Guidance systems exist within learning, working and welfare cultures, which are upheld by prevailing institutions and stakeholders. Implementing a lifelong approach questions rooted codes and idiosyncrasies of the sectors across which guidance is distributed. To support individuals' careers, unlock their potential and increase their contribution…

This chapter describes a collection of selected papers from the 2017 Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University conference (InnoConf), which took place in June 2017 at The Open University in Milton Keynes, UK. The theme of the conference was "Integrating Informal Learning into Formal Language Education." The aim of the…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively describe an attempt to enhance curriculum design and delivery processes in universities through the development and introduction of new information systems and procedures. Design/methodology/approach: The author examines the experiences of five out of the total 27 institutions involved in the…

While claims about pedagogic innovation in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are common, most reports provide no evidence to justify those claims. This paper reports on a survey aimed at exploring how different stakeholders describe MOOCs, focusing on whether they would consider them pedagogically innovative, and if so, why. Respondents (n =…

This case study examines student perceptions of the experiential value of a work placement carried out as part of a languages degree programme. The data for the case study consists of a corpus of 67 reports submitted from 2011 to 2015, reflecting on placements carried out in Europe, Japan, the UK and the US. The data offers a student view of the…

The impact of innovative assessment on student experience in higher education is a neglected research topic. This represents an important gap in the literature-given debate around the marketisation of higher education, international focus on student satisfaction measurement tools and political calls to put students at the heart of higher education…

"Disruption"--while an evocative word triggering feelings of anxiety and perhaps even fear--also signals renewal and growth. The Higher Education (HE) sector in England has experienced some profound disruption over the years, and yet has emerged stronger and renewed in many ways. The impact of recent disruptive forces, from fees to the…

This study considers the linkage between micro-sized enterprises and other organizations, especially universities, in relation to the innovation process. The focus of the research is on non-start-up enterprises in Wales and how they develop their products. The research methodology adopted is a thematic literature review and the case study…

In this article, the authors use their own collective half century's experience of academic development to review the nature and evolution of the profession. They argue that, having risen from a peripheral and largely individual activity to a sometimes central and sometimes highly valued activity, academic development may achieve its apotheosis,…

This study contributes to existing methodological knowledge by showing how a transformed research methods curriculum, which is beyond the milieu of schooling, can engage postgraduate students in a critical dialogue on how knowledge is produced in industry and higher education. Initial insights are drawn from two interpretive studies that employed…

Through the lens of UK CATAPULT Centres this conceptual paper presents an examination of the links between open innovation, the Triple Helix model and regional innovation systems. Highlighting the importance of boundary-spanning intermediaries, the combined role of these concepts is explored in detail. A conceptual model is then proposed which…

The United Kingdom Coalition Government has introduced a series of market-based reforms to the English higher education system. These come on top of a number of similar policies going back to the early 1980s. Together, these take English higher education closer to an economic market than any other major public system. Taking the period as a whole,…

This paper is a snapshot of an evolving vision of what the future may hold for learning technology. It offers three personal visions of the future and raises many questions that need to be explored if learning technology is to realise its full potential.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on a study aimed at understanding the different conceptions that University of Northampton teachers hold of "Changemaker", an institutional initiative to develop capacities for social innovation. Design/methodology/approach: The study took a phenomenographic approach to identify a small…

This paper describes a long term project using bespoke video case studies designed and produced as the basis (variously) for formative in-class and on-line forum activity and assessment of group coursework and via case based exam. The research sought to observe student engagement behaviours when faced with innovative teaching methods using:…