UK HEIs Research Articles

Promoting Well-being through History Teaching

Abstract This article explores the potential for the greater infusion of well-being concerns into the teaching of history in UK HEIs. Drawing upon results from a survey of over 100 current undergraduates in one UK History department, alongside a scoping study of well-being provision provided by history departments or their equivalent in about ninety UK HEIs, this article considers ways in which well-being can be promoted through the teaching and learning strategies of historians. The article discusses the meaning of the term ‘well-being’ and asks why historians have sometimes been reluctant participants in the ‘eudaemonic turn’. The negativity bias of history as an endeavour, and the potential for understanding the past to enhance or diminish an individual's sense of well-being is discussed, as is the value of historicising the concept of well-being itself. The case for integrating well-being as a key element in the degree-level study of history is made, and the article concludes by urging all HEI history practitioners to consider the value of curricular infusion and mapping the design and delivery of their modules onto the New Economics Foundation's ‘five ways to well-being’.

Understanding student perception and identification in cobranded UK HEIs based on consumer-company identification theory

ABSTRACT This study explores student perception and identification with cobranded HEIs in the UK. Due to the success of many international partnerships, domestic academic partnerships have increased tremendously in the UK. However, little is known about student perception and identification with cobranded HEIs in local academic partnerships such as in the UK. Semi-structured interviews are conducted to explore student perception of cobranded HEIs in the UK. Thematic analysis using QSR NVivo 12 is employed. Findings indicate factors that determine students’ relationship with cobranded HEIs in the UK. Interview findings were shared with five academic experts to subjectively validate them for future empirical investigations. Theoretically, the study contributes to cobranding in higher education and corporate branding literature by showcasing the factors that influence students’ decision to enrol in cobranded HEIs. Based on identified factors, academic managers can devise a marketing strategy to achieve competitive advantage, increase student recruitment and retain existing students.

Isomorphic tensions and anxiety in UK social science doctoral provision

ABSTRACT Scholars assert that, worldwide, doctoral provision is increasingly characterised by accelerated scales of production, competitive funding, centralised administration, and interdisciplinary, cohort-based training. The situation in the UK appears to mirror this picture but scholars have long noted that national settings mediate the forms that broader trends take. We therefore examined the case of the UK’s social science doctorates, which have seen both marked growth and a range of policy changes, to explore the potential extent of alignment with these trends. Invoking institutional isomorphism, a conceptual framework which asserts how convergence can be driven by different factors, we interviewed senior staff at a range of UK HEIs to examine the activities and underlying rationales behind their social science doctoral provision. We were able to establish that, while there is a degree of isomorphism around their social science doctorates, this is a complex and uneven situation because different kinds of HEIs are subject to a varying combination of simultaneous and often conflicting forces. Our analysis highlights not only how the relationship between national policies and higher education culture can be fraught, but also how organisations’ individual positioning and history has implications for how they are able to act in policy contexts.

Building a risky-safe-space: Using reflective pedagogies and values to support writing development in work based learning

The concepts of ‘graduateness’ and graduate attributes became contested terrain before COVID-19 destabilised even the most assured of shared learning constructions. Indeed, for those of us immersed in the delivery of work-based learning (WBL), this has long been the case. Promotion of reductive notions of ‘skills’ acquisition to comply neatly with an employability agenda holds little relevance for those students already engaged in full time careers, and with a wealth of professional experience. What can hold influence and interest, however, is the opportunity to engage in meaningful, agentic, professionally-aligned reflective practices as a scaffolded route to promoting self-awareness and developing confidence in mapping competences from the professional domain to the academic (and vice versa). This paper shares an account of taking an embedded approach to supporting the development of academic literacies amongst work-based learners in one UK HEI. In particular, it will consider the use of reflective pedagogical tools and values in supporting work-based learners to become confident and adaptable writers. Discussion considers how work-based pedagogies and approaches may have far-reaching relevance in a post-pandemic landscape, where reskilling and professional agility are likely to become more prolific aspects of education and work. Writing itself is framed as an integrated communication practice that encompasses literature retrieval, reading, evaluation, synthesis and articulation of argument. The paper will describe pre-pandemic academic support activities and share qualitative survey data in which students consider their confidence as both professional and academic writers. It concludes with consideration of how some of the approaches outlined may have relevance for the wider academic community.

