student work published in journal

A journal paper has been published, with an finalist student from 2011 as one of the co-authors. 

Kariyawasam K., A., Turner S., Hill G. (2012) "Is it Visual? The importance of a Problem Solving Module within a Computing course", Computer Education, Volume 10, Issue 166, May 2012, pp. 5-7, ISSN: 1672-5913.

To avoid potential bias for the work on student experience during a problem-solving module from tutors, also to get honest feedback, the survey data collection and some of the analysis was carried out by an undergraduate computing student (one of the co-authors Kumuditha Achini Kariyawasam) under an URB@N funded project. URB@N stands for 'Undergraduate Research Bursaries at Northampton'. It is a bursary scheme that offers undergraduate students an opportunity to participate in a pedagogic research project taking place at the University of Northampton

ABSTRACT
This paper looks at student’s view of the usefulness of a problem solving and programming module in the first year of a 3-year undergraduate program. The School of Science and Technology, University of Northampton, UK has been investigating, over the last seven years the teaching of problem solving. Including looking at whether a more visual approach has any benefits (the visual programming includes both 2-d and graphical user interfaces). Whilst the authors have discussed the subject problem solving and programming in the past this paper considers the students perspective from research collected/collated by a student researcher under a new initiative within the University.

All students interviewed either had completed the module within the two years of the survey or were completing the problem-solving module in their first year.

Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies

The Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies, organised jointly by The Lift Engineering Section of the School of Science and Technology and The CIBSE Lift Group, will be held on 29 September 2011.


The event is supported by the Lift and Escalator Industry Association and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.


As well as bring together experts from the field of lift and escalator technologies; this is also an chance  graduates and students of the Lift Engineering at The University of Northampton to present papers on the subject of their research projects.

More details can be found at: http://www.cibseliftsgroup.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46:events&Itemid=60

Brief Overview of Women in Engineering Event

The School of Science and Technology, University of Northampton, is hosting the Women in Engineering event on 14^th July 2010, at its impressive new facilities in the Newton Building at Avenue Campus.  The focus of the event is to promote, encourage and inspire young women, aged 13, to pursue careers in science, technology and engineering. Over 80 Year 8 girls and their teachers from local Northampton schools are invited to join female engineers from the University and local industry for a fun morning to explore the exciting world of engineering, computing and science.  The event will feature inspirational presentations from female engineers and scientists, providing a snapshot of their career highlights and successes, workshops to work alongside female role models on exciting hands-on activities, and opportunity to network with and be inspired by women working in the industry. 


A more detailed report of this event can be found at http://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/viewitem.cfm?cit_id=383525

alternatives to powerpoint?

Can you sit through another powerpoint presentation often with strange colour combinations? Some initial work has been going at the School of Science and Technology, University of Northampton on alternatives to powerpoint. Students were encouraged in certain assignments to consider alternatives to powerpoint.. 

The first was Tiddlywikis (http://www.tiddlywiki.com/) these largely self contained HTML files (they do often use a separate folder to store images) are releatively small but can be used to produce a web-based presentations.

 In two cases Machinima has been used one based around the Halo game and the other using a free package called MovieStorm (ShortFuze) in this case  a powerpoint presentation was embedded within it. Other students have gone down the route of using packages such as Microsoft's MovieMaker or PhotoStory to combine video or still images into a movie form.

Does this make the presentation better though? A personal view is though it does not automatically make the presentation better, I believe most people would find it more fun to do and so put more effort into them which will tend to make the presentations better. As a marking tutor the fact that is a bigger variation is the way the presentations look, makes a comparison of more difficult but at the same time more enjoyable to mark.

What about the lecturer? Of course the lecturer needs to consider if the way we present appropriate as you would for any part of your teaching. There are presentation tools out there that are very different to powerpoint as an example Prezzi.com that personally I think are interesting and worth considering. An example can be found at: http://prezi.com/s3uk0xmhq-hs/

.

Further Reading

Turner S(2009) " PowerPoint, but what else?"10th Higher Education Academy-ICS Conference, University of Kent.

Turner S (2008) "TiddlyWikis for Student Developed Resources" 9th Higher Education Academy-ICS Annual Conference, Liverpool Hope University, 26th August - 28th August 2008. pp. 192 ISBN 978-0-9559676-0-3.