Month summary which looks at comparative education studies, specifically the French and English primary school system

Finally, the Teaching and Learning Research Programme has produced a series of commentaries on various educational issues including, 14-19 education, science education in schools and improving teaching and learning.

Intute: Education links to the best web resources for the study of education. If you have any suggestions for items that might be added to our collection, please do get in touch.

Tags:

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.