First of all, there is Moodle, the electronic learning resource. On this site students can find out all sorts of information about their course as tutors post lecture notes and presentations to supplement learning. This site is useful as a database of knowledge and module information but does not provide opportunities for networking.

Students and alumni of the course can also make use of the Yahoo Group set up for them. This gives them an easy way to communicate with the whole group with just one click. It’s great for asking questions about assignments as the issue at hand may be one that several people were concerned about; and asking everyone, rather than just asking the tutor, promotes discussion and a community feel. It is also a good way to let all the students know at once of any upcoming events or opportunities.

So we are provided with easy communication methods and a learning database, but it would seem that there is no online location to congregate, to share personal as well as professional information. Yes, many of us have Facebook or MySpace profiles, and temporary “groups” have been set up on here, but these sites are not for focusing on our professional development or the progression of the course.

Does this mean there is a gap in provision here? Is a student and alumni network something we need? This shall be discussed in the focus groups and I will let you know the outcomes in due course…

This is the method with which I intend to obtain the students’ views on the alumni network idea. Its advantages are that it promotes discussion and gives a combination of opinions and angles on the selected topic. Its disadvantages are that the discussion may stray from the subject easily and that some participants may dominate the discussion more than others.

It is therefore my task as moderator to keep the discussion on track without being too imposing so as to let it flow freely.

So, the venue, refreshments and recording equipment are all in place, all I need now is the participants!

Calling all students and alumni of the MA Media Enterprise course, this is your chance to have your say! Do you want your own network to be like moodle or more like facebook?

If you don’t come along to one of the focus groups you never know how it might turn out…

I am embarking on a research project to investigate and explore ideas around the proposed idea of a web-based network for the students and alumni of the MA Media Enterprise course at BCU. It is of vital importance that I gain the views of past and present students for this, as it is to be a student-led network, so if you are either of those please do not hesitate to comment on this blog! Other views are of course welcome too.

Over the next few weeks I shall be keeping the students up to date on my progress with the project via this blog.

We are all aware of how huge social networking on the internet has become, so I’d initially like to ask, which features of social networking do you find most useful?

Laura Jackman.

You’ll find a new page on this website dedicated to conference materials from the recent (March 2008) Creative Enterprise conference at Birmingham City University.It includes a podcast with excerpts from most of the speakers. Be sure to check it out. 

It was largely aimed at educators but it did have a few students and some business support people amongst its delegates.  First thing to say is that a way more reflective and thoughtful digest of the conference is being put together by Charlotte Carey. Go read it. I thought it might be worth pulling together links to some of the participants as that doesn’t seem to have been done anywhere else.

Here goes:

Linda Ball gave the keynote and works at the University of the Arts London. Take a look at the Artist’s Development Toolkit she has developed and of course she’s got quite a pedigree in Art and Design employability research.

There followed four presentations from graduates of the MA Media Enterprise and the Insight Out programme at Birmingham City University. Those presenting gave an interesting glimpse of what it’s like to try to combine running a business with undertaking study whilst still having a life of sorts. The presenters were:

• Andy Hartwell from Substrackt
• Jo Hallington (some of her work here as well)
• Charlotte Bedford
• Gaelle Roche (and a case study here)

Sian Prime, formerly of NESTA gave a workshop. She helped develop the enterprise tools used in the Insight Out programme. 

Charlotte Carey presented some of her research about the MA Media Enterprise in a workshop that also had presentations by Andy and Kath Penaluna and from Antonia Walker from Bath Spa University.

 Jemima Gibbons facilitated a workshop and has blogged about it. Her speakers were: David Gibson from Queen’s University Belfast; Jacquie Green & Richard Holt from Somerset Centre for Enterprise and Terry Hunt from Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery (which also hosted the event). Paul Long chaired a debate at the end of the day on taking the debate forward.

In all it seemed to be a useful day for delegates. I certainly feel that this is a developing area of reserch that perhaps at the moment sits a little awkwardly between not knowing if it wants to produce self-help guides for students or to engage in critical debate about the politics of enterprise. Here’s looking forward to the next conference in 2010….