{"title":"Podcasting and vodcasting to BSc Geography students","authors":"L. Brown","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240062","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The development and spread of second-generation internet technologies has led to a rapid increase in the number of lectures being recorded and podcast (audio cast) or vodcast (video cast) to students. This study discusses a podcast and vodcast trial delivered to Level 3 BSc Geography students at the University of Leeds during 2007/08 and 2008/09 to ascertain the value of the process for learning. The majority of students reported using podcasts and vodcasts whilst sat at computers either at home or at university. Students reported several perceived benefits from podcasts including their use as a revision aid and a tendency towards more reading of the literature. Students were fully supportive of the podcasting experience and suggested useful ideas for improvements for future podcasting initiatives.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"28 1","pages":"62 - 67"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81444172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using internet-based problem-solving activities to enhance students' understanding of 3-dimensional spatial relationships","authors":"Maggie Williams, P. Williams, A. Boyle","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240068","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Ability to understand 3-dimensional spatial relationships is essential for students' progression in all three disciplines (Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences) and many students find difficulty in acquiring this ability. This paper presents results for a research project exploring whether or not use of internet-based activities could enhance students' understanding of 3-dimensional spatial relationships: a project funded by the GEES Subject Centre Small-Scale Learning and Teaching Project Fund.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"22 1","pages":"68 - 75"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85306656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Student experiences of foundation degrees in further and higher education","authors":"D. Simm, A. Marvell, H. Winlow, R. Schaaf","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240002","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The number and variety of foundation degrees offered by UK universities has grown in recent years. Many are delivered off-campus at partner Further Education institutions or through workplace learning, whilst others are partly embedded within existing undergraduate degree programmes at Higher Education institutions. Each route presents Higher Education with new issues and challenges, namely responding to the skills training and pastoral support needed by incoming foundation degree students at different levels of HE. The ability of foundation degree students to make the transition to a university environment will affect their academic performance, and retention and completion rates. This article explores these aspects in relation to foundation degrees offered by two universities and Further Education colleges in southwest England.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"16 1","pages":"2 - 9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84275166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"‘Investing in yourself’: personal development planning in practice","authors":"F. Tucker, A. Duncan, L. Davis","doi":"10.11120/PLAN.2011.00240010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/PLAN.2011.00240010","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The importance of Personal Development Planning (PDP) and student employability has been well documented in the GEES disciplines. This paper considers feedback from undergraduate final year geography students at The University of Northampton on completion of a 10-credit module, including career planning, a short teaching placement and the completion of a reflective diary. The paper outlines the tangible and ‘hard to capture’ benefits identified by three cohorts of students and highlights the value of individual programmes of study in helping students engage with PDP.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"25 1","pages":"10 - 13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77470796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Transdisciplinarity and reflective practice in sustainable development learning","authors":"J. Blewitt","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240037","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Using various extracts from the reflective commentaries of MSc students, this article explores how transdisciplinarity and reflective practice operate in the programme. It shows how learners managed the uncertainties of sustainable development through regular critical and evaluative reflections. Students were able to apprehend the several worlds making up the sustainable development project and their own personal learning journey through the various competing, complementary and occasionally contradictory perspectives, modes of learning, sources of knowledge and information. One conceptual device facilitating this process was offering an understanding of sustainable development as constituting a ‘dialogue of values’, an approach that effectively invites students to square the metaphorical circle - i.e. broadly reconciling (ecological) sustainability with (economic) development.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"16 1","pages":"37 - 41"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82466468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Study skills enhancement through geography and environmental fieldwork","authors":"Anne C. Wheeler, C. Young, Ken Oliver, J. Smith","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240014","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Fieldwork is central to the GEES disciplines and is widely recognised as being key to the development of subject knowledge and skills. This paper focuses on the acquisition of study skills and the additional dimension that fieldwork contributes to the overall student learning experience. We define a study skill as a learned or inherent ability that assists in the gaining of knowledge. Using this definition our research indicates that fieldwork significantly influences the development of students' study skills and builds confidence in their subject and personal abilities.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"12 1","pages":"14 - 20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78656760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A component-based approach to open educational resources in climate change education","authors":"S. Haslett, J. Wallen","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240089","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper reports on the creation of Open Educational Resources (OER) for climate change education as part of a Higher Education Academy (HEA)/Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)-funded initiative managed by HEA-GEES entitled The C-Change Project. A component-based approach has been adopted by the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at the University of Wales, Newport, which has contributed OER at different levels of learning object granularity. The learning objects comprise over 2000 photographs, 50 videos and a range of PowerPoint presentations that provide examples of how the smaller learning objects may be used in a particular learning context. The objects have been uploaded to a repository hosted by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), JorumOpen, and also to Web 2.0 platforms, such as Flickr, YouTube and Slideshare. We strongly advocate this component-based approach as it eases the distribution and sharing of the OER learning objects and reuse in different learning situations. This also encourages a sustainable and systematic approach to creating OER, as images and videos may be created and uploaded relatively quickly, which is of benefit in the fast-moving arena of climate change education.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"17 1","pages":"89 - 92"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77836540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"C-change in GEES case studies","authors":"Michael I. Sanders","doi":"10.11120/PLAN.2011.00240083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/PLAN.2011.00240083","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"101 1","pages":"83 - 84"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85817462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A project-based approach to research skills development in first year undergraduates","authors":"J. Maskall, S. Cotterell","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240022","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This paper discusses the design, implementation and benefits of a project-based, problem-driven approach to a stage one research skills module. Participating students on the BSc Environmental Science programme at the University of Plymouth responded positively to the experience of undertaking applied field- and laboratory-based projects designed to address ‘real-world’ problems. Students reported significant gains in their understanding of the research process, confidence to undertake research, the ability to work in groups and the ability to reflect on their projects. Potential pitfalls of the approach are identified and actions taken to address these are outlined.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"7 1","pages":"22 - 29"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91103691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jim R. Andrews, C. Smith-Duque, Freja Hunt, J. Bouchard, Alice Jones, Daria Hinz, Christina Schibartz
{"title":"OER — the Southampton experience","authors":"Jim R. Andrews, C. Smith-Duque, Freja Hunt, J. Bouchard, Alice Jones, Daria Hinz, Christina Schibartz","doi":"10.11120/plan.2011.00240085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11120/plan.2011.00240085","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The Southampton experience of OER has been successful in repurposing over 50 CAT points of climate change resources. There is evidence of culture change amongst those staff who have contributed resources when clearing third party material, and successful negotiations with publishers have depended upon establishing contacts and networking in order to side-step a standardized web process. The level of resource required to repurpose materials means it is unrealistic to expect a widespread take up in UK educational institutions unless, at a national level, the community can negotiate agreements with the major scientific publishers. The requirement of authors to relinquish their copyright when publishing journals has significantly impeded open access in this project. Local repositories currently offer a more user friendly interface than JorumOpen.","PeriodicalId":85255,"journal":{"name":"People & the planet","volume":"57 1","pages":"85 - 88"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83985386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}