Thursday 4 December 2008

The internationalisation experiences of staff and students

A report on:

‘A Changing World: the internationalisation experiences of staff and students (home and international) in UK Higher Education’

has just been published on ESCalate’s website at: http://escalate.ac.uk/4967

Staff and students from Londonmet were participants in this study.

It includes useful suggestions for teaching and learning activities (see especially pp. 16-17, 23-24).

Thought this might offer you some useful insights...

Best,
Sandra

Wednesday 3 December 2008

Tuesday 2 December 2008

Essay Structure - some suggestions

Whilst the final assignment is billed as an essay, I am happy to view this more as an academic paper or journal article. As such you should use strap headlines and sub-headings to help both you and your readers navigate your piece.

Possible structure:Title & sub-title: this should indicate the aim and scope of your writing – and should e copied from the module handbook – just inserting your own community.

Introduction
(This sets the context for your paper and can include Background; Methodology – if you conducted primary research; Literature Review – if you include an account of key issue that are relevant to refugees – forced migration, labelling, trauma, second language acquisition, education theory, education policy - read on…)
Background:
Introduce your refugee group - perhaps indicate why this group is of interest to you – and BRIEFLY outline:
Conditions that forced this group to migrate
Location in London
Numbers & conditions in the UK
Educational issues - success/failure rates

Possibly include:
Methodology:
If conducting primary research, e.g.interviewing people, indicate your approach and why you chose it; your choice of interviewee and rationale for that choice; your ethics statement (confidentiality)

Literature Review:
A critical coverage of the relevant literature with respect to your client group - and touching on key modules areas/themes/learning outcomes - AND the themes identified in your interviews if you conducted any.


Findings: outline what you have discovered through your research

Discussion: discuss your findings in relation to the Lit Review

Conclusion: draw conclusions as to the educational responses that would be appropriate for your refugee group.

Recommendations: if appropriate, make a recommendation for each of your conclusions.

Bibliography: Append your bibliography –Harvard style

Appendices: you may add appendices, relevant additional material – e.g. the questions you used in your interviews, the questionnaires you distributed. You MUST refer to appendix items in the body of your paper.

Worried about referencing? Workshop help available

Following previous successful workshops, Colin Neville, author of 'The Complete Guide to Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism' (Open University Press, 2007), will again be at the London Met Writing Centre (Calcutta House, CMB-20) hosting a third drop-in workshop to help individual students with referencing issues that concern or interest them.
**Thursday 11th December, 1-4pm **
This is a drop-in session, so you can turn up at any point in the afternoon. Bring a current assignment and discuss with Colin your choice of sources. Or come along with questions you want answering, including:
• How do I reference certain types of sources?
• How can I make sure I am not plagiarising?
• When and how can I use my own ideas in assignments?
• When and how can I include my own experiences in assignments?
• When is it necessary – and not necessary – to reference sources?
This is an excellent opportunity to have all your referencing questions answered by an expert in this field! Could you let us know that you will be coming by emailing writingcentre@londonmet.ac.uk or calling 0207 320 1211. We look forward to hearing from you.