Search results
1 – 10 of over 167000Annelieke Michelle van Engelenhoven, Josefine L. Geiger, A. Berfu Ünal, Rowan-Niels Spinder and Indira S.E. van der Zande
To effectively generate solutions to today's complex challenges, cooperation between governments, industry, civil society and academia is essential. To adequately prepare students…
Abstract
Purpose
To effectively generate solutions to today's complex challenges, cooperation between governments, industry, civil society and academia is essential. To adequately prepare students for collaboration across academic and non-academic disciplines and stakeholders, Living Labs (LLs), unique research internships have emerged in the educational systems, which are focused on generating insights for society while embedding student learning in both practice and academia. To legitimise the LLs as a method of education in the academic curriculum, it is necessary to evaluate the experience of and potential benefits for students with regard to the development of their academic, professional and personal skills. Hence, this paper aims to investigate the outcomes of participating in LLs from the student's perspective via a case study at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. A secondary aim is to evaluate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the learning experience of the students.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employed self-reported pre-and post-questionnaires into students' confidence levels with regard to their academic, professional and personal skills. A total of 35 questionnaires were conducted during the period February 2020–July 2021. The authors subsequently applied evaluation research, using a benchmarking approach, to analyse the data.
Findings
This study firstly indicates that students are most confident in their personal skills, both before and after conducting the LL, and that they further developed these due to being pushed outside of their growth zone by the various challenges posed during the LL, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, while students seem to have become more aware of their professional skills in the LL, this was the aspect on which no improvement was reported after conducting the LL, potentially due to an increased awareness of one's own room for improving professional skills outside of academia. Thirdly, students' reported academic skills improved the most during the LL, which highlights the importance of embedding academic learning both in theory and practice. Lastly, the impact of COVID-19 changed the setting of the LL which led to challenges but also opportunities with respect to research design, time investment and communication.
Practical implications
As LLs seem to contribute to transversal and academic skill development of students, we can legitimise their increasingly common place in higher education curricula. LLs are not only beneficial for stakeholders and society as they generate new insights into societal questions, they are also of added value to students who actively collaborate with the external organisations and researchers. The LLs can thus be seen as a method of education which contributes to students' preparation for future careers, which is one of the main tasks of higher education institutions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the LLs were conducted online, which resulted in disadvantages and advantages. Future LLs can be anticipated on more hybrid or even further online collaborations, which also opens the possibility of collaboration with international organisations located at different parts of the world. In this case, extra attention will need to be devoted to aligning expectations among the different stakeholders and specifically focussing on ways to ensure good communication.
Originality/value
This case-study is one of the first studies that specifically looks at the newly emerging concept of LL research internships and the perception of the student while conducting LLs with societal partners. Previous literature on the topic is scarce and, if existing, has mainly focused on the benefit of the partner organisation or society. Instead, we purposefully reflect on how the collaboration contributes towards students' professional development and employability. By doing so, this paper is one of the first to shed light on the benefits accrued to students’ development by participating in an LL. In addition, as the case study, unexpectedly, took place at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were also able to evaluate the influence of COVID-19 on the LLs and draw insightful lessons learned for future collaborations with local and international partners in an online setting.
Details
Keywords
Radomir Ray Mitic and Hironao Okahana
The purpose of this study is to identify what skills gained during PhD study are linked with preparation and differences between industry and academic positions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify what skills gained during PhD study are linked with preparation and differences between industry and academic positions.
Design/methodology/approach
Using student-level data from nearly 2,400 early career PhD alumni from 50 US PhD granting institutions, this study uses a generalized ordered logit model with partial proportional odds to test the main and conditional effects of 14 areas of skill development on perceptions of career preparation.
Findings
This study contributes empirical evidence to show that research skills and communicating with non-technical audiences are positively linked with job preparation.
Practical implications
The combination of sophisticated research and noncognitive skills promotes the idea of a well-rounded PhD – a highly skilled and versatile researcher that can interact in both academic and industry settings – as a goal of doctoral education. The knowledge gained from this study will assist scholars and graduate educators, including faculty advisors, program directors, graduate deans, graduate education professionals and career development professionals to reconceptualize professional preparation for work in industry.
Social implications
For-profit businesses, particularly start-up companies, are vital for economic development and many require PhD-level employees across research and management roles. Developing PhDs with the appropriate skills for industry will better align higher education and economic interests.
Originality/value
The wide scope of doctoral institutions allows for a quantitative approach not appropriate for single-institution case studies of doctoral career pathways research.
Details
Keywords
Latisha Reynolds, Samantha McClellan, Susan Finley, George Martinez and Rosalinda Hernandez Linares
This paper aims to highlight recent resources on information literacy (IL) and library instruction, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to highlight recent resources on information literacy (IL) and library instruction, providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering all library types.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs, dissertations and other materials on library instruction and IL published in 2015.
