School of Health and Social Sciences

With this posting you'll find the minutes of the Department of Social Sciences Staff Student held on 21st April. Point 08.13 was a concern to us all.

Don't forget that for each exam you attend you must bring your PAT badges and clearly display it on the desk in front of you. What's your PAT badge? Your Newport library/ID card.

With the May examinations fast approaching there are a few things to be aware of -

• Students who have approved special provisions should have already contacted Heather Collins in the School Office to ensure that we have your correct provision in place.  If you have not done this please do so by Monday 28th April at the latest.
• Students who have special provisions in place for examinations need to report to the School Office at least 20 minutes before the examination is due to start, in order to find out which room they are in for the examination.
• Mobile phones are not permitted in any of the examination rooms (including special provision rooms).  

Ever felt you'd like to abseil down the Newport Transporter Bridge? Of course you have, and this is your lucky day - see enclosed attachment.

As you'll have seen from the posting a little further down this page, we're introducing a new system for submitting assignments next year and, this term, we're running a trial with the final submissions on three modules. Most people seem to be able to print out their cover sheet from the MLE with no problems, but a small number of people have contacted me saying that the link doesn't work.

If you're having problems try the following. Look at top right hand side of this blog and see whether it says that you're signed in. If you're not, then click on "Sign In" and then enter your normal username and password. If you then click on the "Assignment Timetable" link (lower down on the right hand side of this page) you should have no problems. If you do still have problems then let me know.

Another DVD of one of our open seminars going into the library (at Caerleon) on Monday - Jon Ord talks about "Framing Work with Socially Excluded Young People". It's made to the same excitingly low production standards as the previous ones in this series, but it's still worth watching.

On June the 16th the university will be holding its annual Learning and Teaching Conference. In the morning, along with the welcomes and introductions, there’ll be a series of workshops presented by members of staff who’ve been engaged in various L&T projects over the last year or so. In the afternoon we’ll be doing something rather different – we’ll be continuing to explore some of the issues that came up in the “Making Newport (even) Better” event that took place earlier this year. (Do a search for “Making Newport” in the search box at the top of this page to find out more about that) Essentially, we want to develop some sort of “Learning Agreement” – an understanding between staff and students about what they might reasonably expect of each other – particularly as far as assessments, marking, feedback, handbooks etc are concerned. To give this event real value – and meaning – we need to have students there, and this is your invitation to attend. If you’d like to come please contact Morna Manson

It’s just possible that we might get more students wanting to attend than we can accommodate, in which case we’ll limit numbers according to who contacts Morna first. Please come if you can, though, this event concerns students just as much as it does staff.

From the start of next year we're expecting to have introduced a new system for submitting assignments - the three colour sheets we've been using up to now will become things of the past.

We're telling you about this now because we'll be running a trial of the new system on three modules this year. If you're on one of the following modules - Human Nature & Social Values, Criminology & the Criminal Justice System or Introduction to Sport Exercise - then it's important that you're aware of this because you'll be asked to use the new system. Your tutor will be talking to you about this anyway, but here's what will happen.

You'll already be aware that you can see a timetable of your assignments by clicking on the "Your Assignment Timetable" link over on the right hand side of this page. It looks like this -

Over on the right hand side you'll see it either says "Normal Coversheet" - in which case you carry on using the old system - or it says "Show Coversheet" in which case you'll be using the new one. Click on the "Show Coversheet" link and you'll come to something like this -

These screen dumps may be a little small to read - just click on them if so and you'll be able to read them more easily. The key thing is that they're ready customised for you, with your student number and module number ready filled in. All you've got to do is print out this new cover sheet and fix it to your essay when you submit it - you don't need to use the old sheet at all. What you can't do, of course, is take a copy of a friends coversheet, because that will have been customised for them, not you. Your assignment must be accompanied by this new sheet but you can print it out any time you like - you could do it now even!

What would you tell a student coming onto your course next year about how to get the best out of it? What do you wish that you'd been told when you started? If you let us know we'll make sure that the people who follow behind you hear what you have to say at the start of next year. Either post a comment here, send me an email, or fill in the form you'll find with this posting and put it in the box you'll find outside the office. Don't forget to tell us which course you're on and which year you're currently in.

Then you might well find it worth registering with Newport's "Career Online" service. You can search and save jobs by industry sector, set yourself up to receive "job alert" emails, browse the online directory of employers, book a careers interview and much more.You'll find them here.

