Marchmont Observatory
{{Short description|English research organization}}
{{Infobox Organization
|name = Marchmont Observatory
|abbreviation = Marchmont/SLIM
|formation = 1998
|status =
|purpose = To provide data and analysis for decision makers
|region_served = South West (England)
|leader_title = Director
|leader_name = Chris Evans (University of Exeter)
|leader_title2 = Assistant Director
|leader_name2 = Ben Neild
|affiliations = South West RDA, Government Office for the South West, Office for National Statistics (ONS), Association for Regional Observatories (ARO)
|website = {{Official website|http://www.marchmont.ac.uk}}
}}
The Marchmont Observatory conducts academic research in support of local government policy formation concerning skills, employment and education for adults through networking, the development of learning programmes and research.
Organizational history
Established by the University of Exeter in 1998, following a £3m bid to the ADAPT Programme of the European Union, the Observatory was established initially as a partnership between the University of Exeter, the Open University, the BBC,{{cite web|author=British Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/ictcoach/resources/ |title=ICT Coach - ICT Links |publisher=BBC |date= |accessdate=2012-01-04}} TUC, IBM, NETg and FT Management.{{cite web|url=http://education.exeter.ac.uk/pages.php?id=176 |title=Graduate School of Education :: Research :: Marchmont Observatory :: Research for the learning age |publisher=Education.exeter.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2012-01-04}} The early focus of the Observatory centered around the field of ICT and a collaboration with the University.{{cite web|url=http://archive.e-learningcentre.co.uk/eclipse/Resources/academicorgs.htm |title=e-Learning Centre by Learning Light - Academic e-learning organisations |publisher=Archive.e-learningcentre.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2012-01-04}}
Programmes
As part of its commitment to develop regional expertise, the Observatory has established the Skills and Learning Intelligence Module of the Regional Observatory, on behalf of partners in the region. Through this, intelligence and statistics on the labour and skills markets are provided to stakeholders in the South West.{{cite web |url=http://www.swslim.org.uk/index.asp |title=The Skills & Learning Intelligence Module |publisher=Swslim.org.uk |date=2011-09-29 |accessdate=2012-01-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120912234815/http://www.swslim.org.uk/index.asp |archivedate=2012-09-12 }}
Because of its presence within the University the Observatory staff are able to work with other parts of the University and work closely with the similar Research Centres often developing joint projects.{{cite web|url=http://dickwillis.edublogs.org/2006/08/29/what-employers-want/ |accessdate=November 8, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726014805/http://dickwillis.edublogs.org/2006/08/29/what-employers-want/ |archivedate=July 26, 2011 |title=What employers want… | Dick Sblog }}
Core activities
The aim of the Marchmont Observatory is to improve evidence-based practice in the field of lifelong learning. This occurs through:
- Supporting communication of ideas and practice between practitioners, policy makers and researchers, through networking arrangements;
- Providing online knowledge management systems;
- Stimulating action-based research into key themes emerging from user networks, including production of toolkits and learning programmes;
- Collecting information on existing practice and research, analysing and processing it for users;
- Disseminating research and practice to practitioners and policy makers through media; and
- Educating practitioners about the benefits of new technologies for knowledge creation and management.{{cite web|url=http://www.alt.ac.uk/news_detail.php?nid=118 |title=News | Association for Learning Technology |publisher=Alt.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2012-01-04}}
Skills and Learning Intelligence Module
The Skills and Learning Intelligence Module (SLIM) provides information on the skills and learning needs of individuals and businesses in the South West for policy decisions, funding programmes, organisational and partnership strategies and individual projects.{{cite web|url=http://www.swo.org.uk/welcome/the-network/thematic-modules/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712203438/http://www.swo.org.uk/welcome/the-network/thematic-modules/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-07-12 |title=South West Observatory (SWO) | Thematic Modules |publisher=SWO |accessdate=2012-01-04 }}
References
{{CCBYSASource|sourcepath=http://www.marchmont.ac.uk/about.asp|sourcearticle=About the Marchmont Observatory|revision=363880804}}
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.marchmont.ac.uk/index.asp}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100712203438/http://www.swo.org.uk/welcome/the-network/thematic-modules/ South West Observatory Limited]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716210159/http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/17826 trainingzone]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20010302060344/http://www.swslim.org.uk/]