Category / Fusion

Leisure and Recreation Theme Meeting up

Fusion

In order to further develop some of the ideas that are driving the Leisure and Recreation Theme we are arranging to get together at 11am on Wed 23 May in TAG 02. 

The sort of things that we are currently exploring is: 

  • Hosting the Leisure Studies Association Conference. (Lead member of staff Dr Ian Jones).
  • Hosting the AEM conference 2013, (lead member of staff Dr Julie Whitfield).
  • Bidding for an ESRC seminar series.
  • Investigating the current government initiative relating to Healthy Leisure.
  • Establishing a Healthy Leisure, Healthy Living Research Group.
  • Possibly further dividing theme into work groups?
  • Running a seminar series (4-6) in the University, each session on a different aspect of University research relating to the theme.
  • Holding an Internal Research conference looking specifically at Leisure and Recreation, highlighting work across university.
  • Holding an internal PhD student conference or poster conference specifically on Leisure and Recreation highlighting work across University 

All input will be gratefully received, all are invited. Julie Northam will be e-mailing all those who have previously signed up to the Leisure and Recreation Theme to confirm attendance.  If you have not signed up please could you confirm attendance with Julie by e-mail so that we have an idea of numbers.

Launch of the Fusion Investment Fund

Fusion, News from the PVC

I am delighted today to launch the Fusion Investment Fund which, at c. £3m per annum for the first three years, represents the significant investment that BU is making in the development of staff and students, and the embedding of the Fusion philosophy.

At the heart of the BU2018 strategy is the powerful fusion of research, education and professional practice, creating a unique academic experience where the sum is greater than the component parts. Fusion is the key concept which underlies the BU2018 strategy and its delivery is critical to the University’s future mission. As a founding concept Fusion will allow the organisation to achieve its ambition of transforming the academic footprint of BU while remaining a similar academic size. It is the key academic strategy and central to the culture at BU. In essence Fusion is the combination of inspirational teaching, world-class research and the latest thinking in the professions which creates a continuous and fruitful exchange of knowledge that stimulates new ideas, learning and thought leadership.

The Fund exists to support a range of practical initiatives and pump prime activity around Fusion. Launched today are three of the funding strands available to BU staff:

  • Co-creation and co-production – this strand provides grants focused on supporting activity that drives fusion with specific emphasis on research and/or professional practice. The budget in 2012-13 for this strand is £400k and individual grants awarded will be between £10k and £75k each.
  • Study leave – this strand provides up to 50 opportunities per annum for paid study leave for staff to engage in business/industry secondments, international staff exchange, pedagogic development, and/or research practice. The grants are designed to buy individuals out of one semester/term of teaching and provide support for either overseas travel and subsistence or for expenditure associated with distance working within the UK. It is intended that these awards will be made primarily for study from BU rather than simply to provide staff with teaching relief.  Note that exceptionally awards may also be made to support incoming staff visiting BU who will material enhance Fusion or the development of international or business development.  In this case the BU sponsor should make the application for funding before any invitation is extended. The budget in 2012-13 for this strand is £750k and individual grants awarded will be up to £15k.
  • Staff mobility and networking – this strand provides support for staff to support UK or overseas travel and subsistence in pursuit of any aspect of Fusion – research, education, and/or professional practice. The budget in 2012-13 for this strand is £200k and individual grants awarded will be between £5k and £10k each.

These funding streams are in addition to the other Fusion Investment Fund initiatives already launched – the 100 annual doctoral opportunities advertised earlier this year and the Grants Academy that was launched last month. The other initiatives that form part of the Fund (such as the Student Mobility grants) will be announced in August 2012.

Strand Committees: Each strand will be managed by a small committee responsible for running and monitoring the allocation process – call, review, allocation and reporting. They also have responsibility for developing detailed application criteria as appropriate and developing FAQs. Committee members will usually serve for between two and five years and are not excluded from applying for funding via the strands.

We are now seeking to appoint committee members. If you would like to serve on one of the committees then please self-nominate via email to me (cc’d to Julie Northam) to express an interest by 27 April 2012.

