This thesis describes work carried out over the three years March 1993 to March 1996 concerning the integration of computer based learning elements into classically taught undergraduate engineering degree courses. The design and implementation of three separate computer applications are discussed, along with evaluation results from each. The first of these applications concerns the metallography of phase transformations and forms part of the first year engineering course in materials at the University of Southampton. The application is intended to teach both knowledge and understanding of the subject. The second application concerned engineering design. The intention of this application was to create an environment where the students could obtain all of the information required in creating the specifications for their design and for drawing up the design itself. This application is intended to allow the students to develop skills in engineering design. The final application was not 'intended for students' use directly. It is a shell from which applications of the style of the Phase Diagrams Application could be created and its intention was to encourage academics to create their own applications and thereby make the production of CBL materials more common. It is shown, within this thesis, that computer based learning/teaching can be used successfully to teach undergraduate engineering students knowledge and understanding of subjects and to improve their skill in using that understanding. Possible solutions to the problems in using CBL applications widely are also discussed, along with recommendations for a new approach to CBL development.

This thesis is made up of three papers and aims to explore the higher education routes taken by British Asian women covering analyses of degree subject and institution choices. The first paper explores the subject choices of UK home applicants to undergraduate degree courses with the use of multinomial logistic regression and Universities and Colleges Admissions Services applicant data. The study finds that there are clear differences both across and within ethnic groups in terms of preferred subject choice. Overall, ethnic minority groups other than the Black Caribbean group are more likely to apply to study subjects leading to careers in the professions when compared to the White ethnic group. Differences were found within ethnic groups and these were related to socio-economic background. The second paper uses binary logistic regression analysis and HESA enrolment data for academic years 1998 and 2005 to explore (i) the decision to move out of the parental/guardian home whilst attending university and (ii) the decision to move out of one's home region conditional on the fact a student is not living in the parental home. Findings suggest that Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi female students are all more likely to live in the parental/guardian home than White students. Students from all three Asian groups that do move out are less likely to attend a university outside their home region. These patterns are persistent in both 1998 and 2005. The third paper examines with the use of qualitative semi-structured interviews Indian mothers' perceptions of their roles in their daughters' university subject choices. The sample included nine women from varying educational backgrounds with different migration stories. It was important to all the interviewees that their daughters attend university, and this was something they had always envisaged. This aspiration was prevalent across the sample. The women rarely offered specific subjects and careers that they preferred for their daughters. Instead they had an inclination for a wide number of careers that shared specific favourable features such as high pay rewards.

No description available.

In twenty-first century England, the emerging knowledge economy requires educated workers and the creation of new knowledge to fuel economic growth. The extension of opportunities in higher education is critical to social equity. Pressures of marketisation, massification and globalisation add to an agenda for change. For Universities to succeed in this pressurised environment, the response of academic staff – the most important resource in any institution – is critical. Against this background, there has been an emphasis from policy bodies and Universities on the need to improve the management of human resources. This research intended to describe what new academic career models were emerging, using field research through case studies. The research sought to examine a sample of higher education institutions’ promotion procedures and interview the authors of those documents. Having understood the formal context, examine through interviews the social reality of academics following careers in higher education. Using this inductive data, it was intended to generate possible career models to extrapolate, deductively using a survey questionnaire, to all English pre-1992 universities, the usage of the emergent models. Finally, explanations were sought for the models using statistical analysis, including secondary data. It was found that academic career models were localised, diversified and inclusive; differentially recognising variant contributions through new career routes. These career paths seemed to provide educationalists and researchers an opportunity to participate on equal terms with those following traditional careers. This conclusion seemed attractive as it recognised the changes observed and viewed them as institutionally strategic and academically benign. However, the trend towards a management-led division of academic labour, basing jobs on elements of a work process, tended to fractionalise the academic role and did not correlate with rank. This specialisation may represent the de-construction, or de-mystification, of the craft of academia by managers without clear performance gains. If what was observed was a varied occupation being broken down into describable elements, then what this study observed was the start of the destruction, rather than the evolution, of the craft profession that was academia. It was not clear the observed fractionalisation of academic roles, breaking apart the research-teaching nexus, was beneficial to the profession.

