Problem Interpretation and Resolution via Visual Stimuli: The Use of ‘Mood Boards’ in Design Education

This paper defines and discusses ‘mood boards’– those assemblages of images and, less frequently, objects, which are used to assist analysis, creativity and idea development in design activity. There is need for discussion since little published information currently exists to guide students and tutors. The paper proposes that mood boards can assist problem finding as well as problem solving. Primarily, mood boards provide a mechanism for students and practising designers to respond to perceptions about the brief, the problem as it emerges and the ideas as they develop. The construction of mood boards potentially stimulates the perception and interpretation of more ephemeral phenomena such as colour, texture, form, image and status. They are, like Debono's lateral thinking techniques, partly responses to an inner dialogue and partly provocation to become engaged in such a dialogue. Examples are drawn from recent work in the field of industrial design at Loughborough University.     

Live entertainment at the seaside: a benchmarking exercise for local authority theatres

Live entertainment has been a ‘given’ part of the total cultural offer since seaside resorts began. As resorts have changed, particularly in the 1990s, the type of live entertainment on offer has also been changing and it has become more important to consider whether such live entertainment continues to meet the needs of seaside theatre-goers, be they tourists, day-visitors, residents or people living within an appropriate drive time. The need for such analysis is also partly a response by seaside theatre operators to the government's requirement for the accountability of local authority cultural provision, but it primarily comes from recognition that greater knowledge, perhaps in relation to other resorts, might lead to a better appreciation of the difficulties facing theatre managers and policy makers at seaside resorts at the beginning of the 21st century. This article discusses the setting up, and first three years' operation, of a benchmarking exercise for live entertainment at seaside resorts. The initiative is a joint collaboration between the British Resorts Association and the Centre for Resort Theatre. The former is well known for its positive campaigning on behalf of seaside resorts and has joined with the latter to help present an accurate picture of an important part of the cultural offer at the seaside, the live entertainment. The Centre for Resort Theatre is an independent consultancy run by the author to ‘shine a light’ on seaside entertainment and develop research in this area. An analysis of the data collected through the benchmarking exercise reveals that seaside theatre operators are achieving good results, but that the potential of the material in the Centre for Resort Theatre database has only been partially exploited. The possibilities for greater use are implied. These could include tactical aspects of theatre operations (for example, which acts to book), or strategic aspects (such as issues concerning the long-term future ownership/control of seaside theatres).     

Toward a research-based assessment of dyslexia: using cognitive measures to identify reading disabilities

One hundred five participants from a random sample of elementary and middle school children completed measures of reading achievement and cognitive abilities presumed, based on a synthesis of current dyslexia research, to underlie reading. Factor analyses of these cognitive variables (including auditory processing, phonological awareness, short-term auditory memory, visual memory, rapid automatized naming, and visual processing speed) produced three empirically and theoretically derived factors (auditory processing, visual processing/speed, and memory), each of which contributed to the prediction of reading and spelling skills. Factor scores from the three factors combined predicted 85% of the variance associated with letter/sight word naming, 70% of the variance associated with reading comprehension, 73% for spelling, and 61% for phonetic decoding. The auditory processing factor was the strongest predictor, accounting for 27% to 43% of the variance across the different achievement areas. The results provide practitioner and researcher with theoretical and empirical support for the inclusion of measures of the three factors, in addition to specific measures of reading achievement, in a standardized assessment of dyslexia. Guidelines for a thorough, research-based assessment are provided.     

The Politics,Roles, and Future of Professional Societies

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes various issues related to a professional society’s having greater influence on governmental, societal, and global issues. Analysis of association/society missions and goals, support for enhanced connections with other groups and collaboration to other disciplines through scholarly research projects, plus greater relevance and impact of scholarly inquiry on societal and global issues is presented. However, association/society influence is marginalized unless there is enhanced support by university leadership and faculty of a new or expanded view of scholarly inquiry. One possibility in gaining support or recognition by colleagues, government, community, and society is through a name change that reflects expanded mission and goals, plus a grants program which identifies with Boyer’s model of expanded academic scholarship and impact.     

Formative observation of teaching: focusing peer assistance on teachers’ developmental goals

Peer observation of teaching can provide valuable insights into effective educational practices. By adopting a developmental focus, peer observation can also provide insights into how practices might be enhanced and, importantly, how enhancements in practices might be aligned to teachers’ development goals. However, a review of peer observation of teaching undertaken at Australian universities demonstrates that observation instruments and protocols typically do not explicitly afford alignment of peers’ observations with teachers’ developmental goals. Analysis of observers’ uses of popular peer observation instruments through the deployment of the Peer Assisted Teaching Scheme through multiple institutions across Australia has informed the development and trial of a novel observation instrument and protocol design that is aligned with observer use characteristics, and provides a focus on development goals. This study will be of interest to teachers and academic developers researching and implementing goal-oriented curricular and pedagogical development through peer observation.