Hi Martin
Good to hear from you. I would like to confirm that `credit
culture' has had a disastrous effect on what we used to call
`liberal adult education' in the sciences; this has been
particularly marked in PPARC-type science. (I gave a talk at
an IOP conference about this around 1994! Afterwards I enquired
about the possibility of PPARC sponsoring some activities such
as dayschools which had to be fully cost-covering - including
the 48 percent overhead we are charged to keep our administrators
in a job which seems to have less to do with supporting the
money earners than ever! At the time, PPARC were unwilling to
be seen picking up the tab; I should have approached them
again after a few years, but did not.)
I have kept 3-4 particle physics/cosmology dayschools going (at
a loss) out of a sense of duty. My main teaching activity has been
to provide a history of scientific ideas `module' as part of
a larger compulsory 30 credit Level 2 course on the History of
Ideas, taken by the students on our part-time BA in Integrated
Studies (Humanities + Sociology). The science part is a selective
overview of the three great periods of science (Greek, Newtonian and
20t cenury).
A diluted version of this at level one has been well received - but
not so well attended.
At the moment, while Bham University decides what its policy on
science in widening participation/lifelong learning is to be, I
have been focussing more on Science Education issues and have
become involved with the CERN high School Teachers Project.
So, I'm still in business, but, like you, I feel it has been an
uphill battle over recent years. Maybe Brown's recent budget has
something for us.
Best wishes.
Gron
On Mon, 29 Jul 2002, David J Hill wrote:
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>
> Dear Martin
> Sorry not to have replied earlier.
> It was decided by the School of Biological Sciences here where I am
> based (we are mainstreamed and no longer have a department for CE or
> LLL) to withdraw altogether from running courses for the general
> public. We just run a Certificate and an MSc (both 2 year programmes).
> So you should perhpas adress your enquiry to Peter Hardy in Earth
> Sciences ([log in to unmask]) who still runs short accredited
> courses and Chris Jessop in Public Programmes Office
> ([log in to unmask]) who runs unaccredited courses.
> Sorry about this but this is what is happening in this Univeristy. I'm
> still interested in SCI-3L though. Best of luck with the F6 bid.
> Very best wishes
> David
>
> On Mon, 29 Jul 2002 14:00:53 +0100 Martin Counihan <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > To: Sci-3L group
> >
> > Still no response at all to my message last week (about promoting lifelong
> > learning in ways other than providing credit-bearing courses for the
> > public). Do, please, reply even if it is just to say that in your
> > circumstances you feel that credit-bearing courses are effective and
> > efficient. I really would be very interested.
> >
> > On another topic: I recently submitted a statement of intent to propose a
> > European network ("Science in Context" - Research, Outreach and Lifelong
> > Learning) within the Union's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). If you are
> > also hoping to be involved in an FP6 proposal, please contact me either
> > through this list or directly.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Martin Counihan
> > University of Southampton
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
>
> ----------------------
> David J Hill BSc DPhil CBiol FIBiol MIEEM
> Science Faculty Continuing Education Officer
> Director of MSc in Ecology and Management of the Natural Environment
> Senior Lecturer
> School of Biological Sciences
> University of Bristol
> Woodland Road
> Bristol BS8 1UG
> Tel: 00 44 (0) 117 928 8155
> Fax: 00 44 (0) 117 925 7374
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> Web pages:
> http://www.bio.bris.ac.uk/teaching/teaching.htm
> http://www.bio.bris.ac.uk/people/hill.htm
> http://www.iacr.bbsrc.ac.uk/lars/depts/plantsci/tdyeplant.html
>
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