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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to encourage re-reading and re-evaluation of a series of educational polemics published in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s, the Black Papers. These works proposed, for the most part, avowedly conservative views on education: condemning so-called "progressive" teaching methods and the re-organisation of secondary schools in the UK (especially England) into non-selective comprehensives. It is argued, however, that much said and written about the Black Papers since has concentrated only on selected "high profile" contributors, to the neglect of other contributors, often anonymous, whose comments were sometimes more measured/thoughtful. Design/methodology/approach - The work proceeds first by re-visiting the facts surrounding the writing of the Black Papers and their critical reception. It then analyses the nature of the contributors and describes selected essays not usually referred to when the Black Papers are discussed by historians and others. Findings - The work finds that the Black Papers are often infuriatingly and unhelpful polemical in nature but that much written about them since has concentrated only on selected contributors, ignoring others who were more measured. Originality/value - The work is perhaps the first critical re-reading of the Black Papers in any depth in several decades. It does not simply dismiss them as hysterical rants by ill-informed authors and suggests that they re-pay careful attention, despite their often polemical nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review and critically evaluate UK psychiatry national recruitment process for 2021, which was re-structured following the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this paper aims to review the empirical evidence of the selection methodologies in psychiatry recruitment. Design/methodology/approach: The UK national psychiatry recruitment process is discussed, with a focus on the changes made to recruitment in 2021. The advantages and disadvantages of different selection methodologies are explored, with an emphasis on evaluating the validity, acceptability and reliability of different recruitment selection methodologies. The potential impact of the changes to psychiatry recruitment are explored. Findings: The decision of the National Recruitment Office to remove certain selection methods for recruitment in 2021 may have limited their ability to choose the best candidate for the training place and be fair to the applicant. Overall, there is a lack of research into the validity of the selection methods used in psychiatry recruitment. A framework for outcome criteria relevant to psychiatry recruitment should be developed, which would allow research into selection methods and guide the NRO to examine the evidence base effectively. Originality/value: This paper examined the recruitment methods used to choose doctors for psychiatry training in the UK, demonstrating that the empirical evidence base for psychiatry recruitment is limited. This paper can contribute to our understanding of selection methodologies used in psychiatry recruitment and highlights the value of different recruitment approaches for choosing the best psychiatrists of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This essay was written as a university assignment for an expert dementia practice module as part of the Masters in Applied Professional Practice. This paper aims to provide a critical discussion of the recognition and management of delirium superimposed on dementia. Design/methodology/approach: The findings of this paper showed that the recognition of delirium superimposed of dementia is not well recognized, but early intervention and management can result in preferential outcomes. This requires the use of appropriate recognition tools and for all health-care staff to have specific training within this area. Findings: Education is imperative to improving delirium recognition. Research limitations/implications: Education is imperative to improving awareness. Practical implications: The research implications of this paper demonstrate that appropriate training and education of health-care staff is imperative for the timely recognition of delirium and the improvement of care. Originality/value: This paper was undertaken as an assignment for the University of Highlands and Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In lieu of a cure, the idea that dementia might be preventable through risk-factor moderation has latterly gained popularity. Prevention research is an evolving field that will likely undergo significant shifts in the near future. This paper aims to engage with that future as it is imagined in the present. Design/methodology/approach: This study explores the futures envisaged by dementia prevention researchers in the UK, based on interviews with six practitioners at the forefront of the field. Findings: Participants foresaw a pivot away from "dementia prevention" toward "brain health", and advocated for blended policy, community and lifestyle interventions. They were excited by the prospects for a lifecourse dementia hypothesis to inform new interventions but uncomfortable with the ethics of early intervention. Originality/value: These findings complicate simplistic depictions of prevention researchers as pursuing responsibilised lifestyle approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Contemporary organisational landscapes offer opportunities for hybrids to thrive. Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are one thriving hybrid form incorporating the use of resources and/or structures from both public and private sectors. The study examines the impact of such a hybrid structure on governance and accountability mechanisms in a context of institutional complexity. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses an approach that draws on institutional logics and hybridity to examine governance arrangements in the PPP policy created for the delivery of UK schools. Unusually, it employs a comparative case study of how four local governments implemented the policy. It draws on a framework developed by Polzer et al. (2017) to examine the level of engagement between multiple logics and hybrid structures and applies this to the delivery of governance and accountability for public money. Findings: The Polzer et al. framework enables a study of how the nature of hybrids can vary in terms of their governance, ownership and control relations. The findings show how the relationships between levels of engagement of multiple logics and hybrid structures can impact on governance and accountability for public money. Layering and blending combinations led to increased adoption of private sector accountability structures, whilst a hybrid with parallel co-existence of community and market logics delivered a long-term governance structure. Research limitations/implications: The paper examines the operation of hybrids in a complex education PPP environment in only four local governments and therefore cannot provide representative answers across the population as a whole. However, given the considerable variation found across the four examples, the paper shows there can be significant differentiation in how multiple logics engage at different levels and in varying combinations even in the same hybrid setting. The paper focuses on capital investment implementation and its evaluation, so it is a limitation that the operational stage of PPP projects is not studied. Practical implications: The findings have political relevance because the two local government bodies with more robust combinations of multiple logics were more successful in getting funds and delivering schools in their geographical areas. Originality/value: The study extends Polzer et al.'s (2017) research on hybridity by showing that there can be significant differentiation in how multiple logics engage at different levels and in varying combinations even in what was planned to be the same hybrid setting. It shows how in situations of institutional complexity certain combinations of logics lead to differentiation in governance and accountability, creating fragmented focus on the related public accountability structures. This matters because it becomes harder to hold government to account for public spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to discuss performance in postgraduate education in Sweden and Scotland. Drawing on two cases, the paper considers three themes: differences in students|!|#39; performance by study mode, differences in students|!|#39; performance by length of study, and finally comparing performance by study mode between modules in Scotland with an entire programme in Sweden. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The empirical setting from Scotland builds on an evaluation of online and on-campus study groups with exactly the same module syllabus. The Swedish setting is also based on an evaluation of distance and on-campus study groups with exactly the same module syllabus. The data compiled in both countries arise from student performance scores and grades. Findings |!|#8211; The results indicate that students in both countries foremost use the virtual learning environment (VLE) as a forum for accessing information, to access asynchronous postings in the forums and access streaming-synchronous online lectures which are also accessed asynchronously in the VLE. The results show that there are no differences between the grades or test scores between campus students with face-to-face education and distance students with electronically (VLE) mediated education. These differences and similarities will form the basis of these reflections in this paper. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; The study is limited because the examples given are only a few cases and small samples and there is a need to more rigorously investigate different educational programs in different academic disciplines. Originality/value |!