Monday, April 30, 2007
How to Succeed in Your Social Science Degree
After a fairly long and sometimes rather vexed gestation period, this book (written by myself and Dr Hilary Arksey of York University) finally appeared on April 18th, published by Sage. Sage were brilliant as usual and have given it a nice cover and a lot of publicity.
Briefly, the book tries to use some social science insights to amend the usual study skills material (often based on pretty dubious psychology, recycled materials, and techniques abstracted from FE practice). The argument is that students are studying research techniques and methods, say, and that they might as well use these approaches to try to understand what the Academy means by things like 'critical discussion', or why it values things like 'detachment' and loathes things like plagiarism. These suggestions emerged partly from my own work with SPDC01 students doing study skills, and, further, from a paper Hilary and I wrote for the BSA Annual Conference 2005.
We'll see how it goes. Any feedback from colleagues would be very welcome.
Dave Harris
Briefly, the book tries to use some social science insights to amend the usual study skills material (often based on pretty dubious psychology, recycled materials, and techniques abstracted from FE practice). The argument is that students are studying research techniques and methods, say, and that they might as well use these approaches to try to understand what the Academy means by things like 'critical discussion', or why it values things like 'detachment' and loathes things like plagiarism. These suggestions emerged partly from my own work with SPDC01 students doing study skills, and, further, from a paper Hilary and I wrote for the BSA Annual Conference 2005.
We'll see how it goes. Any feedback from colleagues would be very welcome.
Dave Harris
Saturday, April 28, 2007
BSA conference
Me again -- sorry.
The School paid for me to attend the BSA Annual Conference at the University of East London (Docklands Campus.The location was a real disappointment and the Conference was rather dull, I am afraid.
The highlight for me was the Keynote delivered by the legendary Prof B Latour. Latour is famous for popularising 'Actor Network Theory' which has been much discussed in sociology, geography and economics, but he chose to pursue some themes related to Lovelock and the latest version of the 'Gaia Hypothesis'. The speech was very French -- not PowerPoint, no notes, hilarious digs at Anglo social theory and philosophy and very witty and ironic discussion based on what we would have to do if we took Lovelock seriously.
The other session were rather disappointing --classic RAE-affected stuff I thought with little bitty papers carefully hoarding an insight or two, ready to offer the next stage in the next paper so you can get 4 in all.
I was ill for some of the sessions too, but managed to get to a couple in each slot. I shall be pleased to 'cascade' to any interested colleagues.
Dave Harris
The School paid for me to attend the BSA Annual Conference at the University of East London (Docklands Campus.The location was a real disappointment and the Conference was rather dull, I am afraid.
The highlight for me was the Keynote delivered by the legendary Prof B Latour. Latour is famous for popularising 'Actor Network Theory' which has been much discussed in sociology, geography and economics, but he chose to pursue some themes related to Lovelock and the latest version of the 'Gaia Hypothesis'. The speech was very French -- not PowerPoint, no notes, hilarious digs at Anglo social theory and philosophy and very witty and ironic discussion based on what we would have to do if we took Lovelock seriously.
The other session were rather disappointing --classic RAE-affected stuff I thought with little bitty papers carefully hoarding an insight or two, ready to offer the next stage in the next paper so you can get 4 in all.
I was ill for some of the sessions too, but managed to get to a couple in each slot. I shall be pleased to 'cascade' to any interested colleagues.
Dave Harris
Friday, April 06, 2007
The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology
Another long-running project emerges this week with the publication in hardback of Blackwell's massive Encyclopedia (US spelling). Edited by G Ritzer (of Macdonaldization fame) and an international team of the great and the good, the Encyclopedia is obviously designed for the US market. It costs about £1000 for the hardback version although there is also an online subscription facility. Contributors get free online access for one year (very useful -- I've downloaded lots of stuff already), and, evidently the relevant volume containing their contribution ( Vol V in my case). Overall, the material in the Encyclopedia seems very good, and I am really pleased to be in such expert company.
My contribution was to discuss 'hegemony and the media'. The term 'hegemony' was used extensively by a particular group of British cultural studies academics based at Birmingham Uni (CCCS) then at the OU. They have been very influential and the work is cited in countless Media, Sociology and Youth/Community Work courses -- and in Sports and Leisure courses too. My contribution was a critical one, picking up on some of the issues raised by their account of how the media work to develop hegemonic values despite appearing to be entirely neutral and 'professional'. Colleagues might know best the most famous contribution -- S.Hall on 'encoding and decoding', or the applied work on media 'moral panic' coverage of 'mugging' in 'Policing the Crisis...'.
I have written some critical work before (e.g. in my 1992 book), and it was nice to return to the issues and see if I still thought the same way, and to pick up on any recent developments.
An additional problem I had in writing my (fairly small) piece was in making it relevant to US readers as well.
Dave Harris
My contribution was to discuss 'hegemony and the media'. The term 'hegemony' was used extensively by a particular group of British cultural studies academics based at Birmingham Uni (CCCS) then at the OU. They have been very influential and the work is cited in countless Media, Sociology and Youth/Community Work courses -- and in Sports and Leisure courses too. My contribution was a critical one, picking up on some of the issues raised by their account of how the media work to develop hegemonic values despite appearing to be entirely neutral and 'professional'. Colleagues might know best the most famous contribution -- S.Hall on 'encoding and decoding', or the applied work on media 'moral panic' coverage of 'mugging' in 'Policing the Crisis...'.
I have written some critical work before (e.g. in my 1992 book), and it was nice to return to the issues and see if I still thought the same way, and to pick up on any recent developments.
An additional problem I had in writing my (fairly small) piece was in making it relevant to US readers as well.
Dave Harris
Thursday, April 05, 2007
HLST Development Day 28 March
I attended this conference (A Pedagogic Research and Development Day) in Bournemouth primarily for the sessions on bidding for HLST funding, However, I also attended 2 keynote sessions (on linking teaching and research, and employability), and several other sessions. I like to try and attend sessions on something new to me:
1. Student project work and how students perceive dissertations (including some interesting new psychology methodology combining concept maps and 'Q-methodology' to describe and analyse student perceptions)
2. Promoting a mastery motivation climate in HE (a presentation involving video recordings of coaching sessions)
3. An Introduction to the BioLab Toolbox (a collection of excellent RLOs on basic biomechanics).
I have full details of the presentations if anyone is interested, and details of a new contact in the South West Lifelong Learning Network.
Dave Harris
1. Student project work and how students perceive dissertations (including some interesting new psychology methodology combining concept maps and 'Q-methodology' to describe and analyse student perceptions)
2. Promoting a mastery motivation climate in HE (a presentation involving video recordings of coaching sessions)
3. An Introduction to the BioLab Toolbox (a collection of excellent RLOs on basic biomechanics).
I have full details of the presentations if anyone is interested, and details of a new contact in the South West Lifelong Learning Network.
Dave Harris
