The main purpose of this study was to investigate online collaborative activities based on the differences of individual students, to enhance creativity in small groups and reduce transactional distance (TD) in an online learning environment. The relationships among gender, thinking styles, individual creative ability and group creativity were also explored. Both experimental and survey data were collected to provide a rich understanding of the related issues. Different grouping and structuring strategies were developed and manipulated in this work. The 3 x 3 factorial quasi-experimental design employed a pretest-posttest comparison group, with two independent variables: thinking styles and conference structure. The dependent variables were group creativity and student perceptions of transactional distance. One hundred and thirty-eight second year students from three intact classes at Southern Taiwan University were selected as the participants for the main study. Four research instruments were used to collect data: the Thinking Styles Inventory (TSI), the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults (ATTA), the Creative Product Semantic Scale (CPSS), and the individual’s perceptions of transactional distance questionnaire. The findings confirmed that male students tended to prefer the legislative thinking style more than the female ones. There was no significant difference between male and female students in the overall creative ability. However, the male students had significantly higher creative ability with regard to originality. The findings also supported Sternberg’s argument that ability is different from style. In addition, this study found that there was no significant association between the average group member creative ability and the overall group creative performance. As for the test results for the influences of the two proposed factors in terms of group composition and conference structure on group creativity, no significant differences were found for these two factors or their interaction on group creativity. In addition, group composition and conference structure had no significant interaction effect on any dimension of transactional distance, but two main effects were significant. Group composition had a significant effect on the learner autonomy dimension of transactional distance. The level of conference structure had a significant effect on individual perceptions of interaction, conference structure and interface transactional distance. Moreover, in the context of the present study, using synchronous online conferencing, a high degree of TD - interaction was associated with a high degree of TD - conference structure, TD - learner autonomy and TD - interface.

The European Union (EU) spent €1 billion per year on Higher Education Initiatives between 2004 and 2009. Amongst these was Erasmus Mundus which brought international, Masters-level students into Europe to study at three or more European universities in different countries. This research aimed to understand the approach to internationalisation behind the EU’s investment in the initiative and how that relates to students’ understandings of Europe and experience of internationalisation. From an analysis of the policy documentation, the argument is made that the Erasmus Mundus initiative drew on economic, cross-cultural, relational and educational approaches to internationalisation. Elements of these approaches affected Europe’s ability to influence students through Soft Power, defined as ’the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than through coercion or payments’ (Nye, 2005:11). In particular, it is argued that the view of Soft Power in these documents relies on the development of Social Capital between students, defined as ’social networks and the norms of reciprocity associated with them’ (Putnam, 2002:4). This research explored students’ experience of internationalisation in a particular iteration of Erasmus Mundus. Questionnaires (n=48) and semi-structured interviews (n=23) were coded and analysed, using Soft Power and Social Capital to inform the analysis. The data shows that an economic approach to internationalisation was an important influence on the students which is in part due to the influence of a neoliberal rhetoric on the initiative and on the students whilst in Europe. There are also examples of networking, reflective of relational and cross-cultural approaches to internationalisation. However, the findings from this research suggest that an economic approach to internationalisation has been a particular influence on the students’ understanding of Europe and experience of internationalisation, showing evidence of Soft Power attraction by the EU through the design of this initiative.

Background and aim: The introduction of higher fees within HE may well impact on part-time provision from 2012. Potentially fewer students applying for courses may mean that university income will become reliant on students completing courses and so retention will assume greater significance. At the university at the centre of this research 62% of all withdrawals on part-time foundation degrees occur within the first six weeks. This study explored how nine part-time mature students experienced entry into HE to develop knowledge and understanding of the range and nature of that experience, and the reasons why withdrawal may occur. Design: Using lifeworld the study captured the lived experience of nine students. The participants were interviewed after they had completed six weeks of their various courses and then again six weeks into their second semester. Results: The lived experience of these students evidences the complexity and individuality of returning to education. For some of the students, entering into study brought the present, past and future intensely into focus. Some questioned their own presence in HE while managing feelings of anxiety and inferiority. Established individual lifeworlds were challenged as integration into the social and academic communities of the university were negotiated. Enabling strategies included peer support within the classroom and securing confirmation that they were working at the correct academic level. Conclusion: This study shows that the lifeworld experience of these beginning students is rich and diverse and cannot be encapsulated within a collective account of the student experience. For university engagement with students to be meaningful the findings of this study suggest that it needs to take account of the range of mature students’ experiences including expectations, approaches to study, motivation, their past and aspirations, to develop courses that will retain students. The accounts of these students indicate that if appropriate support is given during the transitional period to enable feelings of acceptance within the social and academic environment then this can make a major contribution to retention.