For each committee we are seeking two Professors and two Senior Lecturers/Lecturers. You will need to confirm in the email which of the three strands you would like to be considered for. This is a prestigious opportunity to be involved in supporting colleagues and the University to meet the BU2018 aims and I look forward to receiving your nomination emails.

 

Applying to the strands: The first deadline for these strands is 1 July 2012, for awards in 2012-13; there will be subsequent deadlines later in the academic year for the mobility and co-creation/production strands. Applications to the Fund are made via one standard application form. Further information about the Fusion Investment Fund will be available shortly from the new Staff Portal when it is launch later this month. In the meantime you can access further details via the Research Blog: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/fusion/fusion-investment-fund/.

Strategies for use of news websites in journalism education

BU research, Fusion

Funding Source: Association for Journalism Education
Chief Investigators: Dr Einar Thorsen and Sue Wallace, The Media School, Bournemouth University
Research Assistant: Dr Caitlin Patrick, The Media School, Bournemouth University

 

Project brief

Journalism is among the most rapidly changing industries, affected by both technological advances and shifting consumer habits. This makes it paramount for journalism education to keep pace with trends such as changing journalism practices and the migration of audiences to online journalism. One possible outcome of this imperative is for online news or magazine websites to be developed to a) showcase student reporting, b) serve as an educational tool in professional journalism practices, and c) facilitate research into news and journalism innovation. Journalism courses are increasingly making use of their own websites in one or more of these ways, but development, as in the news industry itself, has tended to be haphazard and quite often on a trial and error basis.

This project seeks to address this problematic by conducting a survey of news and magazine websites used in journalism courses, their history, evolution and integration into education practice. The aim is not to produce a standard model to be applied in every case. Rather, the intention is to collect and share experiences to inform education and curriculum development. The sharing of best practice can also help to maintain high standards in journalism education.

 

International survey

Phase One of the project launched in March 2012 and involves an international survey into the use of news and magazine websites in journalism education.

We would be most grateful if anyone involved in journalism education could assist by completing our survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/websites-in-journalism-education

We are interested in the views of both staff and students, so please circulate as widely as possible.

The survey is completed anonymously. For staff it takes no more than 10-15 minutes to complete, with the student section possible to complete in 5 minutes. All staff and students on undergraduate and postgraduate journalism courses are encouraged to partake and we welcome your participation.

 

Case studies

Phase Two of the project will take place in the second half of 2012 and involve up to five site visits to observe how websites are used in live news days simulating real-life news operations. During these visits we propose to conduct follow-up interviews in conjunction with examination of websites, to scrutinise in finer detail the patterns of application and usage.

 

Project outcomes

This project will investigate both technological and editorial issues associated with use of websites in journalism education.

Findings from this research project will be made available online and as contributions to relevant scholarly journals, including the AJE journal Journalism Education, outlining experiences, advice, and different models of application. The findings may also be of use to accreditation bodies and industry panels.

If you would like further information on the project, you can view the original project brief.

Come along to the next Fusion Seminar on 21 March!

Fusion

The fourth event in the Fusion Seminar and Conference Series is due to be held on Wednesday 21 March and will focus on the Inspiring aspect of the BU2018 strategy.

The March Seminar will take place between 12:00-1:30pm. Registration will open at 11:45 and the sessions will begin at 12:00. There will be one hour of short and focused presentations followed by 30 minutes of networking opportunities over lunch. The Seminar will be hosted by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Tim McIntyre-Bhatty who will open the seminar with a 10 minute presentation. This will be followed by five brief and succinct presentations by invited speakers, with each presentation lasting no more than ten minutes including questions.

The draft programme is available here: Fusion event – Inspiring – programme

The Seminar will be held in Kimmerdige House and will start promptly at 12pm. Please arrive for registration from 11:45am, ready for the 12pm start.

To book a place at the event visit the booking page here: http://fusionseminar3.eventbrite.com

For an excellent summary of BU’s Fusion strategy, watch this short video from Professor John Vinney:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrUxINNWzjQ&

Fusion Conference – Wednesday 18 April: Call for contributions and book your place

BU research, Fusion, Research themes

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fusion Conference – Wednesday 18 April:
 
The ‘Fusion’ series of internal conferences and seminars for 2011/12 continues on Wednesday 18 April with a ‘Fusion in Action’ conference hosted by Vice-Chancellor Professor John Vinney in the Executive Business Centre, Lansdowne Campus, from noon to 5pm.