Findings
This paper provides information about each source, describes the characteristics of current scholarship and highlights sources that contain either unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and IL.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to assess current status of innovation and research skill in Myanmar that could contribute to the knowledge-based economy.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess current status of innovation and research skill in Myanmar that could contribute to the knowledge-based economy.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper suggests a critical review-based methodology that studies the knowledge-based economy of Myanmar, a beautiful country with all potential of practicing innovation and research skill. Employability skills among students and professionals make them professionally competent, thereby contributing the country as a knowledge-based economy (KBE). The KBE can ensure that a country becomes the biggest and sustainable economy in the world. Innovation and research-based skills play the most significant roles in novel contributions and consistent growth in all sectors of economy. Thus, it has been studied and concluded that Myanmar has been doing great to encourage, rather practice, the modern research and innovation skills in making it a KBE country. There are few important challenges that create gaps between skill development and KBE nation, which are identified, and the recommendations have been made to overcome the challenges envisaging Myanmar as a KBE. Quality indicators and a set of skills and viable ways of their development are identified.
Findings
The innovation and research-based skills need great attention in this country. However, the sincere efforts have been already initiated by the Government of Myanmar through few important activities.
Originality/value
The critical analysis of the study of status of innovation and research skill is based on an honest and extensive study of important documents and recommendations of various reputed organizations and universities. Thus, the reflections of the current status and recommendations are thoroughly novel.
Details
Keywords
Anna Marie Johnson and Sarah Jent
Sets out to provide a selected bibliography or recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
Sets out to provide a selected bibliography or recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Introduces and annotates periodical articles, monographs, and exhibition catalogues examining library instruction and information literacy.
Findings
Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship, and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Details
Keywords
Robert Detmering, Anna Marie Johnson, Claudene Sproles, Samantha McClellan and Rosalinda Hernandez Linares
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Introduces and annotates English-language periodical articles, monographs and other materials on library instruction and information literacy published in 2013.
Findings
Provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Details
Keywords
Anna Marie Johnson, Claudene Sproles and Latisha Reynolds
The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper introduces and annotates periodical articles, monographs, and audiovisual material examining library instruction and information literacy.
Findings
The findings provide information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship, and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.
Originality/value
The information may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Details
Keywords
Inga Wernersson and Monica Hansen Orwehag
The purpose of this paper is to understand how teachers, nurses and engineers view the use of scholarly skills, such as research and critical thinking, in occupational practice…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand how teachers, nurses and engineers view the use of scholarly skills, such as research and critical thinking, in occupational practice and what implications this understanding may have for (especially) teacher education.
Design/methodology/approach
Engineers, nurses and teachers who had worked for at least one year after their education was interviewed (telephone interviews). Four interviews from each category were made in this exploratory study.
Findings
Few of the interviewees spontaneously connect their research methods training or other elements of scientific thinking in their education to everyday work practice, but all give examples of systematic, reflective and critical elements as features present in the occupational context. Almost all also view the final thesis work done in their respective programmes as a gratifying experience. Further, they describe the freedom and independence they have in their choice of research question and form of work as appealing and encouraging.
Research limitations/implications
The study is exploratory and the results should be used to develop ideas about how to improve scholarly/scientific training in profession-oriented higher education programmes.
Practical implications
This paper explore ways to understand and further develop the teaching of scholarly/scientific attitudes and ways of thinking in profession-oriented university programmes.
Social implications
Scholarly skills such as critical thinking, analytical skills and awareness of different perspectives are important in all professions. How to design education to optimize such skills is important for people and society.
Originality/value
The value of the study is that it is a try to use experiences from different fields to improve the generic scholarly aspects of professional education (especially teacher education).
Details
Keywords
Jane Pritchard, Jane MacKenzie and Maggie Cusack
Training in both employability and discipline‐specific skills has been provided and expanded over a number of years for post‐graduate research students, (PGRs) in the Faculty of…
Abstract
Training in both employability and discipline‐specific skills has been provided and expanded over a number of years for post‐graduate research students, (PGRs) in the Faculty of Physical Sciences administered by the Physical Sciences Graduate School (PSGS) at the University of Glasgow. This project explored the training provided in 2005/06 with a view to further developing a programme that students and faculty alike consider appropriate, timely and developmental for the needs of research students. The training provided by the PSGS had grown over a number of years in response to suggestions from academic staff in the Faculty of Physical Sciences. Data were collected from Postgraduate Research students (PGRs) from all the stages of the 3 year PhD process to enable a complete map of views to emerge. In particular, the way PGR students perceive the training they undergo in relation to their core PhD research and career progression was examined. The students in our study also identified clearly where they perceived they were developing such transferable skills, and training sessions are not seen as the sole or even major source; the research group itself would appear to play a major role. The authors believe the finding could inform the provision of PGR training in other UK institutions.
Details
Keywords
This article presents an annotated bibliography of literature recently on library instruction and information literacy in academic, school, public, special, and all types of…
Abstract
This article presents an annotated bibliography of literature recently on library instruction and information literacy in academic, school, public, special, and all types of libraries. Interest in the topic remains strong, with a growing number of pieces also including the importance of assessment. Other themes discussed in the articles include research, collaboration, the use of tutorials, tours, distance learning, active learning, problem‐based learning, and the role of accreditation bodies.
Details