Designing for student wellbeing: challenging assumptions about where our students learn

Student wellbeing has been foregrounded during the recent Covid-19 pandemic but this is broad brush and contested with different models being followed across the sector. One aspect of concern is the extent to which access to the technology institutions require students to use contributes to additional stress. A student survey (n=30) in one UK HEI revealed the ‘hidden spaces’ where students learn, and the findings indicate that the formal institutional Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), with its sophisticated learning analytics, did not fully capture the student experience. This work was followed up with a digital wellbeing survey (n=172) and, by drawing together the two datasets, we report on a more nuanced student experience. Initial findings indicate a schism between formal and informal spaces where students learn, especially within our institutional reporting of students working online. Examples include students using their own preferred tools such as WhatsApp, Trello, and Slack to communicate outside the formal channels; these behaviours thereby devalue the validity of the VLE datasets that student-facing staff are encouraged to use for decision-making. This paper offers insights into accessing and interpreting data in ways that are more useful for academics, learning developers, and learning designers, and suggests ways in which we can effectively frame student support by putting the ‘real’ student experience at the centre of our practice.

Accelerated HE digitalisation: Exploring staff and student experiences of the COVID-19 rapid online-learning transfer.

In the UK, the first ‘lockdown’ of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to online learning and digital technologies in Higher Education (HE). While the situation was unprecedented, extant literature on online learning suggested there would be challenges, opportunities, and benefits to this transition, and we sought to understand these via a case study of one UK HEI department at this time. To draw out in-depth and nuanced accounts of this (at time of investigation–unstudied) scenario, qualitative data were collected via semi-structured online interview or written reflection. To explore, identify and understand the experiences from both sides, and with a diverse sample, we purposively recruited both staff (n = 10) and students (n = 12), from various roles and backgrounds, including those with additional learning and/or mental health needs. The ‘bricolage’ data were analysed inductively, utilising a latent reflexive approach, and organised into a framework around five core themes: ‘methods and means of engagement’; ‘learning maintenance, destruction and construction’; ‘remote education and resource accessibility and literacy’; ‘support and communication’; and ‘life and learning: responses, adaptations and impacts’. Within these, a range of challenges, successes and, most importantly, future learning and innovation outcomes were identified by staff and students, particularly relevant to working with and supporting students with additional needs in the online learning forum. These discoveries informed a set of practical recommendations, provided here in Box 1, for (rapid implementation of) online learning (in times of stress).

Chinese Students’ Use of Digital Resources for Their Learning in UK Higher Education

This paper explores Chinese students’ use of digital resources during their postgraduate studies in the UK. The study is important in contemporary Higher Education (HE) context where internet-based technologies, resources, online platforms and digital devices play a significant role in providing access to learning resources. A significant portion of students in HE also come from diverse cultures with arguably varying orientations to learning and using technologies. Based on qualitative data collected from focus group interviews with Chinese postgraduate students at Leicester, we explore some of the challenges that they face during their transition from learning in China (Nguyen et al., 2006; Leedham, 2015) to the UK HE learning environment. We identify the strategies that these students use, including a variety of digital tools and resources that they use to help in their formal studies during and beyond this transition stage. We also highlight their development of digital literacy skills and the responsibility that the UK HEIs have in this regard.

What are the barriers and facilitators to success for female academics in UK HEIs? A narrative review

ABSTRACT Gender inequality prevails in academia; there is currently no review on the barriers and facilitators to success for female academics in UK Higher Education. We conducted a systematic search identifying 32 papers addressing this issue. Narrative review revealed six themes: networks (prohibiting the inclusion of women), home-work balance (where women are expected to make a binary decision between the two), everyday sexism (leading to compromised psychological wellbeing and reduced likelihood of application for career advancement), inclusion/hierarchy/power structure (the assignment of less valued roles), intersectionality, and facilitators (supportive partner and Athena SWAN). The manifest, overarching narrative was of continued biases, barriers, double-standards, and unsupportive work environments. Law and resulting institutional policy should, but does not appear to, address identified barriers; consideration should be given to processes employed to implement and culturally embed these. Findings suggest we must challenge institutional norms, attitudes and expectations through facilitating accessible networks, consciousness raising and mentorship.

