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Touchpoint 1.2

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Touchpoint is a newsletter from the School of Arts at Brunel University containing information about changes in the school, news from your subject area and details of how we’ve responded to your feedback and comments from last term.
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Feedback updates and news For students in the School of Arts Touchpoint Welcome to Issue 2 of the School of Arts Touchpoint newsletter. Throughout the following pages you’ll find information about changes in the school, news from your subject area and details of how we’ve responded to your feedback and comments from last term. The National Student Survey starts on the 17 th January for all final year undergraduates. The NSS provides you with an opportunity to give feedback on your time at Brunel and the results are made available to prospective students. Information will be available across campus or follow the link below. 1.2. JAN>2011 http://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=kztgMtS 6OCI © Brunel University http://www. youtube.co m/watch?v= kztgMtS6OCI Click here to view the video or enter the survey
Transcript
Page 1: Touchpoint 1.2

Feedback updates and news

For students in the School of ArtsTouchpoint

Welcome to Issue 2 of the School of Arts Touchpoint newsletter. Throughout the following pages you’ll find information about changes in the school, news from your subject area and details of how we’ve responded to your feedback and comments from last term.

The National Student Survey starts on the 17th January for all final year undergraduates. The NSS provides you with an opportunity to give feedback on your time at Brunel and the results are made available to prospective students. Information will be available across campus or follow the link below.

1.2. JAN>2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kztgMtS

6OCI

© Brunel University

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kztgMtS6OCI

Click here to view the video

or enter the survey

Page 2: Touchpoint 1.2

Need Help with Information Skills?

In the first term over 49 hours of information skills classes took place with attendance from over 350 students from across the School of Arts. If you require additional information skills support please contact me to arrange a one to one appointment. Advice and support can be given about searching databases, referencing, effective online search techniques and I can also provide recommendations for resources in your subject area.

Further information skills classes for groups are scheduled across the second term. To arrange a one-to-one appointment: [email protected]

Need a reminder?If you need a handremembering when you needto return or renew, we’vesigned up with Library Elf,which allows you to manage allyour library accounts in a waythat suits you.

You can sign up for free atwww.libraryelf.com Just enteryour Library login – itautomatically logs in to checkyour account on your behalf.

The Library will continue to send outreminder emails to all users the daybefore items are due for return, butLibrary Elf will let you set remindersat times that suit you, along withother features.

Laura Ashley’s FAQs

I am often asked to recommend an online source that can be used to provide a dictionary definition of a term. A really good resource that I can recommend is the database Oxford Reference Online. Here you can search over 200 dictionaries and reference works by Oxford University Press simultaneously. To access the resource log into the Library webpage (click on login to E-Library at the top right corner and enter your Brunel username and password), then click on databases (top menu) and locate the database Oxford Reference Online. The database allows you to carry out a quick search across all resources or an advanced search to limit according to subject area.

© Brunel University

Library News

Page 3: Touchpoint 1.2

Theatre WorksThe Winter season of play extracts directed by second year theatre students on the directing course was the first time that the AA Performance Centre Main Studio was used as a public end-on theatre with its full lighting rig and raked seating.

Extracts from twenty plays were performed over three days and included masterpiece scripts such as Pinter’s Mountain Language, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons and Death of Salesman and Sarah Kane’s Crave. A Spring season of Theatre Works will take place at the end of March – watch out for details nearer the time.

© Brunel University

Drama

Page 4: Touchpoint 1.2

Journalism

Journalism can be a bit of a paradox. On one hand it can be an individualistic, solitary profession. But on the other hand, all journalists depend on a network of colleagues and contacts to help make the news.

We're conscious that journalism students from different year groups (and studying different degrees) stand to benefit from getting to know each other a little better. For this reason, planning is currently under-way to organise a trip to Berlin, which will be open to all journalism students.

We are currently in talks with StudyLink about getting a reduced group rate, somewhere in the region of £200 per student (depending on how we get there, and where we stay).

Journalism year group representatives are consulting with students on this, and a Facebook group has been set up to canvass opinion. Over 50 students are members already – if you want to join just search Facebook for 'Brunel Journos - Trip to Europe!!', or go here:

Brunel Journalism European Trip

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_170715779618350&ap=1

Full payment will need to be made near the end of January, so please get in touch with your representative and let them know if you

want to go.

© Brunel University

Page 5: Touchpoint 1.2

Journalism

Our Journalism BA (Hons) degree has become the UK’s newest industry accredited programme. Launched fewer than three years ago, the degree has just received industry hallmark accreditation by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

The programme is one of only 18 accredited degrees across the UK, and is the only honours programme in Greater London.

NCTJ chief executive Joanne Butcher said: "It's great to see the journalism provision at Brunel going from strength-to-strength. We know how challenging it is for undergraduate journalism degree courses to meet the NCTJ standard for accreditation but the team at Brunel were more than able to demonstrate the commitment, resources and quality we require."

Moral Panics Conference

Brunel University paid host to some of the world's most eminent sociologists for a conference early in December – Moral Panics in The Contemporary World. Professors Stan Cohen and Jock Young, who first coined the term 'moral panics' in the early 1970s to refer to instances where the media’s reaction to a social problem can lead to a politically expedient solution, were both in attendance.

Journalism's Julian Petley (who was involved in organising the conference) and Paul Lashmar, both delivered papers.