|#8211; The paper contributes to quality issues in distance, online and campus education by taking into account, in the first case, different student performance in the same course over a longer period and in the second case, changes over time within the same educational program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Enabling entrepreneurial creativity is a key aim of UK Government; however, there is a dearth of constructively aligned models of teaching and assessment. This paper aims to introduce design-based pedagogies and to highlight cognitive approaches that develop innovative mindsets; it seeks to indicate their propensity for adoption in entrepreneurship education. Design/methodology/approach - A literature review plus empirical evidence from pedagogical approaches developed through the extended collaboration of specialists in creative design, financial management and brain-related occupational therapy inform this paper. Findings - Neuroimaging studies challenge the thesis that learning for creative output is entirely algorithmic; diverse ideas occur when the brain's right cortex has opportunity to bring its findings to the fore, usually via "relaxed cognition". Design-based entrepreneurship pedagogies embed these concepts. Research limitations/implications - The paper offers initial insights into how these understandings can be applied in transdisciplinary entrepreneurship-education contexts. Practical implications - Predicable assessment outcomes equal predictable students; which needs more working practices, behaviours and cultural environments that encourage innovation. Any educational environment that excludes these understandings is inherently flawed. Social implications - The case study/project "Free time is thinking time" implies that traditional 9-5 working practices are inappropriate for creative mindsets. Originality/value - This paper links emerging bodies of evidence; it provides a first response to calls for a more creative enterprise curriculum and offers constructively aligned assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact that entrepreneurship education can have on succession in ethnic minority family firms that operate in the highly competitive UK economy. Design/methodology/approach - The paper employs a complex conceptual model of ethnic minority graduates' economic activities and outlines the possible influence that entrepreneurship education can have on succession in their family firms. An illustrative case study is presented of an ethnic minority graduate who returned to work in the family firm. Findings - It emerges that entrepreneurship education provision in UK HEIs is insufficiently customised to, and focused on, the specific entrepreneurial needs of graduates. Educators should take into account the complex socio-economic and cultural differences between native and ethnic minority learning environments. Effective entrepreneurship education emerges as crucial to the survival and growth of ethnic minority family businesses in the UK and could contribute positively to ownership transfer in this type of firm. Research limitations/implications - The proposed theoretical model has not been empirically tested and it is only indicative of the impact that entrepreneurship education could have on succession in small ethnic minority family businesses in the UK. Originality/value - Although prior research has explored various aspects of ownership succession, this article focuses specifically on the impact that entrepreneurship education can have on succession in small ethnic minority family firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The United Kingdom (UK) has recently published secondary education value added measures. This paper examines whether the approach used could also offer a possible method for measuring value added in higher education (HE). Design/methodology/approach - Previous attempts to measure HE value added in the UK, such as comparative value added (CVA), met with criticism relating to their estimation of the "expected" degree class (DegCL). This paper examines whether the recent experiences in secondary education give any insights into solving this problem. Findings - The paper identifies that the techniques applied in secondary education are remarkably similar to those used by CVA, and it argues that they appear to suffer from similar pitfalls. It is shown, through a statistical analysis, that in practice a whole range of factors have a significant influence on degree performance. Research limitations/implications - The data set used in the statistical analysis of HE performance is relatively old. Future research could repeat this study with recent data. Practical implications - The development of an accurate measure of value added in HE will need to apply measuring techniques that are significantly more sophisticated than those used for UK secondary education. Originality/value - The value of this paper is that it identifies key issues that will need to be addressed before a credible measure of value added can be developed for HE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to amalgamate recommendations from contemporary national reports on healthcare provision and needs of people with intellectual disabilities. The paper combines these with recommendations for undergraduate curricula of medical students from the GMC and Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych). Design/methodology/approach – National reports from Mencap, Department of Health, Disability rights commission, NHS Executive, the GMC and RCPsych were searched for relevant recommendations to undergraduate medical education in ID psychiatry. Recommendations were collated and grouped to form a single list for use when planning future curricula or auditing existing teaching. Findings – In total, 13 relevant recommendations were identified in nine groups. These included that people with intellectual disabilities and their carers should be involved in the teaching. That teaching should include the ethical, moral and legal obligations and should include the mental capacity act and equality act. Institutional and individual discrimination should be highlighted as a problem and diagnostic overshadowing should be covered. Originality/value – This paper has collated in a single document the combined recommendations of multiple reports. These are relevant to medical undergraduate teaching and may also be of use to other undergraduate healthcare courses. They are a useful template for others wishing to examine or benchmark the content of their medical undergraduate ID psychiatry teaching against an amalgamated list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the language and cultural assumptions that government uses when proposing policy reforms for the financing of later life, especially in promoting the financial capability of citizens. The author asks what the implications of this political construction are for society. Design/methodology/approach - The author examines UK government policy documents from the foundation of the Financial Services Authority in 1997 until 2013. The author analyses these documents to understand the discourses of government for the financing of later life, how powerful these discourses are, and what influence they have on policy and society. Findings - The paper shows that the government considers the promotion of the financial capability agenda to be a solution to structural problems in the provision of old age welfare. By controlling the discourse, non-market-based discussions of welfare are closed and any need for examination of the structural causes of inequality in old age is made invisible. The discourse prevents critique of the individualisation of risk and market provided welfare and service delivery, and failures of policy become the failures of individuals as both consumers and regulators. Originality/value - The financial capability agenda sounds so sensible and has enrolled so many different organisations in its delivery that it is rare to reflect on the cultural and political assumptions that lie behind these discourses. When these are analysed, the author observes that individualised discourses surrounding money and welfare in later life are so powerful that more collective solutions to issues of financial welfare are closed off from public debate and discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide qualitative evidence from the experience of Chinese service users in the UK to expand the literature on the use of intersectionality analysis in research on the mental health of ethnic minority groups.Design/methodology/approach Repeated in-depth life-history interviews were carried out with 22 participants. Interviews were analysed using the constant comparative method.Findings Four areas of life are identified for their possible negative impact on mental health for this minority group: labour market and work conditions, marriage and family, education, and ageing. The findings illustrate how these intersecting variables may shape the social conditions this ethnic minority group face. For this ethnic minority group in the UK, inequalities can intersect at national as well as transnational level.Originality/value This paper highlights how power relations and structural inequalities including class, gender, age and ethnicity could be drawn upon to understand the interplay of determinants of mental health for ethnic minority groups. As the multi-factorial social forces are closely related to the emergence of poor mental health, it is suggested that interventions to reduce mental health problems in ethnic minority communities should be multi-level and not limited to individualised service responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The author investigates the effects of human capital on labor income share in the 15 sectors of the European Union (EU)-13 countries and the United Kingdom (UK) over the period 2008–2015. Design/methodology/approach: The author employs pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation with panel data, using the EU KLEMS database. Findings: The results show that when education level increases, labor income share increases and gender-based labor income share differentials decrease. Return to education is higher in qualitative sectors in contrast with the other sectors. Moreover, there are gender-based labor income share differentials at the sectoral level. These differentials are higher in nonqualitative sectors, while they are relatively lower in qualitative