An exploration of the role and contribution of entrepreneurship centres in UK higher education institutions

PurposeThis study evaluates current and future roles of UK entrepreneurship centres (ECs) within Higher Education institutions. Literature suggests current activity in entrepreneurship education is strongly associated with the contribution of ECs. However, ECs experience resource limitations and high stakeholder's expectations, leading to a proliferation of aims, roles and identity issues.Design/methodology/approachThe study evaluates five UK EC using evidence from a range of stakeholders within each centre. The study considers the strategic direction of ECs, their aim and roles, resourcing and the leadership role they adopt.FindingsThe study assesses the role ECs are fulfilling in the promotion of entrepreneurship and the resource constraints limiting future development. The need for EC identity and community contribution are identified as a determinant of success.Originality/valueThis study offers novel insight into factors influencing EC behaviour and future strategy, which will be of value for UK HEI and Entrepreneurship educators.

A critical analysis of CIMSPA's transformative aspirations for UK Higher education sport and physical activity vocational education and training provision

ABSTRACT This paper provides a critical analysis of the Chartered Institute for Management of Sport and Physical Activity's (CIMSPA) transformative aspirations for UK Higher Education (HE) based Sport and Physical Activity Vocational Education and Training (SPAVET) provision. In doing so, we apply selected elements of Giddens’ Structuration theory to offer an analysis of CIMSPA’s structural properties (as rules and resources) and dimensions (signification, domination and legitimation). Illustration of CIMSPA’s structural properties and dimensions was developed through adopting an institutional analysis strategy alongside a document analysis method. Publicly available strategic documents and web-based resources (N = 18) were selected and analysed using open-coding techniques. Our analysis shows how continued state-sanctioned decentralisation of the UK HE sector has led to CIMSPA becoming an increasingly influential transformative structure; attempting to use its structural dimensions and resources as a medium to gain and exercise power, to promote (signification) – market-orientated discourses, practices and pedagogies in HEI provision, (domination) – in an attempt to significantly influence regulatory control over UK SPAVET provision and (Legitimation) – create partnerships which normalise its position and message within selected UK HEIs. We conclude that whilst the transformative aspirations of CIMSPA offer a number of possibilities for the HE SPAVET sector, they also raise critical questions. The central issue requiring debate is how these aspirations shift dialectical control towards vocationally focused, market-orientated principles and away from the liberal educational, research-led principles of some current UK HE SPAVET provision.

Understanding male student perspectives on therapeutic radiography as a career choice

Introduction: Only 18% of registered therapeutic radiographers are male [1]; student radiographer registrations show similar trends (19.6% male) [2]. This gender imbalance restricts patient choice and doesn't reflect the community. The workforce needs to increase by 80% by 2027 to cope with projected future demand [3]; attracting and retaining more male students is crucial. This project investigates male student recruitment experiences to identify gender-sensitive strategies that could be employed in future recruitment drives. Method and Materials: Following ethics approval, a literature review was undertaken which informed a focus group interview schedule. Three focus groups (n=8) were undertaken with male student therapeutic radiographers within a single institution. The focus groups were analysed via a descriptive thematic analysis process, with the themes informing the development of an online questionnaire survey targeting registered male student radiographers in the UK. Results: Focus group themes included: the invisible profession; career choices; gender influences and gender sensitive approaches. Participants identified gender bias at pre-admission; attracting male students was seen as a challenge but potential recruitment strategies were outlined and explored further within the survey. 38 respondents from 9 UK HEIs (∼25% male students) completed the survey. 55% had little or no awareness of therapeutic radiography at admission, with 24% indicating it was not their first choice career. 32% had never encountered promotional materials. Positive impacts on male recruitment included having male role models at careers events (100%), and greater focus on science in promotional materials. Respondents suggested that the 'one-dimensional' language promoting 'softer' skills (caring, empathy, compassion) be balanced with 'leadership' language (saving lives, problem solving, responsibility) as seen in paramedics and armed forces career recruitment drives. Conclusion and Discussion: Many respondents encountered the profession at a very late stage of the recruitment cycle, where recruitment materials were of little value. Earlier communication with both school children and college students is essential. Recruitment materials should employ gender-sensitive approaches outlined within this research, including a greater focus on 'leadership' language and science imagery. Experiencing male role models in work shadowing visits and university open days is strongly advocated.

What we hear when we listen

[Author: BA (Hons) Musical Theatre Course Leader at UK HEI]Dramaturg’s note: How can MT trainees broaden their cultural curiosity?Director’s note: When training the MT voice, when do we hear, when ...

The Impact of Open Access on Teaching—How Far Have We Come?

