I was getting just over 5 grand from an external organisation, but it's now gone the way of the dodo thanks to the "economic climate", so I'll take what I can - anyone wanna buy a kidney?!

You could also look at HE funding (via Gov) for no.1. For instance, in Wales the Assembly Government is limited with what they can do to support education in Wales owing to the fact that their budget is controlled by Westminster. In the news today the HEFCW have stated that university places in Wales will be capped for the first time next year owing to the rising cost of student support. Less students, less income, less employment opportunities for you and me.
There is also the continuing cycle of nationwide research assessment - what impact/pressure does that have on the individual lecturer, the department, faculty, university etc. Is it friend or foe? Ooh, don't get me started on league tables ... ! A trawl through the THE online archive might be useful.

Is no.2 on about the idea of your ability to create 'impact' (bloody REF again!)? Are they asking you to tell them what you have done, like having work published, presenting in confs, membership of research groups, organising confs? This is like a round-the-houses way of asking "So Jojo, what will you be bringing to this job?"!

On a general note, these might (or might not) be of use with regards to any questions about HE teaching - you know, the reason you're actually applying for the job! I found them useful when I did my Post-16 PGCE:

Armitage, Bryant, Dunnill, Renwick, Hayes, Hudson, Kent & Lawes, 'Training and Teaching in Post-Compulsory Education' (OUP, 2005)
Huddleston & Unwin, 'Teaching and Learning in Further Education (RoutledgeFalmer, 2005)
and if you can find a copy:
Perrott, 'Effective Teaching' (Longman, 1982) - the early 80s photos are something else!

Sorry they're not cited properly, I'm a bit bibliographied out at the moment.

Hopefully something of the above waffle might be of some use ...

Have you thought about contacting your university's (or any university) Language & Learning Department/Disability Office? Depending on the disability students can be eligible for this sort of support, even at PhD level, as a part of their Reasonable Adjustments. If the student is in receipt of a Disabled Student's Allowance the some of the grant usually goes to paying for one-to-one help from support tutors in the above department/s. Perhaps there might be a way of you becoming a contracted employee and picking up work that way?

Today has not been a waste today because ... I've turned up.

:-)

Sneaks, I like the way you think! For very much the same reason I like to put a good few film clips in my presentations ... !

In our dept there are fairly clear guidelines on what is expected in the progress report, for example, if you're a full-time 1st year then you have to write a 10,000 word lit review, a timetable for completion and an outline of the structure of the thesis, oh, and evidence of at least 3 meetings with a supervisor. Part-time students have a 5000 word limit, I think. It might be an idea to have a word with the research administrator in your department - they know EVERYTHING!

And make sure that those assessing your work know that you have only been full-time for the last four months. You know what these academics are like (!). A few years ago a friend of mine started their PhD in February but when she was assessed in April it was evident that they had all forgotten because they had a bit of a go at her because they though that she done stuff all since October. Silly academics!

Well ... one of my sups didn't even bother to turn up for fairly important meeting this morning. So far no explanation. Not so bad, you might think, but I turned down some much needed paid teaching so that I could make the meeting. And the [insert expletive here] sup knows I have money worries.

So a general rubbish start to the week. And the undergrads are back, mistaking the library for a common room.

On the upside, Glee is back on tonight! Yeay!

And finally, my favourite joke:

Who led the Pedants' Revolt?
Which Tyler!

Eyethangewe!!

Is it:

"The proprioceptive and agonist roles of gastrocnemius, soleus and tibialis anterior muscles in maintaining human upright posture" ?

(I have no idea what that means!)

If it is, then I have found it for you - aah, the joys of being in the library on a Sunday ... !

I can't be the only Gemini on here? I would say that I am fairly typical Gemini, but then I have ADHD which seems to be a fairly typical Gemini too!

Ah, practice-based methodologies. The first challenge is to convince non-practice academics that a Social Sciences framework is too restrictive. Win that battle and then its just you and the deep wide ocean of possibilities!

HALLELUJAH! My point exactly.

*Leftie Rant Warning*

A few years ago I had an attack of guilt (brought on by talking to a friend who was researching cures for fatal illness - sorry, not very science-y of me) about working in the creative industry. Producing entertainment? Yes. Producing something beneficial to others? Hmm, not exactly. So I went into the family business - I started teaching. Fast forward to now, and I'm doing a PhD. Sometimes the utterly unnecessary (my opinion, obv) use of high falutin' language just makes me mad as it goes against my philosophy that education should be accessible to all. Being dyslexic probably informs this a bit too. Urgh, I'd better stop here otherwise this will be the longest post, evah.

I can see how it could work with Practice-based research in creative writing, performance or film. It would have to within some sort of theoretical framework otherwise you're stuck with a random bit of narrative prose that does nothing but bump up your word count!

I've seen most of these on various student business cards, sometimes from the same university! I was unsure what to put on mine so I asked my dept's research admin. He said that there wasn't an official line, so I went with Practice-based PhD Student.

Hope this helps!

You could google the the title and author to find the website that you got it from. Is it from an online journal or conference paper? You could reference that way if you can't find the website.

£14,000, I dream of £14,000!

My first year = £7000, my second = £6500. This year I have £1500 until the new year because my external funding source hasn't decided whether they will continue with the scheme. So, honestly, be grateful for what you've got!

Have you spoken to your department's Director of Research about this?

It's a shame that you couldn't have resolved the problem between you and your supervisor without having to go to higher authority. Can I just clarify, had you, before submitting your report, been told by your supervisor that there wasn't a problem with your work? If he had told you not to include all that info (which seems a bit mad - no lit review?!) which resulted in both lecturers said that work was not of a high enough standard, perhaps there is a way you could appeal and re-admit? Getting a more detailed breakdown of the perceived weaknesses in your work could be useful to you.

With regards to having supervisors that are not specialists in your area, I'm afraid this is not an unusual state of affairs especially if you're in an arts based subject. Both of mine have only a tenuous link to my research area. It's not a great situation, but it's that or nothing.

I hope you can get some answers that will help you find a way forward.