Marketing British Higher Education Overseas: The Response to the Introduction of Full-Cost Fees

Since the introduction of full-cost fees for overseas students in 1980 there has been a marked increase in marketing activities in British universities, polytechnics and in some other institutions of higher education. A survey of 33 universities and public sector higher education institutions in 1985 showed that 90 per cent undertook some form of marketing to attract overseas students, and 70 per cent reported that they had intensified their recruitment and marketing efforts since 1980. The British Council's Education Counselling Service, established in 1984, is now extremely active in certain countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. As well as increasing their publicity, many institutions have also strengthened their support services for overseas students and have developed new courses for the overseas market, particularly short courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Although there have been some instances of institutions adopting a 'hard sell' approach, most recognise the need for 'responsible recruitment' policies, and many are now developing comprehensive strategies covering admissions, financial support, the structure and content of courses for overseas students and academic and pastoral support services, as well as marketing. Partly as a result of increased marketing activities, the number of overseas students, which fell sharply after 1980, has been rising steadily since 1983, and the number in universities is higher now than before the introduction of full-cost fees. It is estimated that spending by overseas students now exceeds £1 billion.     

Costing the library services. Cairns Library: a casestudy

In the presentclimate libraries have to adopt a business approach to funding submissions; detailed managementinformation must be produced in support of expenditure and to ensure that the services are cost-effective. In addition to the grant from its parent body (the Faculty of Clinical Medicine,University of Oxford), the Cairns Library obtains funding from five other bodies, includingNational Health Service Hospital Trusts. The Cairns Library has introdu ies anduser education. The costs for each package have been apportioned to the funding bodies on thebasis of the number of registered users from each body.     

Neurocognitive predictors of reading outcomes for children with reading disabilities

This study reports on several specific neurocognitive process predictors of reading outcomes for a sample of 278 children with reading disabilities. Three categories of response (i.e., poor, average, and good) were formed via growth curve models of six reading outcomes. Two nested discriminant function analyses were conducted to evaluate the predictive capability of the following models: (a) an intervention and phonological processing model that included intervention group, phonological awareness, and rapid naming and (b) an additive cognitive neuropsychological model that included measures of memory, visual processes, and cognitive or intellectual functioning. Over and above the substantial explanatory power of the base model, the additive model improved classification of poor and good responders. Several of the cognitive and neuropsychological variables predicted degree of reading outcomes, even after controlling for type of intervention, phonological awareness, and rapid naming.     

Using digital images of the zebra finch song system as a tool to teach organizational effects of steroid hormones: a free downloadable module

Zebra finch song behavior is sexually dimorphic: males sing and females do not. The neural system underlying this behavior is sexually dimorphic, and this sex difference is easy to quantify. During development, the zebra finch song system can be altered by steroid hormones, specifically estradiol, which actually masculinizes it. Because of the ease of quantification and experimental manipulation, the zebra finch song system has great potential for use in undergraduate labs. Unfortunately, the underlying costs prohibit use of this system in undergraduate labs. Further, the time required to perform a developmental study renders such undertakings unrealistic within a single academic term. We have overcome these barriers by creating digital tools, including an image library of song nuclei from zebra finch brains. Students using this library replicate and extend a published experiment examining the dose of estradiol required to masculinize the female zebra finch brain. We have used this library for several terms, and students not only obtain significant experimental results but also make gains in understanding content, experimental controls, and inferential statistics (analysis of variance and post hoc tests). We have provided free access to these digital tools at the following website: http://mdcune.psych.ucla.edu/modules/birdsong.     

Major Survey Findings of Listening to MothersSM III: New Mothers Speak Out: Report of National Surveys of Women’s Childbearing Experiences ? Conducted October–December 2012 and January–April 2013

To understand the experiences and views of childbearing women in the United States and trends over time, Childbirth Connection carried out the third national Listening to Mothers survey among 2,400 women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals to a single baby from mid-2011 to mid-2012 and could participate in English. A follow-up survey directed to the same participants explored postpartum experiences, in depth and well into the second year after birth; views about maternity care; and some additional pregnancy and birth items. Harris Interactive conducted the surveys using a validated methodology that includes data weighting to ensure that results closely reflect the target population. The follow-up survey was reported in Listening to Mothers III: New Mothers Speak Out.     

Structural and conceptual interweaving of mathematics methods coursework and field practica

This paper describes a study of observed relationships between the design of a preservice elementary mathematics methods course with accompanying field practicum and changes in the extent to which participating prospective teachers identified themselves with the mathematics reform movement after becoming practicing teachers. The curriculum of the course with its embedded field practicum experiences was designed to support prospective teachers in interweaving methods coursework and pedagogical instruction with classroom practice. University and elementary school structures were interwoven by conducting weekly mathematics methods course sessions at a school site followed immediately by related practicum experiences in classrooms in the school. The interweaving of conceptualizations about mathematics teaching and learning was facilitated as the methods instructor provided professional development for classroom teachers simultaneously with the methods course, encouraging the teachers to create “reform-friendly” classroom environments. Survey data from 68 prospective teachers involved in the project were analyzed to identify and describe relationships between course/practicum experiences and the degree to which they as practicing teachers, 1–3 years following the course/practicum, identified with a reform mathematics perspective, as well as to examine factors influencing those relationships.