Ifan D. H. Shepherd

From Cattle and Coke to Charlie: Meeting the Challenge of Self Marketing and Personal Branding

Since the late 1990s, self marketing and personal branding have become increasingly popular as subjects of self-improvement books, Web sites and consultancy services, especially in the USA. To date, little of this interest appears to have permeated the discipline of marketing, either in terms of formal research, textbook contents or academic curricula. This paper examines the theoretical basis of self marketing and personal branding, identifies some of the conceptual, practical and ethical problems it poses for the discipline, and points to some of the challenges facing higher education in attempting to create a curricular framework within which marketing professionals can learn how to market and brand themselves effectively.

Internationalising Geography in Higher Education: Towards a conceptual framework

Key issues relating to the internationalisation of geography in higher education are explored. Drawing on past experience, critical questions are posed regarding the goals, ownership, management and operation of a proposed international network for teaching and learning in geography in higher education. It is argued that those developing the network must learn from the lessons of the past, both to avoid repeating avoidable mistakes and to ensure that the network successfully achieves its intended aims.

Teaching geography with the computer: possibilities and problems

Abstract The use of computers to improve teaching and learning in geography is beset by many problems, and surrounded by many misconceptions. Although computer hardware has penetrated most geography departments in recent years, its use as a mainline teaching resource remains at a low level. This paper argues that despite the difficulties, computers can make a real contribution to almost every type of teaching method and most subject areas of geography in higher education. Some current practices and future possibilities are reviewed, and some of the problems with using the computer as an educational tool are discussed. In conclusion, some principles are proposed for effective treatment of the computer as a teaching resource.

Work Experience: Who needs it?

ABSTRACT The common linkage made between student work experience and the acquisition of personal transferable skills is challenged. Not only are workplaces biased environments for the acquisition of supposedly generic skills, but other venues (including university campuses) are at least as effective in providing students with such assets. It is noted that the transferability of skills is still largely an untested assumption, that many students do not have the opportunity while working to reflect on their acquisition of skills, and that many mature-aged students do not want to return to work in order to improve their personal skills. It is concluded that most work experience is still largely about work, that our assessment of the skills outcome of such experience leaves a great deal to be desired, and that transferable personal skills can just as effectively be acquired in other contexts.

From Geography Department to Business School: Strategies for Transplanting GIS Courses between Disciplines

A number of strategies have been adopted for developing and delivering GIS curricula in various disciplines. This paper describes and evaluates the main strategies, and illustrates them with reference to recent practice. The author then uses a transplantation analogy to describe the process whereby he adapted his own GIS modules following a move from a modestly sized geography department to a large business school. Several critical questions are posed, including: what is the best strategy for developing GIS courses for business students?; how does one ensure disciplinary and curricular fit in the transplantation process?; and what are the likely reactions and learning experiences of business students who take transplanted modules? Conclusions are drawn on the potential for geographers to assist in the future development of GIS courses within other disciplines.

Issues and trends in textbook publishing: the views of geography editors/publishers

Abstract A group of publishers with international experience of producing geography textbooks outline their views on this particular form of educational resource. Among the issues discussed are the role of textbooks, methods of production, international differences in courses and readership, impact of current changes within the discipline and the higher education system, and emerging technologies that might lead to alternatives to textbooks in the near future.

‘Culture’ and ‘Communication’ in Intercultural Communication

Two major influences on contemporary societies dictate that diffusion and hybridization of communicative norms will be an increasingly significant feature of our communication landscape: Transnational population flows; and the impact of mediated communication, including by means of the Internet. This study explores implications of different ways of viewing the ‘cultural’ and ‘communication’ dimensions of intercultural communication in such volatile circumstances. It considers the risk of reproducing cultural stereotypes in characterizing the speakers engaged in intercultural communication and the types of communication they engage in. It also examines the ‘inter’ that allows intercultural communication to be something active, with scope for creative fusion, initiative and change. By way of conclusion, we suggest that intercultural communication studies may need to be reconceptualized if the field is to engage adequately with further possible convergence (including communicative convergence) between cultures.

Using the internet

Using the Internet 2 What is the Internet? 2 How are all the computers on the Internet linked together? 2 What do I need in order to access the Internet at home? 3 What will it cost? 3 How do I install this equipment? 3 Getting started 4 What can I do on the Internet? 5 How to go directly to a known website 5 Hyperlinks 6 Searching within a website 7 Searching the Internet for information 9 ‘Navigation’ – or finding your way around a website 12 Searching within a page 13 Bookmarks and favourites 15 Using ‘tabs’ 16 Setting the browser’s ‘homepage’ 18 Interacting with features on a website 19 Notes on online security 21 Appendix – Downloading and Installing Google Chrome 22

Small is beautiful: a ‘short and thin’ model for work experience

Abstract A ‘short and thin’ model for work experience has been devised at Middlesex University. The reasons for adopting this approach are discussed, and its benefits and drawbacks are identified. The challenge of designing a work experience for a technological area such as GIS that also meets the academic requirements of a non‐vocational degree programme is also discussed.

Student reading and course readers in geography

Abstract Student reading is frequently seen as a major component of study in higher education, yet the amount actually undertaken frequently falls short of teacher expectations. The use of course readers to encourage and support student reading in geography courses is described and details of one institutions practice are provided as a guide to others of the benefits and pitfalls involved. The authors’ expectations of the value and limitations of readers are tested by means of a student evaluation exercise and some reflections are made on their likely future.