An edited book and conference proceedings covering the event are due to be published. For more information, see the moral panics website:www.moral-panic.co.uk

NCTJ accreditation for Brunel's Journalism BA (Hons)

© Brunel University

Page 6: Touchpoint 1.2

The autumn term saw many nights of adventurous music-making in the superb environment of our new, stylish, 001 studio in the Antonin Artaud building. The performance by students from Music and Drama of Gavin Bryars' haunting The Sinking of the Titanic was a memorable and moving event for all who experienced it. We also had inspiring performances of new work, some of it composed by Brunel students, by our resident ensemble Piano Circus, plus visitors Ensemble Modelo62 from Holland.

Last term culminated with a Battle of the Bands – Peter Wiegold’s New Noise ensemble “versus” Carl Faia’s Sonic Arts students, in a wild, high-energy night of spontaneous music-making.

Music’s research culture continues to widen, with absorbing and mind-opening presentations from composers Joanna Bailie, Hans Koch and computer music pioneer Clarence Barlow. This term we have visits from legendary American minimalist composer and filmmaker Phill Niblock, and the latest new sounds from Amsterdam in the form of the electronic duo Shackle. The Arts @ Artaud evenings continue to present a platform for students to make themselves heard – come and join us!

© Brunel University

Music

Page 7: Touchpoint 1.2

Screen MediaProfile: Malcolm ZammitScreen Media Tech, School of Arts

Malcolm worked in the newspaper industry for 21 years as Typesetter, Page Designer and Systems Administrator. After completing his first degree in Media & Communication studies (with Psychology) at the University of Malta, he came to Brunel to read for an MA in Documentary Practice in 2007.

Malcolm's documentary work has been screened during events at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the BFI London Southbank. One of his works, a short essay documentary titled A Long Way, received a jury mention in the Best Short Film category at flEXiff 2009 in Sydney, Australia.

© Brunel University

Together with friend and then-colleague David Plans, Malcolm was commissioned by Sound & Music to produce One Foot off the Ground, a semi-improvised experimental AV piece which they performed live during the Sound Source at King's Place in May 2009.

Malcolm moved back to Malta in September 2009 and after a short stint as Assistant Lecturer at the Centre for Communications Technology at the University of Malta, he returned to Brunel in his current capacity. His main responsibilities at the School of Arts are centred around the Screen Media subject area where he also designs and delivers various technical workshops for undergraduate and postgraduate students

http://malcolmzammit.comwww.onefoot.info

In response to student requests for an expansion of the practical provision in the Film and Television Studies programme, we are about to introduce the option of a

practice-based project at Level Three.Details of this will be made available to level-two students in March.

Page 8: Touchpoint 1.2

English & CW

Several new modules are in the pipeline for level 3 next year, offering an even greater range of modules for final year students to choose from.

Details of these will be posted on the undergraduate modules web page in due course. You can view the full list of currently approved modules at:

http://www.brunel.ac.uk/about/acad/sa/artsub/english/modules

New MA in EnglishIn response to student demand, a new MA in English Literature will become available from September 2011. The new MA is currently going through the internal and external approval process and students will be able to take applications once this is complete sometime during the spring term. Current level 3 students may register their interest in applying for the MA with Sue Ramus, the postgraduate administrator. Further details about the MA will be available very shortly, once Approval in Principle is awarded.

New ProfessorsThe Subject team is pleased to announce the appointment of 3 world-leading Professors who will join the English subject team in 2011. Professor William Spurlin, whose research interests are in queer theory and sexual dissidence, will join in February. Professor James Knowles, who works on the Renaissance and Early Modern period, will join in March 2011. Finally, Professor Gretchen Gerzina, with interests in race studies, slave narratives and 19th century literature, will arrive in September 2011.

The appointment of these scholars is the next stage in the expansion and development of English at Brunel into a world-class research department, and will benefit students through their breadth and depth of experience as well as their contribution to the curriculum through new modules, areas of learning, and approaches to teaching.

© Brunel University

Page 9: Touchpoint 1.2

English & CW

Access to Books in the LibraryEvery year students are concerned about the availability of library resources to support their studies. Following recent feedback at the December SSCC Meeting the English subject team and the Library have conducted some specific research. We have evaluated each title on every reading list to establish the number of copies per student and whether texts were available.

All English modules were found to meet or exceed the university quota for library copies of essential reading. Those texts found to be in high demand will be increased. Overall findings show that students do not use their full loan allocation and copies of primary texts often remain on the shelves for the whole term so don’t assume you won’t be able to get a library copy.

Top Tips –Looking for a book in the Library

If you can’t find an essential reading item there will always be an overnight loan available very shortly. Once borrowed they are due back the following morning by 10am.

If all the week loan copies are out on loan remember to place a hold. We can then email you when it’s ready to collect.

We always acquire e-books where available. Search on the catalogue and then click on the URL to access the text via the internet. Remember to log into the e-Library before accessing any e-books.

If you are having problems accessing materials please contact me for help and guidance Subject Liaison Librarian for the School of Arts

[email protected]

© Brunel University

Page 10: Touchpoint 1.2

Get involvedBecome a Rep

Course Reps, School Reps, and Disabled & Dyslexic Student Reps are elected by you to represent your views and push for change that will improve your life at Brunel.

They can help with you with academic issues at module, course, and school level, and give you information on how to resolve any other problems you may have. You can find more information on what Reps do and how to become a rep at:

http://www.brunelstudents.com/studentreps

Could you write this newsletter?

If you’d like to contribute to the next issue of Touchpointcontact the editor: [email protected]

© Brunel University


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