The aim of the project is to enhance the value of work based learning to Middlesex University through the development of a critical understanding of the relationship between the Middlesex approach to work based learning and the concept of structural capital. The project considers the Middlesex approach to work based learning and identifies the salient features of the approach. Key to the distinctive nature of the Middlesex approach is the recognition by the University of Work Based Learning as a field of study. The central theme of the project is how the existing demonstrable value of work based learning could be further enhanced by understanding the Middlesex approach in relation to intellectual capital and knowledge management concepts. Intellectual capital is considered as being divided into human, structural and customer capital. The traditional area of expertise of the University has been the development of human capital. Consideration of knowledge management literature identified a range of factors generally seen as facilitating the enhancement of intellectual capital. These factors and the types of intellectual capital were used to examine three case studies of Middlesex work based learning partnerships with: • a leading international construction management company • a UK local authority • an overseas higher education institution. The case studies highlighted the importance of the structural capital of the University in the customised development, business focused operation and responsive evolution of the partnerships. The potential of the work based learning partnership to contribute to the structural capital of the partner and the University is highlighted by the case studies. The report identifies the nature and the significance of the Middlesex University approach to work based leaning as a structural capital asset and concludes with 17 recommendations covering curriculum development, consultancy, research, partnership design and operation and staff development which will inform the future development of Work Based Learning at Middlesex and lead to a range of publications.

The case study, which is the subject of this report, was undertaken in the field of Work Based Learning Studies in Higher Education, with the principal empirical research data collected and analysed between June, 2001 and January, 2003. The key issues for investigation related to: • philosophical and educational underpinning for Work Based Learning • empirical research into the Student experience of Work Based Learning The setting for the project was the Centre for Work Related Studies at Chester College of Higher Education. The context of the research was that of the place of Work Based Learning in the Chester College of Higher Education curriculum. The principal method of research was the case study, with sub research methods: • literature search • questionnaire to 312 WBL students (June, 2002) • semi-structured interviews with 31 WBL students (June to December, 2002) Publications resulting from the research : • The Place and Status of Knowledge in Work Based Learning ; November, 2002 ; in Knowledge, Work and Learning ; Conference Proceedings of the Work Based Learning Network of the Universities Association for Continual Education ; p. 162-170 • A More Holistic Form of Higher Education : the Real Potential of Work Based Learning ; December, 2002 ; article in Widening Participation and Life long Learning : The Journal of the Institute for Access Studies and The European Access Network ; Staffordshire University , Vol.4, No.3 ; ISSN 1466-6529 • Learning About Learning through Work Based Learning (provisional title); proposed 2004 ; chapter in Learning About Learning (provisional title) , Kogan Page (for Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education) In addition, the following article is under consideration for publication : • Towards a philosophical underpinning for Work Based Learning : the Ontological Perspective In addition to this Report for the University, a Report setting out recommendations in respect of Work Based Learning provision has been produced for Chester College. Main findings : • That there is evidence to suggest that WBL has the capacity to engage learners in more holistic ways of being and knowing • That there is every justification for HE to recognise the workplace as a bona-fide site of learning • That the central role of critical reflection in WBL is recognised by learners, though much work needs to be done in terms of its facilitation • That WBL may be considered to have a sound philosophical base in both epistemological and ontological terms • That WBL offers a distinctive pedagogy worthy of HE.

