The present paper provides an analysis of the relationship between attitudes toward debt and mental health among university undergraduates. Data were collected from the same cohort of students across their three years of university, with responses from 2146, 1360 and 1391 first, second and third year students, respectively. Mental health was…

This paper examines the career paths of principals and senior managers in the Scottish Further Education Sector. The research is set within a discourse of tension and polarization between lecturing staff and their managers who, it has been argued, are perceived to have somewhat different ideological values (Elliot, 1996; Randle & Brady, 1997).…

Action learning techniques are well suited to the teaching of organisation behaviour students because of their flexibility, inclusiveness, openness, and respect for individuals. They are no less useful as a tool for change for vocational teachers, learning, of necessity, to become researchers. Whereas traditional universities have always had a…

The primary focus of this study is to explore the variation in academic performance of European Business (EB) students, using the student learning framework. Prior research has shown that students' approaches to learning and preferences for teaching influence the quality of their learning outcomes. The Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for…

Some of the recent debates and discourses about higher education have embraced the development of shared aims and values within the professional context. The opportunity to engage in critical reflexive pedagogy is being widely acknowledged as an important element in the continuing professional development in the sector. In this paper a case study…

Many institutions acknowledge that students find courses in research methods difficult and challenging. To overcome the problems associated with teaching this subject we have replaced the traditional didactic teaching approach, which did not facilitate student learning, optimize student achievement or adequately prepare students for their…

This article discusses the issues and problems which typically arise in the process of compiling non-completion statistics, using the example of an empirical investigation of student non-continuation on an institution-wide language programme. The research highlights the fact that the validity of seemingly neutral dropout figures depends on the…

This paper comprises a summary of research into the teaching of higher education (HE) courses in further education (FE) learning environments. A comprehensive study of college management and teaching staff attitudes together with teaching practices, pedagogy and research was carried out with six partner colleges of the University of Plymouth where…

This paper describes an evaluation of a joint project in 2001 between Sheffield Hallam University, regional further education (FE) colleges and the Building Pathways team. The project's purpose was to develop clear progression routes into higher education (HE) for FE students studying on Advanced Diploma, Higher National Certificate and Higher…

A survey of student satisfaction and dissatisfaction was undertaken within an undergraduate education studies cohort at a new university in the English Midlands. The cohort included both 'traditional' and 'non-traditional' students and represented an increasingly typical 'widened' community of students within higher education. This student-…

An increasing amount of research now relates to students who work part-time during third level study. The advantages and disadvantages of this situation have been widely discussed in the literature and positive aspects of part-time work relating to graduate employment are given in several recent reports. Almost nothing has been done, however, to…

Peer observation has become a feature of university practice over the last decade, the primary impetus for its introduction being the political drive to raise teaching quality via the development and sharing of 'good practice'. Peer observation within higher education (HE) involves observing colleagues in the classroom and has the further aim of…

This paper explores why an institutional framework for dealing with plagiarism by students is necessary and it outlines the main ingredients of such a framework that has been developed at Lancaster University. It defines plagiarism as a form of academic malpractice and frames it as a breach of academic integrity. The framework places a strong…

The present study reports on new research conducted to determine whether teaching time and organizational skills using a training package can improve these skills. The Abbreviated Time Management Indicator (ATMI) developed by Roberts et al. was used to assess time and organizational management skills. This scale consists of six dimensions, namely…

Drawing on a research project which focused on the role reflective learning tools have in bringing about change to practice, this paper describes how nine practitioners from four different professions enhanced their professional practice by contributing to a collaborative journal. An analysis of the journal revealed four key themes:…