This research investigates the barriers and drivers of eLearning for healthcare professional students in rural Thailand. An initial desk study was undertaken to investigate the factors that had an impact on eLearning within a professional healthcare environment. This was followed by a pilot study in a university in rural areas of Thailand. The results from the investigation led to a model being created to identify the barriers and drivers for implementing eLearning programmes in rural Thailand. This research explores the challenges of eLearning within four domains (IFPC); infrastructure (I), financing eLearning courses (F), university policy (P), and cultural diversity (C). The research utilised mixed research methods to identify the impacts of eLearning; employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The participants of this research included healthcare professionals associated with the eLearning environment within rural areas in Thailand. The fieldwork data from both quantitative and qualitative methods were analysed assisting by SPSS software and Nvivo software. The results and findings demonstrated that the IFPC domains impact on the uptake of eLearning for healthcare professionals and healthcare professional students. The results of statistical testing corroborated that healthcare professional students with their own computers perceived that eLearning was useful to their professional development. In addition, it showed that universities’ policies on eLearning affected the use of the eLearning infrastructure, the participants’ motivation to undertake eLearning courses and that eLearning course-uptake was affected by both healthcare professionals’ motivation and their ability to use a computer. The subject of the financing of eLearning course was directly correlated to the level of computer skills held by the healthcare professional students and their attitude towards their own use of computers. The results identified how the elements of the IFPC model were related to each other and affected the implementation of eLearning programmes. It is hoped that these findings will make a significant contribution by informing lecturers about online teaching material, course delivery and design. They will also inform policymakers when considering budgets, plans and requirements for supporting healthcare professional students undertaking eLearning in rural Thailand. In particular the results will provide useful lessons for healthcare professionals undertaking similar programmes in other developing countries.

For years the dominant theme of higher education in Uruguay has been financial distress. However the literature relating to higher education has not addressed the question of how higher education institutions receive their funding. The aim of this study was to provide an analytical view of the current model of financing higher education in this country and predictions about its possible evolution or change according to the views of different stakeholders. This study used a qualitative approach and multi-modal tools - documents, literature, semi structured interviews, a Focus Group and speeches at Parliamentary sessions- were chosen to address several questions from different perspectives. Findings in this research suggest that the traditional historical funding model used until the 1990s has evolved into a historical/ incremental model. In this case, increases, or new funds that are allocated to the system, are tied to certain specific purposes determined in the Budget laws. In this way, funding relies on: (a) historical allocations, actually the biggest part of the allocations, which are always the same and are expected to be the same; and (b) new allocations (increases) focused on certain projects which are specified in the Budget Laws by the Parliament. In this way, Uruguay mirrors the regional pattern in which very little strategic planning occurs in the financing process. This study suggests, too, a particular approach to accountability in Uruguayan higher education. Resources are allocated to the system by the Parliament on a decentralised basis and institutions keep broad decision-making powers. The Ministry of Education and Culture is not involved in the process of allocating resources to higher education. The Government applies no control on institutional performance or efficiency. University autonomy is considered the raison d´etre of this approach; information gathered for this study suggests that Governmental agencies hold very little concern about the use of public funds. Internal use of public appropriations has bureaucratic controls and is only monitored through the conventional accounting audits prescribed by law. This research shows that a new left wing state-wide administration headed by the Frente Amplio Party will devote more funds to the finance of public higher education, primarily concerned with the insufficient amount of funds devoted historically to the sector. A considerable increase is expected as political leaders and Government officers have announced that the educational sector will receive added funding in the future Budget Law. However, there is also a view that, although the system will receive further funding, the funding model will remain the same. Moreover, whilst there is concern about the insufficient amount of funds devoted to the sector, the majority of stakeholders are not paying attention to the merits or problems of the current model of funding the sector. This study also suggests that: a) in the future the funding authorities may expand the mechanism of allocating funds oriented to special programmes and, in this way, introduce some kind of strategic orientations; b) further funding for public institutions may be originated in the collection of the graduate tax and that its utility could be improved in ways to introduce more funding to the system; c) it is unlikely that a future model will consider the use of formulae or quality considerations; and d) the introduction of a tuition-fee scheme is very improbable in the short term because the availability of further funding will reduce the pressures to introduce alternative funds to complement public revenues. Further, the ideological and political predominance of the Frente Amplio party in the Parliament (historically placed against tuition-fees) will certainly abort discussions about cost-recovery in the public University.

