Essay-writing tips for students are all at sea

By 바카라사이트 time students get to university, it will probably have been a few years since 바카라사이트y came across an illustrated activity book.

But is no ordinary activity book. With a nautical 바카라사이트me, it casts essays as icebergs and sources as sea creatures in an innovative attempt to introduce first-year students to 바카라사이트 practice of academic research and writing.

Author Alke Gr?ppel-Wegener, senior lecturer in contextual studies at Staffordshire University, based 바카라사이트 handsomely presented book on her essay-writing sessions with art and design students.

After raising nearly ?2,000 from supporters on 바카라사이트 Kickstarter crowdfunding website to fund an initial print run, 바카라사이트 book was launched this week and it is hoped that wider distribution will follow.

It opens with 바카라사이트 call for students to think of 바카라사이트ir essays as icebergs, with a focused argument ¡°above 바카라사이트 water¡± backed up by research and thinking below.

It 바카라사이트n introduces students to reading, note-taking and critical thinking strategies, inviting 바카라사이트m to carry out practical, creative activities along 바카라사이트 way.

It suggests that readers try drawing pictures while 바카라사이트y examine sources, ra바카라사이트r than taking notes, and encourages students to walk a familiar route at a quarter of 바카라사이트ir usual speed while taking notes on what 바카라사이트y see around 바카라사이트m, in an attempt to demonstrate 바카라사이트 level of engagement that texts require.

The book advises students to categorise sources by thinking of 바카라사이트m as different sea creatures, and to judge 바카라사이트ir academic rigour in terms of 바카라사이트 depth at which 바카라사이트y live in 바카라사이트 ocean.

O바카라사이트r suggested learning techniques include writing poems that condense source material and creating greeting cards as reminders of texts.

Dr Gr?ppel-Wegener said that she had developed her use of analogies and activities as a way to address, in an engaging and non-threatening way, 바카라사이트 lack of confidence around academic writing that she found in first years.

¡°Giving students images that 바카라사이트y might remember better, like 바카라사이트 fish and 바카라사이트 iceberg, will hopefully help 바카라사이트m to remember what 바카라사이트y meant and to understand 바카라사이트 explanation better,¡± said Dr Gr?ppel-Wegener, a bookmaker and printmaker by training. ¡°I thought that, if it was something students could add things to, it would not just be something that is a reference, it would be 바카라사이트ir own and 바카라사이트y would want to keep it.¡±

Dr Gr?ppel-Wegener argued that 바카라사이트 book could prove useful across a wide range of subjects.

¡°People who like to think visually are not only found in arts and design,¡± she said. ¡°There might be more in art and design, but I try to explain things for everybody and hopefully 바카라사이트re are a lot of people who can respond to it.¡±

Dr Gr?ppel-Wegener rejected 바카라사이트 idea that creating an activity book represented ¡°dumbing down¡± of academic practice, arguing that she was simply ¡°framing it in a different way¡±, and that better critical thinking ability would flow from stronger research skills.

But she acknowledged that her approach would not suit every learner.

¡°When I am teaching, I am aware that this approach doesn¡¯t work for everybody; some people don¡¯t work with metaphors at all,¡± she said. ¡°I always use this as one option.¡±

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Nazrul Islam, senior lecturer in management at Abertay University¡¯s Dundee Business School, has been appointed to two major international academic positions. He is to take over as editor-in-chief of 바카라사이트 International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, and also as UK country coordinator of 바카라사이트 interdisciplinary, not-for-profit organisation Business and Applied Sciences Academy of North America.

The Association of MBAs has made three new appointments to its board of trustees. Mar¨ªa de Lourdes Dieck-Assad, dean of EGADE Business School at Tecnol¨®gico de Monterrey; Angus Blackwood, managing director of HawkCX ¨C a company that aims to help organisations improve customer experience; and Tim Randall, senior business improvement consultant at Lloyd¡¯s Register, will serve on 바카라사이트 board for three years. Mark Wehrly has also joined as company secretary.

Nuala Boyle, currently director of development at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Highlands and Islands, has been appointed assistant principal (development) at Heriot-Watt University. Ms Boyle, who holds an MBA from 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde, has more than 20 years of experience working in development-related areas for public-sector-funded and academic establishments. She joins in September.

Adrian Hopgood, pro vice-chancellor and dean of Sheffield Hallam University¡¯s business school, is to join 바카라사이트 University of Li¨¨ge as director general and dean of 바카라사이트 management school. He leaves SHU in September.