sectors. Research limitations/implications: The biggest limitation of the study is that the data range cannot be expanded because of the database. The author is of opinion that the empirical findings will guide to policy makers in terms of wage setting. Originality/value: The expected contribution of this study to the literature is to investigate the effect of human capital on labor income share at the sectoral level for the EU-13 countries and the UK. As far as the author knows, there is no study which investigates this topic at the sectoral level such a comprehensive, in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This practitioner paper aims to question basic assumptions about management education and to argue that a new paradigm is needed for UK business schools which embraces an oft neglected, yet economically vital, stakeholder group, namely family businesses. It seeks to pose the question of why we have forgotten to teach about family business management in the management portfolio. Design/methodology/approach - The paper adopts a stakeholder approach, building on nominal stakeholder theory to justify a change to the teaching paradigm in business schools. It builds on discussions in the extant literature about failures of business schools to address modern needs. Findings - The authors find that business schools in the UK need to begin to engage with family businesses through embracing the next generation from families in business. Policy needs to be developed that will support the next generation in a positive way by teaching about the family in business. Originality/value - The paper aims to stimulate discussion about key stakeholders and prompt review of neglect of this key area of business study in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) was implemented in 2007 as a piece of legislation to empower and protect adults who require support making decisions. Many older adults in residential care homes will be in this position due to developmental disabilities associated with functional impairments of the mind and brain. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of MCA training within older persons' care homes within an East-Midlands local authority. Design/methodology/approach – Semi structured interviews were conducted with key informants who had strategic responsibility for implementation of MCA training as well as a focus group conducted with managers/deputy managers of care homes within the local authority. Findings – With a primary focus on training, data revealed issues surrounding the delivery and content of training, and the organisational factors relating to both training and the subsequent implementation of the knowledge learned. Research limitations/implications – The key informants for this paper are limited to management perspectives. Interviews and a focus group were conducted with stakeholders who either had direct responsibility for service delivery or managerial oversight for training and development. Practical implications – The paper suggests methods of delivery with the Mental Capacity Act which offer a tailored, engaging and cost effective alternative to conventional "away day" training sessions. Originality/value – The paper challenges and critiques conventional approaches to training the social care workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report further on research funded by the Centre for Education in the Built Environment (CEBE) into real estate programmes of study in UK universities (Poon and Hoxley). The aim of this paper is to identify human resource managers' view on the employability skills of real estate graduates. It also compares the views on the employability skills of real estate graduates between human resource managers, a large sample of real estate employers and real estate course directors. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents the research findings of eight interviews with human resource managers who work in different types of surveying firms. The approach for collecting their view of the employability skills required by real estate graduates was through gathering their opinions on three charts. These charts compare what employers feel graduates require and what they feel graduates demonstrate in 31 knowledge areas, 20 skills and 21 attributes, alongside a list of additional competencies made by graduates and employers which was developed as part of an earlier study. Findings – The human resource managers identified the key employability skills for real estate graduates as soft skills, in particular report writing skills, communication skills, presentation skills, client care and professional standards. The human resource managers of real estate consultancy firms also voiced their concern regarding graduates' lack of commercial awareness, which echoed the same view from real estate employers and real estate course directors mentioned in the previous research (Poon, Hoxley and Fuchs). Therefore, it is necessary for universities to embed these soft skills, such as commercial awareness in the curriculum in order to enhance the employability of graduates. Originality/value – This paper makes an original contribution to existing literature on the identification and discussion of employability skills for real estate graduates. It describes pioneering research focusing on the human resource managers' perspective of the real estate graduate employability skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to present evidence on the impact of enterprise education on young people still at school in London, UK. The study was designed to measure the effect of participation in a Young Enterprise (YE) Company Program on young people's attitudes toward starting a business, and on their enterprise potential. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal pre and post test design was used, with a sample of 276 young people. A control group provided a method of isolating the impact of the programme and was used as a test for self-selection bias. An attitudes to enterprise test was administered at the start of the programme and again at the end, nine months later. Findings – It was found that participation does have a positive impact on young people's enterprise potential, however this is moderated by other factors such as gender, ethnicity, socio-economic background and type of school attended. Research limitations/implications – The paper demonstrates the added value of a longitudinal design and the use of a control group. The relatively small sample size limited the extent of multivariate analysis that could be carried out. Practical implications – The paper provides an example of a robust evaluation methodology for the evaluation of enterprise education programmes in schools. Social implications – The paper highlights the importance of context in the delivery of enterprise education. The impact of enterprise programmes is likely to be moderated by a number of other factors such as socio-economic background. Originality/value – The paper cautions against a one-size fits all approach to enterprise education, and is relevant to policy makers and providers. The research design used attempted to overcome some of the criticisms often made of evaluations studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of prevailing issues in UK legal education in terms of current developments and changing patterns. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is designed to bring together a range of perspectives which inform how legal education is changing in terms of key spheres of influence. The authors are directly involved with the Committee of Heads of University Law Schools in the UK and also have extensive experience of managing law programmes in business and management environments. This experience provides a dynamic opportunity to lead ideas for change whilst being at the forefront of policy and strategy. Findings – Globalisation of legal, business and management education indicates that the stimuli operating in one jurisdiction are not without response to others. Universities are subject to external influences which impact on the extent to which law schools are able to operate. Political, social, economic and technological factors shape the nexus between external factors and internal spheres of influence. In many ways, law schools appear well-placed within business or management schools to maximise opportunities to lead change most effectively. This wider perspective provides the ability to transcend local influences and create a more contemporary environment in which to enhance legal education in a global context. Originality/value – The value of this paper is to highlight current challenges for those in positions of policy-making and strategic responsibility in law schools. It provides an awareness of prevailing issues in order to inform thinking about how best to position legal education given the changing influences which shape legal education in a global context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The growing scale and scope of the supply chain requires a greater understanding of the broader supply chain skills picture. This study aims to assess the supply chain skills needs within the context of a UK-based higher education institution involving graduates, academics and employers to appreciate the graduate skills demands of modern supply chains.Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods study entailing in-depth interviews with academics followed by a questionnaire distributed to graduates and employers has been designed and utilised.Findings The findings indicate that the changing supply chain scope encourages the requisition and development of different supply chain skills with varied levels of emphases in relation to 25 skills identified in the literature. Key graduate skills needs are highlighted, including time management, collaborative learning, teamwork and problem solving, with the addition of two supply chain skill areas, namely specialist training and the understanding and application of regulations. The findings of the current study present a limited emphasis on information technology (IT) skills, despite the significant IT advancements and changes in supply chains.Research limitations/implications The study has been carried out in a UK university delivering undergraduate supply chain management courses. It would be beneficial to test whether the findings are exemplary across other supply chain courses and to investigate the integration of these skills within the supply chain syllabus and how employers, graduates and academic parties could actively engage in developing the agenda for future supply chain skills needs.Practical implications This research paper highlights the gaps in supply chain skills, which inevitably puts considerable pressure on operatives and managers whose responsibility it is to ensure compliance with regulations and professional bodies.Originality/value This paper contributes to the supply chain skills discussion and reports subject relevant challenges for supply chain educators by engaging three key stakeholders – graduate employers, graduates and academics. The findings have generated additional supply chain skills to the academic literature, in addition to providing an understanding of the weighting of skills in terms of their importance and application to industry needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the training status of staff in care homes for people with intellectual disabilities managed by the non-health sector in High Wycombe, with regard to administering emergency antiepileptic medication and to identify training needs. Design/methodology/approach – Management of seizures in people with intellectual disabilities and epilepsy comes with its challenges. Although there are clear guidelines for the same, implementing them in the community, especially in the non-health sector setting, raises the issue of training staff in the administration of emergency antiepileptic medication. A survey was undertaken in response to the varying staff training needs. A short semi-structured questionnaire was designed and administered over the telephone to the managers of these care homes. Findings – Less than half of the care homes had staff trained to administer emergency antiepileptic medication. The commonest reason cited was their policy of admitting only patients with well controlled seizures. This paper identified the need for staff training and raising awareness amongst relevant healthcare professionals. Practical implications – The survey highlights the practical difficulties arising in the implementation of national and trust level healthcare policies in the community. Originality/value – This paper is of value to clinicians working with people with intellectual disabilities and epilepsy, GPs, and staff and management in the care homes in the health and non-health sectors. It raises questions around delineation of responsibility and communication between various professionals in various levels of care involved in managing people with intellectual disabilities and epilepsy to ensure provision of safe and effective care for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on an ongoing project investigating library and information science students' perceptions of the library and information profession and their motivations for undertaking a degree in this field. The analysis presented here focuses on students' reasons for becoming involved in information work, and their motivations for embarking on a professional qualification. Design/methodology/approach – The research was focused on students enrolling on Information and Library Studies programmes in the Department of Information Studies, Aberystwyth University. Students from both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses are represented over the period 2005-2010, undertaking campus-based and distance learning (DL) programmes. A qualitative approach, using focus groups, was taken towards data collection and analysis. Findings – Many students followed a circuitous path into the library and information field, indicating that caution needs to be exercised when making assumptions regarding "typical" library and information workers. Similarly, motivations for attaining a qualification are a complexity of both personal and professional aspirations. Although motivations remain consistent, in line with previous studies, it is argued that "either/or" attitudes to traditional and modern aspects of information work are being replaced by a flexible understanding of the modern profession. Originality/value – The paper builds on and adds new perspectives to literature on student motivations and career aspirations. The groups studied are eclectic, including PG and UG, full-time and DL cohorts across a range of age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the issues experienced in the delivery of a business challenge to a cohort of business undergraduate students at the University of Glamorgan. The challenge involved initiating and running a "real" business and returning a profit within a week. The students worked in groups of up to eight and were given start up capital. The paper seeks to evaluate the impact of the business challenge in terms of changing entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviour, and to examine the skills competencies acquired by the individual students. Design/methodology/approach – The study employs a mixed method approach to examine the respondent experience. The basis of the investigation involved a semi-structured questionnaire undertaken on completion of the challenge. In total, in excess of 50 students completed the research instrument. The questionnaire enabled the authors to quantitatively explore the overall impact of the business challenge by student age and gender. In addition, the semi structured design enabled the authors to explore the qualitative "rich data" of individual student experience based on their reflections. Findings – The findings reveal a positive impact in terms of enhanced attitudes towards the attainability and attractiveness of an entrepreneurial career. The findings reveal that the business challenge provided the students with a significant enhancement in generic enterprise skills including team working, leadership, communication and specific business skills such as sales and marketing behaviour. The students valued the opportunity and personal responsibility offered by the business challenge to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real world context. Several individuals reported that the positive experience with their business venture meant that they wished to continue the business alongside their graduate studies. Originality/value – The paper contributes to a limited literature in assessing the impact and benefit of business challenges. It will be of value to enterprise education providers in organising and planning such activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider critically Government policy options in achieving growth through skills acquisition and deployment.Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of a review of policies drawing on literature from a number of countries.Findings – Government has a tendency to offer macro-solutions to a micro problem and is impotent as a result. The main hope lies in long-term development through the education system.Practical implications – The paper argues for a change in perspective from Government and a shift away from unhelpful initiatives. It calls for a long-term investment in education.Originality/value – The paper links the Government's macro-economic policies with the micro- implications at the level of the firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper seeks to report the detailed findings of a Centre for Education in the Built Environment (CEBE) funded study into real estate programmes of study in UK universities. The aim is to critically evaluate the gaps in the professional practice firm employers' expectations of real estate graduates, real estate graduates' perceptions of what they attained during their studies and universities' views of the content of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accredited real estate courses. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents the research findings from questionnaire surveys of professional practice firm employers and graduates and of interviews with RICS accredited courses providers and with the human resource managers of major surveying firms. Findings – The findings of the questionnaire survey should provide some comfort to real estate education providers since the top employer rated knowledge and skills are by and large found in most programmes of study. Universities would argue that they cannot actually do much about the personal attributes that graduates possess. There are significant differences in the views of employers and graduates and the only area of knowledge in which graduates currently exceed the requirements of employers is "research methods". The comments made by both groups suggest that practical experience is considered to be missing from courses but most universities would not see this as one of their principal areas of responsibility. The RICS accredited course directors mentioned that they provide alternative simulated work experience for students. Apart from practical experience, the human resource managers also raised concerns about graduates' levels of commercial awareness. Practical implications – The findings of this research will enable those designing real estate programmes of study in real estate in the UK and around the world to ensure that their curricula are current and relevant to the needs of employers, from a UK perspective. Originality/value – The paper presents the findings of questionnaire surveys of employers and graduates and of interviews with RICS accredited courses providers and human resource managers, which suggest that employers and graduates would like to see more practical skills and knowledge incorporated within university curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the need for a more holistic approach to mental health training that brings together the medical and the social knowledge and skills required by today's practitioners.Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on the authors' experience of developing, delivering and evaluating a joint mental health programme at London South Bank University between 2004 and 2008.Findings - The authors suggest some advantages of the model as indicated by the scant literature, the findings of a small pilot evaluation study and from information recorded and shared by other university providers of joint programmes - the Joint Programmes Forum. Further investigation is recommended.Research limitations/implications - The absence of systematic evaluation of joint programmes over the 20 years of their existence and the limitations of the evaluation undertaken by the authors is acknowledged.Originality/value - It is suggested in the paper that a specialist holistic training that incorporates nursing, social work (and in the future possibly occupational therapy and psychology) knowledge and skills would create well-prepared professionals to work with mental health and learning disability service user groups (and a similar model could equally be explored for older people and people with physical disabilities or long-term health conditions). This may be considered as a more successful solution to the effective integration of interprofessional education than the current struggles to superimpose it on uni-professional courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper has the purpose of exploring the potential for entrepreneurship education within veterinary medicine. It aims to examine some of the key themes in the entrepreneurship education literature, discuss the make-up of the UK veterinary sector, consider veterinary curricula requirements and illustrate how entrepreneurship education can benefit veterinary students. Design/methodology/approach - The approach adopted by the authors includes a literature review, in-depth discussion and the development of hypotheses for further study. Findings - Entrepreneurship education has the potential to make a valuable contribution to veterinary medicine curricula. This is due to the fact that the majority of veterinary graduates will work in or even own/co-own a veterinary business (i.e. a small veterinary practice) at some point in their career. In this context, the authors illustrate how entrepreneurship education can enhance both employable and day one/year one skills. The high entry requirements for veterinary programmes and the gender shift towards a predominantly female under- and postgraduate population add further interesting dimensions to the paper and present possible avenues for further research. Research limitations/implications - This is a conceptual paper and it is fully recognised that the concepts and hypotheses proposed need to be further developed and tested at the empirical level. Some interesting avenues for future research that could contribute significantly to this field are also identified. Originality/value - The paper highlights the potential value of incorporating entrepreneurship education within veterinary curricula. It also identifies how such incorporation can enhance students' employable skills and deliver many of the skills included in veterinary medicine's day one/year one competences' agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to explore how creative disciplines education is taught, delivered, and assessed, and how this might inform the development of enterprise education UK. Design/methodology/approach - The paper makes use of empirical data from three main sources across creative disciplines: interviews with entrepreneurs; job adverts for lecturing staff; and a survey of educators. This approach offers multiple perspectives on hypothesis development as well as the validation of emergent result. Findings - The analysis of the three strands of data highlights the benefits of contextualized enterprise education. It confirms that ideas assessment techniques within creative disciplines are well embedded in practice and applied consistently within the context of an academic framework. Practical implications - An exploration of delivery styles and ideas assessment in the creative sector has highlighted a potential model which could be adopted by generic enterprise education in business schools and other faculties. Potentially, it offers educators a template for assessment of entrepreneurial ideas. Originality/value - This paper highlights characteristics of creative discipline education and ideas assessment, which might potentially be a model for teaching enterprise within an academic framework, which could be adopted by enterprise educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review and highlight some recent examples of embedding education for sustainable development (ESD), within science and related curricula in ways that are meaningful and relevant to staff and students and reflect on different embedding strategies and discourses. Design/methodology/approach – A review of recent selected UK and international teaching and learning practice drawing on an expert workshop and link to wider debates about student competencies and embedding ESD in the curriculum. Findings – There are a number of practical ways of bringing sustainable development into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related subjects. Successful implementation requires linking teaching activities to the core activities of the STEM discipline. Reformist approaches to curriculum re-orientation are more likely to be successful than calls for radical, transformational models. Practical implications – Embedding ESD into the core curricula of STEM subjects is potentially difficult. This paper highlights practical ways of doing this which can be adopted and introduced within the mainstream of STEM curricula and have a greater chance of being taken up than bolt-on approaches. Originality/value – The treatment of ESD in STEM subjects is relatively under-developed compared to social sciences, humanities and subjects allied to environment. The economic and social significance of STEM subjects means that STEM-related subjects are integral to sustainable development and therefore STEM education must be re-oriented to sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report on findings from the first stage of an ongoing research with regard to the UK construction industry's perception of offsite production (OSP) adoption/uptake, in an attempt to inform the second stage of the research (not reported in this paper) to infer the skills/knowledge areas needed for the wider uptake of OSP. Design/methodology/approach - The objective of this paper was to capture the UK construction industry's perception vis-à-vis OSP characteristics using a quantitative approach. Postal surveys were employed to collect industry perception which was then analysed statistically for inference and conclusion. Findings - Findings from 36 large construction organisations suggest that irrespective of respondents' organisations prime activity or professions, the majority of respondents perceive OSP to be the future of the UK construction industry; with a considerable belief that the industry is ready to embrace OSP. Nevertheless, the industry do not seem to fully appreciate OSP, which is implied by the uncertainty recorded in most of the responses. Research limitations/implications - Whilst the data validity and sample set coherence can be considered robust and defendable, it should be acknowledged that care needs to be taken when interpreting results, especially as the data collected depended heavily on the survey approach. Furthermore, these findings are limited to the UK context only, as such, the level of generalisability/repeatability outside this context may not be representative of the findings presented here. Originality/value - OSP falls under the overarching umbrella of modern methods of construction, which is high on the UK Government Agenda. OSP has attracted numerous research over the last decades; however, there is limited literature to quantify industry perception in this regard, especially to enable the inference and prioritisation of skills and knowledge areas needed to support the wider uptake of OSP (not reported in this paper). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyse whether the development of a needs-based funding formula for resource allocation incorporates the needs of funders or the needs of the service providers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper analyses interview data and documentary evidence gathered from a UK local education authority about the creation of a "needs-based" formula for sharing resources to schools. It employs and extends a framework developed by Levačić and Ross to evaluate needs-based formula funding. Findings - Although formula funding is purported to be a more objective method of resource allocation, the paper finds that as with other resource allocation methods the power relations between the funder and the service provider impacts on the extent to which service provider needs are incorporated into the funding formula. Research limitations/implications - This paper considers only the funding of schools. Further work is needed to investigate formula funding for other public services. Practical implications - Debates between funders and service providers should be encouraged by policy makers to ensure that allocations based on the funding formula are acceptable to service providers. Originality/value - The paper provides a useful analysis of a needs-based funding formula for resource allocation in schools and whether this incorporates the needs of funders or the needs of the service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Traditional engineering education in the UK, as established in the nineteenth century, is based on the principle that a degree in engineering should be focused on engineering science and not on the practice of engineering. This has proved to be seriously negative to the development of engineering ability in general and innovative engineering in particular. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the reasons for this situation. Design/methodology/approach - Features of innovative engineering are outlined and a structure for learning which has potential to promote innovation is proposed. Findings - Because of principles based on misplaced academic elitism established in the nineteenth century, traditional engineering curricula tend to develop an academic mindset rather than an engineering mindset in students. They do little to support innovative engineering. As a result, the large amount of money spent on engineering education in the UK does not represent a good investment. The academic mindset does not well support any professional context. Originality/value - The paper provides a challenge to universities and professional engineering institutions which should be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to report on qualitative research conducted to evaluate the sustainability of learning derived from a novel leadership development process which involves a short period of retreat. The findings aim to provide evidence of the impact of an "inside outside" approach to leadership development on the performance of managers back in their organisations. The paper seeks to challenge the traditional approach to the outdoor management development favoured by trainers in the 1990s and offer an alternative learning method that ensures the transfer of practical outcomes to the workplace. Design/methodology/approach — A semi-structured survey was conducted with 50 senior leaders within two large UK corporations. The survey results were cross-referenced with desk research to explore reflective approaches to leadership development in the UK and the USA. Participants' written reflections post-retreat and one year later were used to supplement the findings. The target population included cohorts of leaders who had participated in a leadership development programme from 2003-2006. Findings — The paper finds that the process of retreat acts as a catalyst for both emotional and intellectual learning. Through the training the participants were able to access intuitive knowledge about themselves, their lives and the impact of their leadership on the organisation. Practical implications — Links were established between the "inside out" approach of Wilderness Thinking and tangible outcomes back on their workplace. The practical changes initiated by leaders exposed to Wilderness Thinking counters the traditional challenge made to outdoor management development in the limited success with learning transfer to sponsoring organisations. Originality/value — "Wilderness Thinking" represents a breakthrough in leadership training and development through a unique approach to the use of outdoors to personal change and learning transfer. The findings of the paper add to the debate about the role of outdoor management development in the development of leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current situation of academic LIS research, specifically in the UK and to provide some thoughts considering the future of the discipline. According to the opinion of the authors, this situation is characterised by a lack of cohesion, the need for justification of academic research in terms of its immediate applicability to the professional education of practitioners, and a disjuncture between the information profession and information research. The paper attempts to offer introductory thoughts regarding these circumstances. Design/methodology/approach - The current situation is briefly reviewed and commented on from the authors' viewpoint. Aspects of Pierre Bourdieu's study of the university as a hierarchically structured field of forces are considered. Some reference is made to previous literature. Findings - The paper advances the view that the role of academic US research, debate and theory formation needs to be strengthened and that this needs to be reflected in the curriculum more strongly. Originality/value - The paper attempts to highlight consistently overlooked contributing factors, and thus aims to shift the perspective towards role and position of LIS research within academia, rather than vis-à-vis the professional education it is connected to. It aims to stimulate discussion of the current situation, of how it can be perceived, and of ways to address it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — Recent research and media attention has highlighted soaring levels of stress among young people. As part of a programme of research based across a number of universities in London and the South-West of the UK (called WestFocus) a team of psychologists, social scientists and complementary practitioners have started to investigate this issue with the aim of introducing stress management interventions into the school environment. This paper aims to examine their findings. Design/methodology/approach — This paper summarises the set up, progress, results and implications of a six-week stress management intervention piloted and evaluated with teenagers at school. The intervention aimed to provide a holistic approach to stress management teaching students both psychological techniques (such as cognitive behavioural therapy) and complementary therapy approaches (such as Indian head massage and aromatherapy). Findings — Structured assessments and qualitative feedback taken at the beginning and end of the programme revealed that emotional well-being and self-esteem improved and perceived stress decreased for students. Initial stress levels were found to be high and to have a negative impact on school performance and social activity. Practical implications — The nature and high levels of stress symptoms experienced by this group of young people have significant implications for the general well-being of young people and the design of products or services to help. Originality/value — Relatively little is know about how stress levels affect the well-being and behaviour of young people including avenues for stress relief, methods of coping and the implications this may have for services, interventions or marketing. This paper aims to explore these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While several publications exist on the topic of job satisfaction, little is known about personal correlates of overall job satisfaction. This paper reviews the literature on single and multiple studies concerned about the relationships between age, gender, rank and length of service and job satisfaction. Collecting a large sample from UK universities, the paper finds that the rank of an individual and the length of service he/she has worked within higher education are significant predictors of the level of the individual's overall job satisfaction. However, while academic rank is positive and very strongly correlated with the overall job satisfaction, length of service in higher education is negatively related. In addition, while gender, age and length of service in present universities are not significantly associated directly with the overall job satisfaction, several of the interactive relationships of the variables, such as rank and gender or length of service in higher education and age, are statistically significant. The implications of the results are discussed as well as suggestions are given for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries concerns have been expressed about the merits of educational research. This paper reports on the outcomes of a review of reviews of such research in Australia and the UK. Taken at face value, the latest round of reviews are largely critical in the UK (where they have generated much debate) and mainly favourable in Australia (where they have not). In accounting for this difference the paper suggests that it might be explained in part as a function of how the reviews were conducted. In the UK reviews have tended to begin with the research and work forward to practice whereas in Australia they have been inclined to begin with practice and work back to the research. It is suggested that policy makers, practitioners and researchers in Australia and the UK have much to learn from each other's experience, as have those in other countries planning similar reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyse information management study programmes and courses given at the Nordic, Baltic, and British library and information studies schools, and also to highlight the differences that depend on different backgrounds, traditions and experiences and common features. The paper consists of three parts. The first introduces some earlier research done by the scholars in the area of information management education or helping to clarify the issue. The second provides an overview of higher education institutions teaching information management in the Baltic States, Nordic countries, and the UK. The third is an attempt to find coherence in study programmes of information management and summarise the concepts they reflect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Half of British university students experience assault and harassment behaviours; few report them. Bystander intervention training has been recommended as a means of reducing these behaviours, but there is little evidence about their potential effectiveness in UK contexts. The purpose of this paper is to understand UK students' attitudes towards reporting and intervening in sexual assault, harassment and hate crimes. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed methods cross-sectional survey (n=201; 75.6 per cent women) was conducted in one British university. Open text data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Students considered harassment and assault unacceptable, and were confident to intervene in and likely to report incidents. However, fear of backlash was a barrier to intervening and reporting, and they felt that victims should decide whether to report incidents. Students perceived perpetrators as being ignorant about what constitutes consent, harassment and assault. They identified a need for university community education about this and how to report incidents and support peers. Research limitations/implications: This cross-sectional survey was conducted at one UK University. The data might not reflect other students' attitudes, and may be subject to response bias. University community bystander training should be acceptable, report and support systems might be utilised by students. This may have potential to reduce prevalence and increase reporting. Practical implications: University community bystander training should be acceptable, report and support systems might be utilised by students. This may have potential to reduce prevalence and increase reporting. Originality/value: This is the first study to investigate UK student attitudes to prosocial bystander behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review evidence about the role of education in supporting ex-service personnel to move to social care work with older people. Social care has long-standing, well-recognised problems of staff recruitment and retention in many jurisdictions. Within ageing societies, the need for more social care staff is predicted to rise. Therefore, policy makers and employers are exploring if there are untapped sources of potential employees. Some ex-service personnel may be interested in exploring a move to social care work with older people but may need to gain additional qualifications. Design/methodology/approach: Databases and grey literature were searched systematically to provide an overview of the evidence on this topic. Six articles were included in the review. Findings: A narrative analysis revealed two themes: preparing ex-service personnel for enrolment onto health and social care programmes, and supporting ex-service personnel during health and social care programmes. Research limitations/implications: This review was confined to English language studies published between 2008 and 2018. Few mentioned specific user or client groups. Originality/value: This review identified evidence gaps relating to whether the skills, education, training and experience gained in the armed services are transferable to civilian social care work with older people; the types of support which are offered to ex-service personnel who are interested in completing qualifications necessary for social care roles and the views of ex-service personnel about their experiences of completing educational courses to facilitate a transition into social care work with older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – It is now widely acknowledged that health care professionals on the front line of care delivery will often be among the first to whom patients or clients who have experienced abuse will present or disclose abuse in a clinical context. It is therefore of pivotal importance that all health care professionals, including nurses, are adequately prepared at the earliest opportunity to effectively respond to a disclosure of abuse or identify where abuse may be suspected. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In order to address this contemporary challenge within health care the authors present a model, developed in the UK, for the embedding of safeguarding knowledge, skills and attitudes within undergraduate pre-registration nursing curricula. This model is integrative and focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the field of safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. Findings – Student evaluation to date has been extremely positive with the majority of student responses indicating that individuals felt that they had received the requisite level of educational support and knowledge to enable them to recognise concerns. However, it was also clear that students felt that the knowledge gained within the classroom setting needed to be effectively supported and translated in the practice setting. Practical implications – Safeguarding clearly forms a central part of professional accountability and responsibility. It is therefore pivotal that professionals receive the requisite education, skills and knowledge at the earliest opportunity. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge this initiative is novel in approach and as such has the potential to inform similar education programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider possible implications of recent policy initiatives in schools and local government for child safeguarding practice in education settings in the state sector in England. Design/methodology/approach – Recent policy changes to promote devolution of decision-making to school and local government level are analysed in the light of the literature on multi-agency working for the protection of children. Findings – The paper highlights the complexity of the current context in which local arrangements for the safeguarding of children are operating. This includes efforts at integration of funding and structures, coupled with rapid changes in policy in both education and children’s social care and greater decision-making powers at local level. Together this makes it difficult to evaluate the current strengths of safeguarding arrangements between schools and other local agencies to help ensure that arrangements for the safeguarding of children in “independent” state schools are robust and effective. Research limitations/implications – Researchers and policy-makers need to consider the efficacy of safeguarding arrangements under new local government and integrated structures in England. Practical implications – There is relatively little research addressing inter-organisational information exchange in relation to education professionals involved in safeguarding. This paper sets out some directions for inquiry, including specific priorities that may be useful to the research and practice communities in the context of integration. Originality/value – The paper provides a summary of key policies and strategies that inform child protection in state school settings in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the possibilities for a new approach to the education and training of the vocational education and training (VET) professional in Great Britain. VET in Great Britain has a legacy from the nineteenth century of systematic neglect which was well documented as long ago as the late 1980s. On the other hand, there is an increasing awareness, on the part of both government and business, that in the future no country's economy will be internationally competitive if it is not supported by a high quality system of vocational education and training. The paper develops a model of the VET professional as a "connective specialist", paying particular attention to the need for a new approach to learning and pedagogy and the new types of skill and knowledge that the VET professionals are going to need. The model is based on an analysis of the competitive economic conditions faced by Great Britain (and other EU countries), the new skills and knowledge that will be needed in the workforce, and the demands this will make on the preparation and continuing professional development of VET professionals.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the curriculum of the UK’s first MSc in Gastronomy. The programme supports an interdisciplinary approach to understanding food not yet commonly found in academia or beyond. However, it is increasingly recognized that such a perspective, as fostered by the MSc Gastronomy, may be key in effectively addressing complex contemporary problems within food culture and food systems. Design/methodology/approach – This is a viewpoint paper that explains the rationale behind the chosen definition of Gastronomy, the context that inspired creation of the programme, an outline of the programme structure and justification of content. Findings – The underpinning philosophy stems from a conviction that to address problems of corrupt food systems and problematic societal foodways, a more comprehensive understanding of food is needed. The programme seeks to cultivate this with a truly interdisciplinary approach to the study of food culture and food systems. This approach is recognized as an underrepresented area in academia where the study of food currently tends to be compartmentalized; a reductionist approach also mirrored within politics, commerce and our everyday lives. The MSc Gastronomy investigates how to foster and make commonplace, a more holistic and realistic understanding of food. Originality/value – The MSc Gastronomy has been shaped by an understanding that a more comprehensive knowledge of food is required if contemporary problems within the food system are to be effectively addressed. To achieve this, the programme adopts an interdisciplinary approach to studying food only upheld by a small number of other academic institutions. It is the first of its kind in the UK, responding most closely to the specific cultural and political dynamics of Scotland’s food culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the use of blended learning in property education courses in different countries. The rationale for this study is to fill the research gap in this area. The focus of previous research on blended learning has been on individual countries only, and there is yet to appear any research on a cross-country comparison. The purpose of this study is to identity the differences as well as the good practices using blended learning as a delivery approach in different countries As a result, individual countries can learn experience from another country. It is expected academics interested in using blended learning as a delivery approach will benefit from the research findings of this paper, through gaining an understanding of the advantages and challenges of using blended learning in different countries. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents the research findings of questionnaire surveys and interviews with academics teaching property courses in Australia and the UK. The questionnaire aimed to gather academics’ views on blended learning, their reasons for using blended learning as a teaching method, their design of blended learning courses and the support they provide to students on dealing with web technology. The aim of the interviews was to gain deeper insight into the successful factors and challenges in the use of blended learning. In total, 16 interviews were conducted. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded to identify similar themes. Content analysis was used as a method to analyse the interview data. The frequency of the answer in the questionnaire and comments from interviewees is presented. Findings – The Australian and UK property academics have similar views on many aspects of blended learning. Their definitions of blended learning are similar as their reasons to use it as a teaching method. The commonly used teaching and learning activities in their blended learning courses in both countries are, again, similar, such as the use of lectures, case studies and guest lecturers. On the other hand, the academics in the two countries face different challenges. A challenge faced by the Australian property academics is to deliver online courses to students who have limited internet downloading capacity and broadband width. Australia is a very large country and has more regional and remote areas. Another challenge faced by the Australian academics is keeping up with the constant introduction of new teaching and learning technology by their universities. On the other hand, the UK academics faced a different challenge, which was to sufficiently engage and encourage students to contribute in online Discussion Boards. The finding is possibly because the UK study was conducted two years prior to the Australian study and the idea of online discussions was relatively new to students at the time. The conclusion drawn from this research is that “time” and the size of the country influence the use of blended learning. Originality/value – This project is the first to conduct a cross-country comparison on the use of blended learning in professionally accredited property courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Medical leadership has attracted significant attention over the recent years as one of the factors that could potentially improve quality in healthcare. In response, various stakeholders in UK medical education have been looking into the most efficient ways of developing leadership among trainee doctors and invested in various courses and programmes. This paper aims to briefly set the theoretical basis for evaluating leadership development in postgraduate medical education. Design/methodology/approach – Critical review of available theoretical and empirical literature and review of the content of a number of leadership and management development programmes available to postgraduate trainee doctors in the UK. Findings – This review suggests that programme evaluation can be approached through four different “frames”: their pedagogical content, the conceptualisation and achievement of leadership, the contribution in quality improvement and the consideration of practical aspects that increase engagement and participation. On this basis empirical methodologies of evaluation can be developed. Originality/value – The evaluation of leadership initiatives for medical trainees is an important task that has not been adequately addressed in the literature. This paper provides a theoretical approach to developing more robust methodologies of evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of young people's participation in organised sport on their educational outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Systematic review of the literature. A comprehensive search was used to identify all research evidence about engagement, impact and value in culture and sport. A combination of manual and automated screening was used to select studies for inclusion in this review based on pre-specified criteria. Included studies had to use a "high"-quality experimental research design, focus on children and young people and have quantitative educational outcome measures. Results from the individual studies were transformed into a standardised effect size and meta-analysis was used to combine the results from individual studies where appropriate. Findings – Young people's participation in sport may lead to improved educational outcomes. Young people's participation in organised sports activities, when compared to non-participation, improves their numeracy skills. Young people's participation in organised sport linked with extra-curricular activities, when compared to non-participation, improves a range of learning outcomes for underachieving pupils. These findings are based on six "high"-quality studies conducted in the UK and North America. Study populations included young people within the range of four to 16 years old. Originality/value – This paper builds on the existing evidence base in two main ways. First, it focuses specifically on the impacts associated with organised sport whereas previous reviews have had a broader focus. Second, it uses meta-analytic methods to synthesise study findings. This paper provides pooled effect sizes for overall educational impacts and translates these into potential changes in test/grade scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - "VTE Assess Prevent" is a unique communications campaign designed to educate and remind all front-line staff to risk assess inpatients for venous thromboembolism (VTE) (blood clots) and to provide those at risk with the recommended preventative treatment. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the VTE communications campaign from the perspective of the front line staff at a UK hospital. Design/methodology/approach - A questionnaire implementing both qualitative and quantitative methods was made available to all relevant frontline staff at the hospital via online and paper copies (n = 319). Findings - Overall positive attitudes towards the design and content of the campaign materials were reported. The campaign had a considerable impact on staff awareness of the importance of risk assessing for VTE and the extent to which risk assessments were carried out. High levels of reported behaviour change were reported as a consequence of the campaign. Recommendations for future communication campaigns included making the communication materials more memorable and enhancing the sense of control that people have over the procedure. Also, improving normative and outcome beliefs, running the communications campaign alongside a programme of education and including monitoring and feedback of performance were recommended. Originality/value - Reducing the number of deaths attributable to hospital acquired VTE is a clinical priority within the health services in many countries. The findings from this study highlight the role of the VTE campaign in achieving this goal, provide an insight into the key components of an effective communication campaign and identify recommendations for future campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the willingness of households to pay for academic and deprivation-compensating components of the Contextual Value Added (CVA) indicator of school quality used in England in order to locate themselves in the catchment area of state schools. Deprivation-compensating school performance, defined as the difference in the disadvantaged intake between two schools with the same academic performance.Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis, based on data drawn from three independent UK data sources, used parametric and non-parametric analysis approaches. The analysis conducted separately for primary and secondary schools, because household behaviour can differ between these two levels of education.Findings Consumers are willing to pay for houses in the catchment area of primary and secondary schools with high academic achievement, as measured by the mean score; whereas, the component of the CVA indicating deprivation-compensating aspects of school performance is found to have a positive effect only on the price of houses in the catchment area of primary schools in London; its impact on the price of houses elsewhere is mostly negative.Practical implications The analysis in this study suggested that the recently adopted practice of using CVA as a measure of school quality in England can encourage government and Local Authorities to pay more attention to raising the deprivation-compensating aspects of school performance of their schools.Originality/value This is the first study to explore the value which households attach to deprivation-compensating outcomes, at a given level of academic performance using the CVA indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to explore the choices learners have in steering their way through the educational system in the UK. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The paper draws on data from two studies, one conducted in a state secondary school and the other in a Further Education College, both based in the north-west of England. Both used interviews (either individual or focus-group) to collect data, which were then analysed using a grounded approach. Findings |!|#8211; In linking the two studies the authors highlight how the impact of symbolic violence and the relations between groups and classes at school continue into the |!|#34;choices|!|#34; the learners make during adulthood and also into the learner|!|#39;s working life, and that these |!|#34;choices|!|#34; are often a large-scale consequence of many |!|#34;micro-choices|!|#34; arising from day-to-day situations. The acts of symbolic violence described in the college group are not of themselves very different from those described by the school group, though the consequences for the school group cannot yet be known. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; The participants in the two groups are unconnected in that they attend different institutions and are at very different stages of their education. However the authors contend that there is a connection in terms of the participants|!|#39; experience of symbolic violence. Originality/value |!|#8211; The paper draws attention to the existence of symbolic violence in everyday school life, and highlights how these instances can have significant impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to outline the duties placed upon public bodies towards children with acquired brain injuries. Design/methodology/approach – The paper outlines the key obligations owed to such children by local authority children's services and health bodies, dealing with the responsibilities of each and the duty to co-operate placed on them. It also discusses the avenues of redress open to families of children with brain injuries and the various ways they can ensure that public bodies comply with their obligations. Findings – The article summarises relevant law and avenues of redress that may be used where duties are not complied with. Originality/value – The paper provides an up-to-date summary of the relevant duties which includes reference to applicable case law and focuses particularly on how the law applies to children with acquired brain injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]