Issue 3 - May 2005

Title - Is there a need to debate the role of higher education and the public good?
Author - Sandra Fisher
Article text - Calls for sustaining and increasing investment in higher education are often made on the basis that higher education is a `public good'. The idea of higher education as a public good is frequently conceptualized in terms of its contribution to economic development. [more >>]

Title - An examination of ethical issues pertaining to educational research
Author - Greg Gallagher
Article text - The social sciences in general and educational researchers in particular have become more and more conscious of ethical propriety and the need for universally acceptable codes of ethical conduct in recent years. [more >>]

Title - Agreed Issues: A comparative analysis of the recommendations of the Review of Higher Education in Ireland Examiners’ Report and the submissions of the Stakeholders of Irish Higher Education
Author - John Gallagher
Article text - This paper will be uploaded shortly [more >>]

Title - Developing a Participatory Consultation Process for Quality Reviews: The initial stage of the European University Associations Quality Review of the Dublin Institute of Technology
Author - Aidan Kenny
Article text - This paper describes the evolution of a consultation process utilized by the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) as part of a quality review process. An emphasis is placed on outlining: the collaborative nature of the enquiry; [more >>]

Title - Researching from the inside — does it compromise validity? A discussion
Author - Pauline Rooney
Article text - The concept of validity in social research is the subject of much debate. It is a complex and problematic issue, especially because it is difficult to define validity. In traditional studies, validity usually referred to the degree to which the study accurately reflected the issue or topic that the research was attempting to measure [more >>]

Title - Research Report: Outline of research design for research project: Academic Success, Failure and Withdrawal Among First Year Engineering Students: was poor mathematical knowledge a critical factor?
Author - Mark Russell
Article text - This paper will be uploaded shortly [more >>]

Book Reviews