I recently completed the ADSHE Level 5 course on supporting learners in FE/HE with Dyslexia/SpLDs and have been working more and more in this area over the last few years. So I thought I would just collect the essays I wrote for this course, as well as a few other publications here.
This is something that pops up from time to time, sometimes loudly, sometimes subtly or probably much more often by simple omission.
“Creative Computing June 1983” by blakespot is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Continue reading “Why is I.T in the Creative Industries?”What is knowledge management? Well, it’s like information management, if that helps. No?
So what is information management? Well, really it all starts with quality management. (Get to the point!)
(Part 1 of 2)
For the last year or so I have participated in the RSA Cultural Evidence champions network. I was particularly interested in joining off the back of work I had done evaluating a theatre in libraries project that you can read more about here if you like. (or here). If you aren’t particularly interested in education, I think the broader arguments about evaluation in the cultural sector will still be of interest. What? You don’t like evaluation either? I am shocked! Well, not that shocked.
Festivals and interesting contradictions go hand in hand, in fact, this may be critical to their fundamental appeal. One of their most compelling contradictions, for me, has been the endless dilemma between their undeniable environmental impact and the effect of the ‘green-tinted glasses’ through which it often seems tempting to view them.
Survey-based research methods are nothing particularly new to the event and festival sector; and in a forthcoming journal article (which is now out: Event Management), myself and co-author James Bostock (Derby University) carry out an in depth analysis of past, current and future trends.
Yeah, we may use survey methods a lot in this field, but that doesn’t mean we’re somehow exceptionally good at it or that all the different variations of surveys can just all be lumped together and considered as ‘basically the same thing’. As a proportion, we’re doing ‘less’ surveys, but as the literature expands, there is still more and more research using surveys.
Continue reading “Survey methods in events management research”
AKA: Rich has had too much coffee on a Friday and gotten heavily sidetracked.
The university I often work for (and have two degrees from) has a pretty good reputation for environmental sustainability. De Montfort University has recently become a Global Hub for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs aren’t entirely focused on carbon emissions, pollution or waste but impact on the natural environment is obviously a very big part of it.
One thing they’ve done recently is a very big push towards eliminating single use plastics on campus, specifically in the realm of disposable hot drink containers. Rather than give a 25p discount for bringing a reusable mug for your hot drink, the university now charges 25p more if you *dont* bring a reusable mug. As the new academic year starts and at events like freshers week, thousands of free reusable mugs have been given away to staff and students to help encourage this.
Wow, cool! So, how many reusable mugs have been given out? 21,000 ?!?
Continue reading “Promotional reusable mugs: green initiative or merchandising landfill?”
Here are some thoughts and findings from phase one of a project I was involved in (and remain involved in phase two). Hopefully anyone interested in libraries, arts, culture and arts education will find it useful.
“Among Ideal Friends (AIF) is a touring performance project developed by The Spark Arts for Children in partnership with Libraries in the East Midlands. Working together to deliver and transport high quality family theatre performances and workshop activities, inspired by books and stories for children, families and schools, alongside training for library staff and community volunteers.”
I worked with The Spark Arts for about a year on this and it was great to be able to vary and refine the approach to evaluation throughout. As someone primarily in the arts & events field, the role of libraries in the wider cultural sector was not something I would have previously considered myself particularly well informed about. Considering that they represent a nation-spanning, universally provided range of facilities or venues usually offering free and unlimited access to assorted cultural experiences, goods and services… in retrospect, well, that seems like an oversight! Especially given the recent and emerging debates around cultural democracy and everyday participation.
Continue reading “Among Ideal Friends – Libraries, Literacy and the Arts for children”
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