A forum for topical research open to staff, students and the general public

Jon Ord
University College Plymouth St Mark & St John

'Framing Work with Socially Excluded Young People'

The present government has injected energy and funding into youth work, in ways conspicuous by their absence under previous Conservative administrations. Yet this has come with a number of caveats - not least, that the practice of youth work is increasingly tied to outcomes. The focus on these outcomes risks precluding due attention to how they are arrived at, and to the process of engagement crucial to the nature of youth work itself. Specifically, the framing of work with socially excluded young people has under New Labour now been re-conceptualised under the auspices of curriculum. This provides a significant challenge for youth work in maintaining a commitment to the unique features of educational practice which have been at its core. This paper explores a solution to this problem, by articulating a conception of curriculum as 'process'.

Venue: Boardroom, Caerleon Campus
Time: 5.30pm
As usual the session includes a talk, followed by the opportunity for discussion. Refreshments will be available. Though all are very much welcome, places are limited. For further details, and/or to confirm that you would like to attend, please contact Gideon Calder.

University of Wales, Newport, is reviewing the support it provides for students with Specific Learning Difficulties, such as dyslexia. The aim of the review is to develop the current systems to ensure that the best possible support is offered. As part of the review process, students, staff members and freelance support tutors are being invited to complete a questionnaire about the support that is provided at present and about ways in which the support system could be developed.

Although students with *Specific Learning Difficulties are particularly asked to take part in this survey, the views of all students are of interest. Completion of the questionnaire is voluntary and respondents are not required to provide their names. The first questions in the questionnaire are included only for the purpose of categorising the responses received and no attempt will be made to identify anonymous contributors. If, however, you would be prepared to discuss your ideas further, please consider giving your contact details at the end of the questionnaire. A researcher may then contact you to arrange an interview.

Completion of the questionnaire will be treated as an agreement that the information provided, with the exception of any contact details, may be used in connection with the review of services and related research purposes. Separate agreements will be made with individuals who agree to take part in interviews. Please note that some of the forms of support listed in the questionnaire may not actually be available or appropriate for students with SpLD.

You can access the questionnaire here.

*Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) include:

Dyslexia
Hyperlexia
Dysgraphia
Dyspraxia
Dyscalculia
Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)
Asperger’s syndrome
Autism

Looking through one of our module evaluation summaries from last term I've noticed that someone has written "SPSS on CD" in the "what changes or improvements would you like to see?" section. This posting has been made to tell you that it's yours for the asking! Our licensing arrangements entitle you to have a copy installed on your machine, so if you're interested just enquire at the IT help desk. Once upon a time you had to take your computer in to them to have it installed for you, but now you'll be given a disk to install yourself. Now there's really is no excuse for not understanding how it works! 

This academic year sees the launch of the Chairman’s Award. Students may nominate members of staff who have made a difference to their University experience and learning for the Award. All students are eligible to take part and the members of staff may be Academic, Admin,and/or Support Staff in Corporate Departments etc.  Nominations need to be submitted by 6^TH May 2008, so if you feel that there are members of staff within the School of Health and Social Sciences that you would like to nominate the forms may be found here 

You can find more information about the award here.

Purpose of the award

• To recognise exceptional contribution to the work and life of the University by members of staff.

• To provide an opportunity to acknowledge all the areas of activity which make up the University of Wales, Newport.

Timetable

Closing date for 2008 nominations is Tuesday 6 May 2008. Decisions will be made by the panel and recipients will be informed by mid June. The Award will be made at a Graduation Ceremony in September 2008.

Potential candidates
The awards are open to all those employed by the University at any level whether full or part-time, permanent or fixed term. There is no minimum or maximum age or length of service requirement.

Nomination process
People may be nominated by any student, former student or other partner of the University. Nominations require a statement from the nominator setting out their opinion on the recommendation. Forms may also be obtained in hard copy from Marketing Services, who administer the process. Nominations are assessed by a panel chaired by the Chairman of the Board of Governors, which includes senior academic and administrative officers. The panel may, if necessary, seek views and advice in confidence from other colleagues who know the work of the person nominated.

Scope
Awards can be made for work in any area of activity at the University, including support services, direct teaching and research.

Criteria
The panel looks for people who have made exceptional contributions that have enhanced University life in any sphere. This could include:

• improving the transfer of research and knowledge
• improving the learning and teaching environment for students
• improving the public recognition of the University in local, regional, national or international community
• enhancing the University's relationships with external bodies / businesses
• contributing to the social or collegial life of the University
• attracting students or staff to the University
• providing improved support to staff and students, or enhancing their experience while at University
• helping students to prepare for life once they have graduated from the University

The types of activities could include the development of new systems or activities; exceptional delivery of existing systems or activities; or transformation of existing practice or processes. Recognition can be made for a series of significant activities, as well as for a single sustained initiative.

Evidence
The panel will be looking particularly for strong supporting evidence of the contribution made by individuals. This evidence should include factual or practical evidence of improved performance in any area, and personal statements from students or staff or external partners about the contribution made by the individual being nominated.