1. Access then impact: using the media as a shortcut to policymakers
As the value of research with impact increases, so too does the importance of first gaining access to policymakers and other persons of influence. One shortcut to doing this is through increased media coverage. In his post in the LSE Impact of Social Sciences Blog, Leigh Marshall explains how academics can give their research the best possible chance of being seen and read by policymakers; including by developing close relationships with university communications teams, being ready to capitalise when a story relevant to your research breaks, and ensuring you have a message that decision-makers can engage with.
The blog post says (quote): The fourth estate is as powerful as ever and achieving the right kind of media coverage can be a great shortcut to reaching decision-makers. People of influence still read a daily newspaper. If your research reaches page one or two of a quality paper people will talk about it in Westminster. It will feature in paper reviews across TV and radio. It might sneak into parliamentary questions. Moreover, being on the telly is not something limited to the most experienced and esteemed scholars. In fact, a Radio 4 journalist has told that these academics can sometimes appear out of touch and somewhat detached from what is happening in society. Early-career academics may also come with the added benefit of cutting-edge research techniques or new methodologies. In other words, being a young new voice can be a real advantage........(unquote)
The full entry can be read Here.
2. Is OER Sustainable? 3 Examples that Suggest "Yes"
Aside from the words 'free' and 'openly licensed,' another word that often arises in discussions of open educational resources (OER) is 'sustainability.' Is OER's model sustainable? After all, OER is free to use, but it certainly costs to develop it. The migration of publishers and techies to OER organisations is one sign that the lines between OER and publisher programs are starting to blur, discusses Jay Diskey, in his post in the CCC Blog.
The blog post says (quote): For the most part, OER development has been underwritten by foundations and to a lesser degree, federal and state governments. While there have been some signs recently that foundation funding for OER is waning, some are still writing checks. Meanwhile, government funding is increasing. Last year, the Texas legislature approved a measure that provides $20 million for the Texas Education Agency to develop OER courses. The most recent development related to government OER funding occurred in March 2018, when the U.S. Congress authorised a small, $5 million OER program that will fund competitive grants for universities to develop open textbooks. The "open textbook grant program," which is tucked in the mammoth fiscal year 2018 federal omnibus spending bill, will be administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Obviously, the OER business model is sustainable as long as foundations and governments are willing to keep funding flowing. But, are there alternatives?.........(unquote)
The full entry can be read Here.
3. Collection Development Solutions to Fit All Libraries
All libraries, no matter how large or small, have the same goal: to develop and manage a collection that meets the diverse needs of the students, researchers and faculty at their institution. A post in the EBSCOpost Blog looks at some of the collection development tools, services and best practices that GOBI Library Solutions has offered to academic libraries ranging from small community colleges or large academic research libraries.
The blog post says (quote): Spotlight Lists in GOBI are librarian-curated lists of recommended titles that cover a wide range of academic subjects, as well as best sellers, award winners, non-English language titles and popular fiction and nonfiction. New or updated lists are posted each month, so there are always new books to choose from. Also in GOBI, reviews from top review sources including Booklist, Choice, Doody's Review Service, Library Journal, and Publisher's Weekly aid in a selector's decision to purchase a title. Spotlight Lists and reviews making finding the right books easier, and libraries of all sizes can benefit from these features. GOBI Library Solutions also offers standing order plans that ensure you get the best books for your library automatically. These plans include Award Winners and Reviews, Children's Awards, Adult Awards, Lists and Reviews and Choice Outstanding Academic Awards. Libraries of all kinds can benefit from having these trusted titles in their collections..........(unquote)
The full entry can be read Here.
4. Amazon Peer Review: Coming To A Preprint Near You
Supporters of Amazon Peer Review™ believe that their simple 5-star rating system and unstructured comment boxes will greatly expand the community that participates in the review of scientific research. Amazon Peer Review™ works by linking Amazon's online store to bioRxiv, a rapidly expanding source for preprints in the biomedical sciences, notes Phil Davis, in his post in the Scholarly Kitchen Blog.
The blog post says (quote): Critics, however, point out that many Amazon reviews are simply fake, written by automated software (bots) or sponsored by the company itself. Facebook admits that at least 12% of its accounts are fake, and between 9% and 15% of all active Twitter accounts are bots according to one recent study. Like Russia's involvement in the last U.S. Presidential election, it may not be difficult to game Amazon Peer Review™ some worry. Defenders of open peer review systems argue that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will help scientists sniff out and expose fake preprint reviews. Indeed, AI software has already been implemented into peer review management systems to evaluate the future performance of papers although its efficacy has been disputed.........(unquote)
The full entry can be read Here.
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