The English language has spread across the globe to become an international language. With the growing number of speakers of English, it has been claimed that English is no longer the sole property of its native speakers but is a global lingua franca (ELF). Under these circumstances, it is natural that various language ideologies have formed, pervaded with ideological debates. In the last two decades, scholarly research has urged reform and re-evaluation in the field of English language teaching (ELT). However, in practice, most ELT approaches remain stigmatised to the standard or ‘authentic’ native speaker English paradigm. This overlooks the fact that English is more often used by non-native speakers than native speakers. In addition, the functional role of the language is routinely ignored when it comes to the classroom practice of language teaching. As people’s attitudes towards the English language and ELT display substantial intransigence, despite the rapidly-changing linguistic realities, it is necessary to investigate how university teachers and students perceive this international language in relation to language pedagogy. Until now, research based on the ELF paradigm has been relatively rare, particularly in the Chinese context. This thesis draws upon Chinese university students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards their own and other English accents in the ELF framework. The research adopted a mixed-methods approach in order to obtain the desired level of detail. First, a questionnaire was sent to students to generate quantitative data to help understand students’ attitudes about accents more broadly. With the aim of providing rich data description, interviews and focus groups were also employed, with both student and teacher participants. From the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, the findings suggest that both student and teacher participants display complex and uncertain attitudes. In general, students did not feel satisfied with their own English accents and would like to refine them to match native speakers of English more closely, but they did not expect other people to sound native-like; this result may reflect the notion of ‘being strict with oneself while relaxed with others’ that has been identified as prevalent in Chinese culture. Teachers display two primary outlooks: on the one hand, they recognised the global spread of English and noted the importance of their own identities when using the language. On the other hand, a number of them still believed they should improve their English accents because they serve as professional pronunciation role models to students. A key finding of the research is that, despite the rooted native-oriented ideology, both students and teachers expressed the necessity of exposure to different accents. In sum, the research findings demonstrate various and complex accent attitudes in relation to the participants’ identity construction. Based on the implications of the research, the thesis concludes with a proposal for teaching pronunciation based on the ELF framework – Teaching of Pronunciation for Intercultural Communication (ToPIC) – as a pronunciation praxis to respond better to the current linguistic landscape of English. Research limitations and possibilities for further research are discussed at the end of the thesis.

The thesis examines the functions of universities in transforming a developing economy into a Knowledge Based Economy (KBE). Universities play a vital role in strengthening the KBE by providing the resource, ‘knowledge’. This study explores the challenges encountered by academic leadership in Pakistan, while striving to achieve a KBE. Although, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), has introduced a large number of reforms in universities of Pakistan since 2003 but these reforms are only a beginning of a process of engagement of universities in socioeconomic development. The newly established Commission was charged with the task to align higher education with the needs of the country, provide greater access to quality higher education, and develop the skills of faculty. Other steps towards reformation of the higher education sector of Pakistan included the introduction of quality assurance systems in universities, investment in their physical as well as knowledge infrastructure and developing a ranking system for universities in order to create a competitive environment among them. These measures taken by the HEC were fundamental for the development of a globally recognised higher education system. The current emphasis on the promotion of entrepreneurship is now leading to the establishment of technology parks and technology transfer offices on campuses so that universities can contribute directly to the process of socioeconomic development. The thesis elaborates the conditions, which facilitate or hamper the functions of universities in Pakistan. University–industry linkages in the United States (Silicon Valley) and United Kingdom (Oxford and Cambridge) have inspired many developing countries. In order to follow the same trends, universities in Pakistan are adopting the entrepreneurial role too. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding how the roles and functions of universities in developing economies differ from those of universities in a KBE. Therefore, the researcher aims to fill this gap in the literature by investigating the perceptions of academic leaders in Pakistan. This research employs a qualitative design and grounded theory research strategy. The sample size consists of fifty semi structured interviews with various stakeholders of higher education such as the leaders of the higher education regulatory body (Higher Education Commission), five high ranking universities of Pakistan and the Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO) in Pakistan. Data are analysed inductively, resulting in a new substantive theory, the Model of Symbiosis. The study reveals, there are external and internal factors which facilitate the formation of a KBE. The external factor which include, good governance, political stability, an effective policy framework and strengthening of the institutions (government, judicial institutions, educational and financial institutions) while internal factors include the development of physical infrastructure of universities and knowledge creation as well as dissemination activities taking place in universities. These factors help in the creation of positive mind-set towards ‘knowledge’. Moreover, a KBE is based on surplus knowledge and innovation capability of a country. The production and use of surplus knowledge require collaboration among different institutional actors. The State, the National Eco-system of Education and the corporate sector, have to work in a symbiotic relationship so that synergy for a welfare society is generated. This welfare society will thrive economically and also it will become a part of the global international community. The researcher advocates that universities can put the economy on a stable condition if they are ‘tasked’ and deployed on a mission to solve issues of the society such as enhancing agricultural productivity, resolving the issue of electricity shortage, provision of clean drinking water, infrastructure development, and the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to create employment opportunities. Hence, universities in developing countries can act as agents of change provided that their basic infrastructure (both knowledge infrastructure and physical infrastructure) is developed and it supports those universities in their roles. Secondly, along with the basic infrastructure, a regulatory framework and intellectual property regimes should also be in place to strengthen the economy in developing countries.