The conference entitled ‘Fusion in Action: Knowledge exchange with students, society and the professions’ is firmly grounded in the context of Vision & Values and seeks to illustrate Fusion at its best. 

The conference will include contributions from staff and students through a combination of presentations, demonstrations and discussions.

The conference aims to showcase examples of staff engaged in academic and/or research-led activities associated with the professions and wider society and to identify:

  • ·         how this helps create a unique academic experience for staff and students at BU
  • ·         how students and staff can share in the learning experience
  • ·         how such knowledge exchange can foster innovative learning experiences, pedagogic developments and research activities.

This half-day conference replaces the previous Education Enhancement Conference and Research Conferences held in previous years.  

Proposals for papers, poster presentations, discussion groups and/or demonstrations related to the theme are now invited.  These should be submitted to: fusionconference@bournemouth.ac.uk by Wednesday 7 March using the abstract form here: http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/staff_new/edq/conferences/staff_conferences.html

If you wish to discuss possible contributions, please contact Julie Northam on extension:  61208 or Jennifer Taylor on extension: 61271 in the first instance.

The conference is open to all staff contributing to the delivery of programmes and research activities at BU and partner locations and will also involve presentations from the University Executive Team and members of the Students’ Union. 

Link to bookings page:

Fusion Conference 18 April – call for contributions!

Fusion

The Fusion series of internal conferences and seminars for 2011/12 continues on Wednesday 18th April 2012 with a ‘Fusion in Action’ conference hosted by the Vice Chancellor in the EBC from 12.00 – 5.00pm. Booking details will be published shortly so please save the date!

The conference entitled ‘Fusion in Action: Knowledge exchange with students, society and the professions’ is firmly grounded in the context of Vision and Values and seeks to illustrate fusion at its best. The conference will include contributions from staff and students through a combination of presentations, demonstrations and discussions. The conference aims to showcase examples of staff engaged in academic and/or research-led activities associated with the professions and wider society and to identify: how this helps create a unique academic experience for staff and students at BU, how students and staff can share in the learning experience and how such knowledge exchange can foster innovative learning experiences, pedagogic developments and research activities.

This half day conference replaces the previous Education Enhancement Conference and Research Conferences held in previous years.

Proposals for papers, poster presentations, discussion groups and/or demonstrations related to the theme are now invited. These should be submitted to fusionconference@bournemouth.ac.uk by the 7th March using the abstract form provided.

If you wish to discuss possible contributions, please contact Julie Northam (ext 61208) or Jennifer Taylor (ext 61271) in the first instance.

The conference is open to all staff contributing to the delivery of programmes and research activities at BU and partner locations and will also involve presentations from the University Executive Team and members of the Students’ Union.

Involving undergraduates in research: the Psychology Research Apprenticeship Scheme

BU research, Fusion, Research assessment

Following on from Sally Gates’ recent blog about involving undergraduates in research, we thought it would be good to share with the blog readership our experience of the Research Apprenticeship Scheme that we have been running in the Psychology Research Centre for the past three years.

Undergraduate students in their second year are offered the chance to work alongside staff and help them with their research.  These positions enable 2nd year students to work directly alongside staff and help them with their research.  Students get the chance to work together with researchers, gathering and analysing data, and working out what experimental findings might mean.  The students often get a chance to work with specialist equipment that they might not have been able to otherwise and gain in-depth knowledge of what research really involves. And of course it looks great on their CVs. This experience engenders the research bug in the students – two were intrigued enough to apply for and win funding from the Nuffield Foundation for summer work in the Psychology Research Centre – and those students and others from the scheme are busy applying for PhD positions this year.   The scheme also provides the students with invaluable experience for their own research project in their final year of study.

Of course, the scheme also helps staff.  We really appreciate the help and support the ‘apprentices’ provide.  The scheme has really grown and this year we were able to offer 25 research apprenticeship positions to 2nd year students.  We hope the scheme will go from strength to strength and that in future years we may be able to offer one or two paid summer placements to our best undergraduate apprentice researchers.