Work based learning (WBL) is the term being used to describe a class of university programmes that bring together universities and work organisations to create new learning opportunities in workplaces. Middlesex University was a pioneer in the institutional development of work based learning through its National Centre of Work Based Learning Partnerships (NCWBLP) established in 1993. The Greek Centre (GCWBLP) was established in Athens and began operations in 1997 to promote WBL programmes at all levels in Greece. The programmes were very successfully introduced with a total of 110 registrations by end of January 1999. The main purpose of this project is the identification of business opportunities for the GCWBLP that will reinforce and expand the student intake levels. The main aim is to design a long-term development strategy for the Centre that will also contribute to its interim development in the form of a three-year marketing plan. Research was absolutely necessary to implement and evaluate additional (new) ways to promote the WBL programmes and expand student recruitment. This research area is directly related to my work role as I am currently in charge of various marketing activities to promote WBL Studies. Action research approach was applied to develop and evaluate marketing literature (brochure) for the programmes and to assess the effectiveness of the advertising campaign and the received feedback was applied to propose improvement for the revision of the brochure (out in August 2002) and for the enhancement of the advertising campaign effectiveness (September-October 2002). Action research in combination with survey approach was applied to find out the current profiles of an individual WBL perspective student-client, to assess the level of satisfaction from all the WBL graduates and to evaluate corporate perception of WBL programmes. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews (only for the last survey) were applied to gather the required data. The response from the potential student profile survey provided directions for promoting the WBL programmes more effectively by targeting professionals with extensive working experience in specific fields. The past graduates' satisfaction survey produced very encouraging results as the vast majority of the respondents confIrmed that WBL programmes managed to match their initial expectations and commented that they would very likely recommend them to others. The WBL concept was positively perceived by the majority of the training managers from the insurance industry. The training managers in the banking sector did not perceive WBL that well as most of them commented that they would not recommend WBL to their organisation due to the specific requirements (relevant subject-based knowledge acquisition) that training programmes should meet in order to be approved. The major fmding from the survey on marketing WBL programmes overseas was associated with the partnership concept that has been very successful in the form of collaboration with other educational institutions which provide the taught subject-based knowledge and a solid base of students for WBL programmes to expand. Intensified promotion and identification of new markets for existing programmes were identified as the strategic choices for the coming two years. For the third year (2004-05), enhancement of the currently delivered programmes with the introduction of a taught subject based module was recommended in line with the survey findings. Further research is necessary in this area to develop this "new" module. Research is also recommended in the diversified application of the WBL programmes under which the work based research project is the major component thus increasing the marketability of the programmes within the corporations and various educational providers.

This thesis examines the student experience of international higher education through a case study of joint Masters degrees in business taught in two countries. The thesis explored how the ‘joint degree’ experience impacts on the way students undertake their learning and intercultural ‘negotiations’. The focus on cultural interaction, international mobility, relationality between students and the way students experience the learning environment as dimensions of their experience furthers an understanding of international higher education. The exploration of the individual students’ ‘lived reality’ demonstrates the complexity and limitations of such programmes of study as well as the importance of culture, being the fabric of meaning for individuals (Geertz, 1973) in relation to and as part of the educational experience of a joint degree. This overarching dimension of culture is given prominence in this work, not only in terms of the culture of the institutions that the students study in, but also in terms of the different national education systems, of which those institutions are part and more generally in terms of the different cultures that students have to negotiate as part of their experience. The research approach was through a case study method, relying on the use of mixed methods for data collection to provide a ‘thick’ description of the experiences of joint degrees and a triangulation of the findings for each data set. The thematic analysis of the data focussed on individuals’ construction of their reality in order to gain an understanding of that reality. The concept of ‘relationality’ is introduced to refer to the learning that occurs as a result of the recognition of the ‘other’. It denotes a learning environment where students learn with and from other students and as a result of their country mobility. As a consequence they develop their intercultural awareness. This relationality is seen as a cornerstone of the experience of joint degrees and is significant to the achievement of inter-cultural learning.

With Welsh Government and European Structural Fund (ESF) support, Welsh universities have been incentivised to engage regional employers in ‘upskilling’ working adults and encourage non-traditional routes into higher education. Participating universities have provided short accredited courses through work-based learning projects in subject areas identified as having skills deficits. Such instrumental curricula brought with them the need for tailored pedagogies and assessment strategies to support the achievement of higher education credits for these non-traditional university students. It is here that the link to the thesis’ theoretical framing is established. It draws on sociological curriculum theory that distinguishes and assigns power differentials to curriculum and which cautions against an overemphasis on skills-based knowledge within vocational curriculum. The premise is proposed that the knowledge type inherent to these work-based learning courses is very different to mainstream university curriculum and distances itself from theoretical ‘powerful’ knowledge (Young 2008) to the point it becomes powerless. Questions of curriculum equity within higher education are thus raised and considered in view of these courses as a recognised form of widening access to higher education activity. The empirical component of the thesis is qualitative and relates the experiences of work-based learning university lecturers and course participants to curriculum theory and the epistemic access (Morrow 2009) to which course participants were exposed. Twelve semi-structured interviews with university lecturers from three Welsh universities were undertaken along with six focus groups comprising work-based learning course participants. Findings reveal that characteristics associated with both widening access and powerful knowledge were apparent but inconsistent. For many stakeholders, the raison d'etre of the courses was the tangible ‘upskilling’ offered. Such views problematised the accredited higher education component of the courses. Conclusions offer that the approach taken by individual course participants and the lecturers’ pedagogic practice were key determinants in how courses were delivered, received and the extent to which powerful knowledge could be identified. This individual orientation similarly determined the potential for these courses to be transformative educational experiences.

