Welcome to the sixteenth issue of Networks

Networks has a new format this time round. We have moved the publication on to a new website hosted by the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Brighton. We hope that you like the new design.

The content, as usual, comes from individuals and partnerships based in a broad range of higher education institutions with art, design and media provision; from Plymouth University, to Northbrook College Sussex, to Kingston University; from Norwich University College of the Arts, to Edge Hill University, and the University of Abertay, Dundee, to name a few.

We invited contributors to submit articles that explored ‘interdisciplinary, international, and inter-institutional collaborations that enrich learning and teaching in our disciplines’. Articles that respond to this theme include Einar Thorsen’s thorough examination of the role of peer support networks for postgraduate research students in media, communications and cultural studies. Opportunities for communication and collaboration with peers beyond institutional boundaries are clearly valued by postgraduate students who perceive them ‘as holding potential to benefit their research project, as well as meeting their pastoral needs and career aspirations’.

In a related vein National Teaching Fellow, Ruth Dineen, makes a plea for the principles of co-production to imbue teaching and learning as an ‘antidote to passivity, alienation and disillusion.’ These papers strongly communicate the idea that we can achieve more collectively than we can individually in our teaching, learning and research.

As is always the case we also received articles covering myriad issues and teaching and learning strategies that preoccupy you. We are very pleased to share papers examining the development of critical thinking skills, the use audio assessment, approaches to writing with international students and participation issues relating to placements in the creative sector.

The ADM-HEA Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Prize for the best paper analysing key issues impacting on media, communications and cultural studies higher education, was this year awarded to Dr Marcus Leaning, Acting Head of Department of the School of Media and Film at the University of Winchester.

Marcus presents findings from a project examining the emergence of video games studies as it is represented in academic textbooks. Given the way that textbooks play a part in constructing disciplinary fields and boundaries, he reveals some critical under-represented areas. We are delighted to publish the paper here.

This is the last issue of Networks that will be produced by the Art Design Media Higher Education Academy Subject Centre. At the end of March our funded period ends along with some aspects of our work. Networks, however, will continue on for a while longer, produced from the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Brighton. We hope that you will continue to send in your contributions and find the accumulation of these shared efforts of value in the development of your teaching practice.

The ADM-HEA Team:
Jenny Embleton
Debbie Flint
Professor Stuart Laing
Dr Stephen Mallinder