Book your place for the third BU Fusion event taking place on 22 February!

Fusion

The third event in the Fusion Seminar and Conference Series is on Wednesday 22 February and will focus on the Sharing aspect of the BU2018 strategy.

The February Seminar will take place between 12:00-1:30pm. Registration will open at 11:45 and the sessions will begin at 12:00. There will be one hour of short and focused presentations followed by 30 minutes of networking opportunities over lunch. The Seminar will be hosted by David Willey who will open the seminar with a 10 minute presentation. This will be followed by five brief and succinct presentations by invited speakers, with each presentation lasting no more than ten minutes including questions.

The Seminar will be held in the EBC (7th floor) and will start promptly at 12pm. Please arrive for registration from 11:45am, ready for the 12pm start.

To view the programme and to register your place, visit: http://fusionseminars.eventbrite.com/?ebtv=C

For an excellent summary of BU’s Fusion strategy, watch this short video from Professor John Vinney:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrUxINNWzjQ&

Come along to the next Fusion Seminar on 22 February!

Fusion

The third event in the Fusion Seminar and Conference Series is on Wednesday 22 February and will focus on the Sharing aspect of the BU2018 strategy.

The February Seminar will take place between 12:00-1:30pm. Registration will open at 11:45 and the sessions will begin at 12:00. There will be one hour of short and focused presentations followed by 30 minutes of networking opportunities over lunch. The Seminar will be hosted by David Willey who will open the seminar with a 10 minute presentation. This will be followed by five brief and succinct presentations by invited speakers, with each presentation lasting no more than ten minutes including questions.

The Seminar will be held in the EBC (7th floor) and will start promptly at 12pm. Please arrive for registration from 11:45am, ready for the 12pm start.

To view the programme and to register your place, visit: http://fusionseminars.eventbrite.com/?ebtv=C

For an excellent summary of BU’s Fusion strategy, watch this short video from Professor John Vinney:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrUxINNWzjQ&

Engaging Undergraduates with Research

BU research, Fusion

BournemouthUniversity’s Associate Professor,Heather Hartwell, took part in a lively online debate on Friday, discussing how to engage undergraduates in research.

Screen grab of online debateHosted by the Guardian Higher Education network, Dr Hartwell joined panellists from the Universities of Leeds,Central Lancashire,East LondonandLincolnamong others, to provide expertise and advice on how to develop undergraduate research programmes and ensure they are successful.

Dr Hartwell explained BU’s ‘fusion’ concept, describing ‘a community where research is part of core business and where both undergraduates and post graduates are engaged in that activity so becomes part of the ‘daily’ business’.

The British Conference for Undergraduate Research was widely considered by panel members to be an excellent initiative. This takes place at theUniversityofWarwickin March, with ten BU students from theSchoolofTourismpresenting posters.

Fellow panellists and participants in the web chat were also impressed by Dr Heather HartwellDr Hartwell’s own experiences engaging undergraduates with research; notably her work with theUSarmy. “We were awarded a contract by theUSarmy to study food and emotions,” she said. “This was with the demographic of their ‘war fighters’, so young adults. During a first year lecture I asked for volunteers to help me, and the sea of hands was amazing. In fact recruiting students to help was beneficial because they were the same age group as the sample.”

But it’s not only the students who benefit from engaging with research. Dr Hartwell commented that sometimes dissertation data is of such high quality that she has been known to use it to form the basis of a short co-authored paper.

Inevitably the issue of peer ‘snobbery’ was raised, questioning the status of published undergraduate research. Dr Hartwell suggested that if ‘published work was blind peer reviewed and therefore the ‘process’ did not know where the work had come from – it was accepted on its merit’.

The full debate can be viewed via the Guardian Higher Education Network.

Come along to the next Fusion Seminar on 18 January!

Fusion

Following hot on the heels of the event on 14 December, the second event in the Fusion Seminar and Conference Series is on Wednesday 18 January and will focus on the Creating aspect of the BU2018 strategy.