Human resource development, specifically workforce training and talent development in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its outcomes are the main goals of this study. This research investigation has focused on selected aspects of public policy strategies for workforce and human capital development in the UAE. More specifically, this investigation is aiming to investigate the effectiveness of various UAE Scholarship Programmes on workforce development. The research addresses how human capital development strategies for UAE Nationals, with specific and primary reference to university scholarship programmes, have had positive impacts on the development of those Nationals who successfully completed their programme within the last decade. Additionally this study asks what correlations there might be between the scholarships’ specific skills enhancement and the nature of the work in which alumni are presently engaged; and in what ways UAE Nationals believe their careers have developed as a result of the successful completion of their university scholarship programme; also to what extent UAE Nationals believe they have been able to impact positively on the institutions and organisations they work for. And indeed how do those participants who took part in this study feel about improvement of such programme for scholarship winners in the future? A mixed method design approach which integrated both quantitative and qualitative data was used. The quantitative data were collected through a survey, and qualitative data were collected from both the survey and through more in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions with both alumni and public sector managers. The sample of the present study comprises a total of 206 alumni of both genders with (a 78% response rate) who participated in this study; and additional sample of 33 alumni also included, as well as three public sector mangers who had in=depth interviews. Using Kirkpatrick’s four level criteria of evaluation of alumni learning experience abroad. That is reactions and satisfaction, learning of the intended knowledge and skills, creation of behaviour change among participants and resulting in tangible impact on organisation as well employing other indicators which compared responses before 2006 and after 2006, the present research work indicated majority of participant’s alumni were very positive about their study experience aboard; participants claimed they have gained a wide range of skills and experience. Their future influence could include areas of high priority for development and leadership, including education, health and governance. Further results also showed that over 90% of alumni respondents have successfully completed their programmes of study; hence returned home and currently are working in the UAE. Majority of the participants also claimed that their programme contributed to international collaboration and partnerships. Overall evaluation and main outcomes of this study did not offer tangible evidence that scholarships are having a significant impact on institutional performance. There was also no noticeable difference between those institutions which had received relatively larger numbers of scholarships (Management, Biology, Engineering and Computer Sciences), and those who had received few. However, further in-depth assessment of individual institutions might be necessary in future to elicit such evidence and/or relationship links. Some results suggested that the scholarships offered by different ministries and departments will enable the transfer of skills and knowledge not only to individual award holders, but also to employers and relevant institutions. Finally, the main findings of the study lead to a number of recommendations to better support not only the integration of scholars in their workplaces but also the achievement of effective workforce plan to achieve the objective of Emiratisation Scheme and strategic vision on this important field of study which has been acknowledged at all UAE governmental levels.

This study examines the educational choices made by some of the first cohort of further education students at an art college to face fees of up to £9,000 per annum for higher education study. Focusing on lower socio-economic status students, potentially most easily deterred by increased fees and debt, it explores the influences on their decisionmaking and considers the adequacy of the theoretical models underpinning their choice processes. It is a case study essentially concerned with why students make the choices that they do, what processes are involved and what influences shape student choice. The study was undertaken in the case study college – which delivers undergraduate programmes of study – partly as a result of the potential impact on the college of reduced FE to HE progression. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 16 students on three occasions during the 2011-12 academic year, to coincide with particular points during their decision-making process. An interpretivist paradigm was adopted as the literature shows that many aspects of higher education choice relate to socially constructed realities which could only become fully apparent during qualitative inquiry, with a close relationship between the researcher and what is studied. The study found that students were not deterred unduly by the prospect of increased tuition fee debt on graduation, but that their choices of where to study were strongly influenced by concerns about living costs whilst studying and other considerations such as proximity to home that are already documented in the literature on higher education choice, largely from the theoretical perspective set out by Pierre Bourdieu (1974). The need for ontological security (Giddens, 1991) was clearly evident in many participants’ comments and was a strong underlying theme. Fieldwork demonstrated that at the point of decision-making, actors sought to make pragmatically rational decisions, within limits conditioned by their social capital, and therefore argues for a two-stage model of decision-making similar to that espoused by Raymond Boudon (1974). Glaesser and Cooper (2014) have argued convincingly for a combination of Bourdieu and Boudon’s work in this manner. Whilst this has merit, this thesis notes Hodkinson’s (2008) concerns regarding the explanatory capability of existing theoretical models in simultaneously addressing key aspects of HE choice at both macro and micro levels, rather than merely severally. It argues that at a micro level Herbert Simon’s 1957 model of bounded rationality best explains decision–making, and uniquely that the boundaries of actors’ choices are limited by their habitus. It concludes that actors’ boundedly-rational decisions and levels of satisficing are conditioned by their habitus, such that higher education choice is best characterised as ‘conditioned bounded rationality’.