This study, an action research project to promote the teaching of culturally and ethnically diverse history with history trainee teachers on a secondary postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) course, encompasses two complete action research cycles. The first of which was during the academic year 2007-2008 and the second in 2008-2009. It draws together research from the fields of diversity education, history education and trainee teacher development. Concerns about the ability of trainee teachers from white, monocultural backgrounds to embrace diversity in their classroom practice, not only within the United Kingdom but internationally, were identified during the reconnaissance stage of the action research cycle. Data collected from eight experienced teachers and a cohort of history trainees in 2006-2007 revealed a range of specific concerns and an action plan was created to infuse the history PGCE course to address these. Thus emphasis was placed on including culturally and ethnically diverse content to help trainee history teachers appreciate the values and purposes of the subject and the appropriateness of content to be taught. There was also an increased focus on subject knowledge development, pedagogy and awareness of the impact of the history curriculum on pupils from diverse backgrounds. Seven trainees agreed to participate and provide data during the course 2007-2008. Questionnaires and ‘scenario’ interviews were used to gather data at the start and end of the course. This enabled the development of a new framework, the ‘confidence continuum’, which revealed that most trainees moved from a position of naïve confidence to greater uncertainty between the start and end of the course. A second action research cycle was therefore carried out with a different cohort in 2008-2009. The intention was to see how far a more explicit focus on diversity could embed this element into the practice of trainee teachers. The data, gathered at three points in the year using questionnaires and interviews from six participating trainees, revealed that a more explicit focus on diversity issues helped more trainees move to a position of greater confidence. Overall, the findings from this study show that it is possible for trainee history teachers from a white monocultural background to embrace diversity in their work, although this varies by individual. This research identifies the concerns that trainee teachers face, but more importantly it offers a new way to conceptualise their levels of confidence, through the ‘confidence continuum’, and in so doing demonstrates the complex interplay between different areas of knowledge and confidence. Further, it provides a theoretical model to explain the tensions which need to be addressed during a PGCE course. Together the continuum and the ‘tensions’ model identify and explain why trainees adopt particular positions. The study suggests further gains could be possible if school history departments and school mentors were supported in developing their practice in relation to culturally and ethnically diverse history.

The design of the physical learning environment (PLE) in Higher Education facilities, has been found to influence students’ satisfaction (Hill & Epps, 2010, Riley, 2013, Yang & Mino, 2013). With the initiation of the Teaching Excellence Framework, the consideration of students’ satisfaction is becoming more prominent. Beckers et al. (2016a) concluded that further research should explore preferences of students to identify if preferences differed between groups of students. Features of the PLE were identified that required further examination as to the impact they can have on students’ satisfaction, specifically, their individual requirements, which may be influenced by their personality traits. In the quality of the PLE; it was also noted that the sense of community is important. Utilising a sequential mixed methods design this research aimed to identify students’ specific requirements of their PLE. Case study methodology was adopted in Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), across the schools Art and Design, Built Environment, Engineering and Business. Surveys were used to examine relationships with features of the PLE, school specific requirements and personality traits. Factor analysis was conducted to identify components of the PLE. Focus groups were undertaken with students to explore students’ perceptions of the PLE and expand current understanding regarding students’ specific requirements. Utilising grounded theory analysis, features of the PLE were identified and a framework developed. The research found that there is a notable difference in preferences for features within the PLE between students in different schools, and that these differences may be due to the influence of personality traits. The research also identified a framework for defining what students perceive to be a quality PLE. Alongside which, features of the PLE that students identify as being important for the development of a sense of community were identified. The research has led to the development of a framework for the design of the PLE based on students’ specific requirements that can be used to inform universities of the aspects of design to consider in future developments or refurbishments. Validation of the findings of this research was also conducted to evaluate the usefulness of the final framework.