This article seeks to understand how far the United Kingdom higher education (UK HE) sector has progressed towards open access (OA) availability of the scholarly literature it requires to support courses of study. It uses Google Scholar, Unpaywall and Open Access Button to identify OA copies of a random sample of articles copied under the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) HE Licence to support teaching. The quantitative data analysis is combined with interviews of, and a workshop with, HE practitioners to investigate four research questions. Firstly, what is the nature of the content being used to support courses of study? Secondly, do UK HE establishments regularly incorporate searches for open access availability into their acquisition processes to support teaching? Thirdly, what proportion of content used under the CLA Licence is also available on open access and appropriately licenced? Finally, what percentage of content used by UK HEIs under the CLA Licence is written by academics and thus has the potential for being made open access had there been support in place to enable this? Key findings include the fact that no interviewees incorporated OA searches into their acquisitions processes. Overall, 38% of articles required to support teaching were available as OA in some form but only 7% had a findable re-use licence; just 3% had licences that specifically permitted inclusion in an ‘electronic course-pack’. Eighty-nine percent of journal content was written by academics (34% by UK-based academics). Of these, 58% were written since 2000 and thus could arguably have been made available openly had academics been supported to do so.

Cloud Computing at a Cross Road: Quality and Risks in Higher Education

The key determinants of cloud computing provide a convincing argument for HEIs and its stakeholders to adopt the innovation. These benefits reflect the essential quality characteristics of the cloud, such as Broad network Access; Measured Service; On-demand Self-Service; Rapid Elasticity; and Resource Pooling. However, there are also risks associated with the cloud, leading to non-adoption, such as Confidence, Privacy, Security, Surety and Trust. Understanding the impact of these factors can support multiple stakeholders, such as students, lecturers, senior managers and admins in their adoptive decision of CC in their respected institutions. Using the Multiview 3 (MV3) methodology, a research model was proposed to explore the key qualities and risks that determine the adoption or non-adoption of CC by UK HEIs from multiple perspectives. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted on 32 University stakeholders across 2 UK Universities. The findings suggest that security, privacy and trust are the key determinants to non-adoption as participants felt that the cloud cannot fully guarantee the safeguarding of sensitive information. Determinants to cloud adoption include improving relationships between students and teachers via collaborative tools, in addition to proposing cloud apps for mobile devices for accessing virtual learning materials and email securely off-campus. In conclusion, University stakeholders are still at a cross-road when it comes to cloud adoption, but future advances of the cloud may help to steer their decision to adopt this innovative technology given its overwhelming potential.

Contextual Analysis of Educational Monitoring and Progression as a Service (EMPaaS) System in Higher Education

The arrival of new technologies has opened a window of opportunity for UK higher education institutions. Although UK Higher education (HE) has recently become a huge phenomenon owing to an increase in students attending University, many UK universities are not investing enough in technology to facilitate teaching, management and research practices that aim to improve the student experience. This paper discusses the potential for an information system solution, which can facilitate the institutional practices in UK HEIs from multiple stakeholder perspectives. An existing system employed at a UK University known as “MyPGR” was evaluated in order to shed some light on the existing technical problems UK Universities are currently facing, with the support of a soft systems approach (CATWOE). The proposed solution is the Educational-Monitoring-and-Progression-as-a-Service (EMPaaS), which is based on the Cloud Computing model. EMPaaS has the potential to monitor student progression and key milestones relating to their PGR programme, in addition to enabling students to use free cloud applications to keep track of milestones and progressions. The highly accessible and flexible nature of cloud applications adds to the cost-effectiveness of adopting cloud services, which in turn frees up additional funds for UK Universities to pursue other important investments.

A framework for customer relationship management strategy orientation support in higher education institutions

ABSTRACTA number of generic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation frameworks have been developed, yet no systematic framework has been developed to help HEIs orientate CRM strategy to align with university business strategies and stakeholder needs. This research iteratively develops the CRM Strategy Orientation Support (CRM-SOS) framework, which aims to support HEIs in orientating their strategic CRM system at the pre-implementation stage and align CRM strategy with the business strategy; thus, reducing the chance that HEIs will experience CRM implementation failure. To reach our proposed CRM-SOS framework, we employed Design Science Research (DSR) methodology steps by analysing UK HEIs specific CRM implementation case studies, conducting semi-structured HEIs-based interviews, followed by evaluation of the resulted framework by HEI Information Systems (IS) experts. We concluded with a new CRM-SOS framework for HEIs consisting of five stages. The framework can be used to personalise the stages until they fit the strategic outputs and match the top management KPIs. Although existing research agrees that intensive attention should be given to CRM planning, there is no consensus or developed framework, for use within HEIs, demonstrating how CRM strategy can be orientated to align with university strategies and customer needs.

