Patrick Smith

The Trouble with Higher Education is a powerful and topical critique of the Higher Education system in the UK, with relevance to countries with similar systems. Based on the authors’ experiences that span over 30+ years of fieldwork, the issues discussed focus on the problems facing the principle responsibilities of universities: teaching, learning and research. The first half of the book identifies a number of problems that have followed the growth of mass education. It examines their causes and explains their damaging effects. The second half of the book offers a broad vision and makes a number of practical suggestions for ameliorating the problems and improving higher education. Supported by research, the suggestions include: ways of managing universities; proper inspection; better ways of organising students’ learning; improving teaching and learning; better approaches to assessment, and the proper use of ideas such as learning outcomes. Topics discussed include: Chronic under-funding, the replacement of student grants with loans and the introduction of tuition fees. The growth of managerialism. The emphasis on accountability and decline of trust. The growth of a competitive, market ethos. Modular degrees, knowledge treated as a commodity and students seen as customers. The drift towards a two-tiered system, with teaching colleges and research universities. Casualisation of the academic profession. The Trouble with Higher Education is aimed primarily at a professional audience of academics, educationalists, managers, administrators and policy makers, but would interest anyone concerned about higher education. It is suited to professional development courses, and Master’s and doctoral level studies.

The Trouble with Higher Education is a powerful and topical critique of the Higher Education system in the UK, with relevance to countries with similar systems. Based on the authors’ experiences that span over 30+ years of fieldwork, the issues discussed focus on the problems facing the principle responsibilities of universities: teaching, learning and research. The first half of the book identifies a number of problems that have followed the growth of mass education. It examines their causes and explains their damaging effects. The second half of the book offers a broad vision and makes a number of practical suggestions for ameliorating the problems and improving higher education. Supported by research, the suggestions include: ways of managing universities; proper inspection; better ways of organising students’ learning; improving teaching and learning; better approaches to assessment, and the proper use of ideas such as learning outcomes. Topics discussed include: Chronic under-funding, the replacement of student grants with loans and the introduction of tuition fees. The growth of managerialism. The emphasis on accountability and decline of trust. The growth of a competitive, market ethos. Modular degrees, knowledge treated as a commodity and students seen as customers. The drift towards a two-tiered system, with teaching colleges and research universities. Casualisation of the academic profession. The Trouble with Higher Education is aimed primarily at a professional audience of academics, educationalists, managers, administrators and policy makers, but would interest anyone concerned about higher education. It is suited to professional development courses, and Master’s and doctoral level studies.

Post traumatic stress disorder develops after exposure to one or more terrifying events that have caused, or threatened to cause the sufferer grave physical harm. This book discusses how trauma-focused cognitive therapy can be used to help children and adolescents who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder.Cognitive therapy is frequently used to treat adults who suffer from PTSD with proven results. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder provides the therapist with instructions on how CT models can be used with children and young people to combat the disorder. Based on research carried out by the authors, this book covers: assessment procedures and measures formulation and treatment planning trauma focused cognitive therapy methods common hurdles.The authors provide case studies and practical tips, as well as examples of self-report measures and handouts for young people and their parents which will help the practitioner to prepare for working with this difficult client group.Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an accessible, practical, clinically relevant guide for professionals and trainees in child and adolescent mental health service teams who work with traumatized children and young people.

What leads a man in his mid to late thirties to take up the sport of baseball after a fifteen year hiatus? Especially when stressful and potentially humiliating tryouts are involved? The Lutherville, Maryland, Athletics are a ball team composed of plumbers, demolition guys, investment bankers, security guards and salesmen who play for the love of the game. How their passion for the game of baseball affects their lives is the subject of this book. Focusing on Smith's lifelong love affair with sport of baseball, this volume provides a firsthand account of a season in the Baltimore County, Over-30 league from tryouts to the final game. Beginning with childhood experiences in the Kentwood League in Raleigh, North Carolina, it follows Smith through his high school and college years as his interest in the game of baseball waned. The true focus of the book is the re-emergence of the sport as an important part of Smith's life during his mid-thirties and the glory he and his teammates find in simply being ballplayers. Baseball is presented as a unifying force and a thread of stability through the experiences of an ever-shifting world. The changes and appeal of major league baseball are also discussed from the vantage point of Smith and his teammates.