The January Seminar will take place between 12:00-1:30pm. Registration will open at 11:45 and the sessions will begin at 12:00. There will be one hour of short and focused presentations followed by 30 minutes of networking opportunities over lunch. The Seminar will be hosted by a member of UET who will open the seminar with a 10 minute presentation. This will be followed by five brief and succinct presentations by invited speakers, with each presentation lasting no more than ten minutes including questions.

The programme is available here: Fusion event – Creating – programme

The Seminar will be held in the EBC (7th floor) and will start promptly at 12pm. Please arrive for registration from 11:45am, ready for the 12pm start.

You can use the form below to register your place.

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Your School / Professional Service (required)

    ApSciBSDECHSCMSSTProfessional Service

    For an excellent summary of BU’s Fusion strategy, watch this short video from Professor John Vinney:

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrUxINNWzjQ&

    The BU Challenges: the way forward

    BU Challenges, Fusion

    The BU Challenges (previously the Research Themes) were launched in December at the first of the BU-wide Fusion events. The Challenges are societally-led, encourage cross-School working and collaboration, and will be the main vehicle through which our research is presented externally in future.

    To discuss how to take the Challenges forward and foster collaborative working, Matthew Bennett would like to talk to all staff interested in the Challenges. Matthew will spend an hour per Challenge either in the Costa in the Atrium or in the Costa in Studland House and invites you to join him to talk about the way forward for each theme.

    The session times are listed below:

    Research Theme

    Date and Venue
    Creative and Digital Economy 11 January – 2.00 pm to 3.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Culture and Society 12 January – 2.30 pm to 3.30 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Environmental Change and Biodiversity 16 January – 2.00 pm to 3.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth 18 January – 11.00 am to 12.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Studland House

     
    Green Economy and Sustainability 18 January – 4.00 pm to 5.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Recreation and Leisure 19 January – 10.00 am to 11.00 amCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     
    Health, Wellbeing and Aging 25 January – 1.30 pm to 2.30 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Studland House

     
    Technology and Design 23 January – 4.00 pm to 5.00 pmCosta Coffee Shop, Poole House

     

    BU Fusion Fund – closing date fast approaching!

    Fusion

    The first closing date for the current round of the BU Fusion Fund competition is 13 January 2012.

    The fund was launched in September to support staff innovation around the concept of Fusion. Details and the application process for the fund are set out in the attached documents and the fund forms part of BU’s Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) Strategy. The idea is to support innovative ideas which lead to employer, business and/or industry engagement enhancing core BU activities of research and education. Availability of funds are modest in the first year (although build in subsequent years) but the key is to provide an opportunity for staff to explore innovative ideas around Fusion. Ideas for new courses, enterprise ventures, industry secondments, or employer engagements can all be explored by this fund. It is designed to allow staff to develop new ideas and innovations!

    Find out more about BU’s fusion strategy here – BU2018 website.

    Submit your completed application forms by email to Susan Dowdle.

    Good luck!

    Available documents:

    Please note this is not the Fusion Investment Fund – to find out information about the Fusion Investment Fund please click here:

    http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2012/06/26/fusion-investment-fund-it-is-almost-time-to-submit-applications-1st-july-deadline-2/?preview=true&preview_id=11804&preview_nonce=1c78dc27cc

    Fusion Seminar 18 January – Creating!

    Fusion

    Welcome back from the Christmas break! Following hot on the heels of the Fusion event on 14 December, the second event in the Fusion Seminar and Conference Series is on Wednesday 18 January and will focus on the Creating aspect of the BU2018 strategy.

    The January Seminar will take place between 12:00-1:30pm. Registration will open at 11:45 and the sessions will begin at 12:00. There will be one hour of short and focused presentations followed by 30 minutes of networking opportunities over lunch. The Seminar will be hosted by a member of UET who will open the seminar with a 10 minute presentation. This will be followed by five brief and succinct presentations by invited speakers, with each presentation lasting no more than ten minutes including questions.

    The programme is available here: Fusion seminar programme – Creating!

    The Seminar will be held in the EBC (7th floor) and will start promptly at 12pm. Please arrive for registration from 11:45am, ready for the 12pm start.

    You can use the form below to register your place.

      Your Name (required)

      Your Email (required)

      Your School / Professional Service (required)

      ApSciBSDECHSCMSSTProfessional Service