Dashboard literacy

Dashboards are the graphical interface that manipulate and present data about students’ learning behaviours (attendance, visits to the library, attainment etc.). Although only a few UK HEIs have developed a dashboard for students, most other UK HEIs have an aspiration to develop their use (Sclater 2014). Hence it is timely and significant to understand the ways that students respond to seeing data presented to them in the form of a dashboard. This paper discusses and conceptualises the findings from a small scale study, funded by Society for Research in Higher Education. The study involved twenty-four final year undergraduate students in a single faculty in a UK University. The study focussed on the ways that students interpret and respond to seeing data about their learning presented via a dashboard. Sutton’s (2012) three pillars of feedback literacy: knowing, becoming and acting, were employed to understand the potential of dashboards for supporting students’ motivation towards their learning. The paper suggests that, similar to feedback literacy, there is a type of literacy associated with dashboards that has components of knowing, becoming and acting and that employing these concepts helps us to understand how students’ respond to dashboards. By identifying students' engagement with dashboards as a literacy practice rather than a technical skill or understanding, the paper argues that we need to focus on students' growing identity that is embedded into a sense of being and is individually experienced and constructed. Hence the notion of dashboard literacy suggests that institutions need to work with students to develop their personal and reflective processes to enhance the way that dashboards are interpreted. The paper provides evidence that students may be motivated by seeing their data presented in a dashboard format and this can lead to changes in behaviour which are likely to lead to improved student outcomes and attainment. It also illustrates how students’ engagement with dashboards is highly individual and dependent on their personal disposition and orientation to learning. Hence their use needs to be treated cautiously recognising the power that these tools have to shape impact on students' well-being alongside their potential.

The Value of Student Consultancy Projects for Hospitality Businesses

The purpose of the study is to explore hospitality businesses perceptions of value related to their participation in student consultancy projects. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers of six businesses working with student consultancy teams studying for a degree in tourism and hospitality at a UK HEI. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to identify recurrent themes regarding the perceived value of the consultancy activity to the business. The research finds that perceptions of the value of consultancy projects are influenced by a number of factors including the knowledge obtained through the activity, the amount of time committed and the satisfaction gained through contributing to students' learning. Businesses considering engagement with universities through student consultancy projects can utilise the findings to assist in making a realistic appraisal of the value of such activity. Universities seeking businesses to support student consultancy modules can use the findings to inform discussions with prospective clients. Whilst previous studies have focused on the learning value of student consultancy projects to students, this paper examines their value from the perspective of businesses. The study develops an understanding of value that takes account of the contextually unique characteristics of student consultancy.

The value of student consultancy projects for hospitality businesses

The purpose of the study is to explore hospitality businesses perceptions of value related to their participation in student consultancy projects. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers of six businesses working with student consultancy teams studying for a degree in tourism and hospitality at a UK HEI. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to identify recurrent themes regarding the perceived value of the consultancy activity to the business. The research finds that perceptions of the value of consultancy projects are influenced by a number of factors including the knowledge obtained through the activity, the amount of time committed and the satisfaction gained through contributing to students' learning. Businesses considering engagement with universities through student consultancy projects can utilise the findings to assist in making a realistic appraisal of the value of such activity. Universities seeking businesses to support student consultancy modules can use the findings to inform discussions with prospective clients. Whilst previous studies have focused on the learning value of student consultancy projects to students, this paper examines their value from the perspective of businesses. The study develops an understanding of value that takes account of the contextually unique characteristics of student consultancy.

Staffing UK Universities at International Campuses

UK HEIs have recently developed overseas campus-based teaching, some as branches but most as collaborations with local institutions, usually offering scientific, technical and commercial degree courses in English. Academic staffing has evolved rapidly towards international recruitment, supplemented by supervisory and specialist inputs from the UK. The paper focuses on staffing arrangements in various campus-based, collaborative and teaching-only cases, including recruitment, contractual and personnel development, during the early period of IBC development. We show that different development models and mobility portfolios were created, but they face similar challenges in attracting and guiding the work of an international cadre of staff able to deliver the UK HEI ‘quality model’ of teaching. We find that at this early stage, contracts were mostly short term and locally based, with a generally ad hoc approach to induction, training and monitoring. We suggest that greater attention will be needed to such issues if these developments are to sustain UK-style teaching in a changing international higher education environment.