Collective Manifestation: Co-creating a Studio Manifesto

Studio-based learning has long been a mainstay of arts higher education, but is now at risk in many countries, due to instability caused by the current university funding crisis and ensuing budget cuts. This paper considers the emerging literature on studio pedagogy as a response to broader sector moves away from continued investment in space-hungry studios. The researchers collaborated to design a primary research exercise that sought to explore what arts educators see as the affordances, values, environment and practices of studio education. A participatory workshop was held at the 2024 GLAD conference at Ulster University, Belfast to collectively develop a manifesto for pedagogic studios in the art school*. The resultant co-authored manifesto is presented as a proposition for consideration, alongside analysis. Suggestions for how the manifesto might be activated by other educators are included. *By art school we refer to creative disciplines\u27 education

Harnessing the Power of Decontextualised Learning and Co-Creation in Immunology Education

Abstract This opinion piece explores the transformative potential of combining two pedagogical strategies in higher education to teach immunology. The power of decontextualised learning and co-creation, two approaches that have shown promise in enhancing student understanding and engagement, are explored. More specifically in the context of using these strategies in the development of Immunology Wars, an educational resource that uses the metaphor of the Star Wars movies to teach complex immunological concepts. Immunology Wars simplifies immunological concepts and makes them more relatable for students, thereby enhancing their understanding and making the learning process more enjoyable. Furthermore, the involvement of students as co-creators has educational benefits, including increased engagement, deeper understanding, and the development of valuable transferable skills. The research suggests that educators should embrace innovative approaches and incorporate them into their teaching practices to enrich the learning experience for students and inspire a new generation of learners. Keywords: Decontextualised Learning, Co-Creation, Immunology Education, Immunology Wars, Video

Audit Committees and their role in Academic Audit and Risk Practices in English Higher Education Institutions

This paper explores contemporary practices of Audit Committees (ACs) in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in England. The objectives are: (1) to evaluate the current transparency of public reporting by ACs; (2) to understand the roles of these Committees in relation to academic risk; (3) to assess the involvement of qualified academics in such Committees. This research surveys public materials provided on the websites of the 40 HEIs that hold University status and achieved ‘gold’ in the first UK Teaching Exercise Framework, in 2017 (OfS, 2022a). Only twenty percent of the Committees follow the transparent good practice of publishing minutes. While most reference a broad governance remit, only ten percent explicitly mention responsibility for ‘academic risk’. None require academic practitioners as members, and this is regarded as an important finding, given the role ACs are formally required to play in the supervision of and responsibility for academic audit and risk management

Moving, Sensing, Being – leaning into embodied design education

Abstract This paper aims to identify guiding principles for integrating somatic learning and literacy in third-level design education. It forms part of a larger research project, exploring embodied and situated knowledge in design education. The neutral stance, traditionally taught in designer education, contrasts with emerging paradigms and critical approaches in 21st century design education, including post-capitalism, decolonisation, and feminist approaches. Complexities, and ‘wicked’ problems, require designers to think critically about the complex power structures and systems we are part of. This paper proposes pluriversal, situated, and embodied approaches. First, the body is located within contemporary design education. Next, drawing from interdisciplinary literature in body-centred disciplines, as well as design, adult, and early years education, guidelines are identified to scaffold somatic design education. Integrated intelligence, conscious embodiment, somatic literacy, design-specific approaches, and disruption are identified as guiding principles to implement somatic approaches in future practice, in third-level design education

Thinglink: A technological review of a case-based virtual learning environment

Abstract ‘Thinglink’ is a virtual learning platform, allowing users to upload photos and create realistic online worlds. ‘Misfortune Avenue’ is a virtual street, where paramedic students can meet patients from clinical practice as case studies in a safe, online environment. Academic staff can support the learning of theory content from a live teaching session, by mimicking real-world environments and designing management plans in simulation. Scenarios are designed to become more complex over three stages, with patient presentations constructively aligned against indicative content from each academic level of a paramedic science degree. The design uses scaffolding of the curriculum, allowing students to build an understanding of how an illness might progress through the longitudinal patient journey, created around various patient presentations commonly seen in paramedic practice. The scope of the platform allows interprofessional working between healthcare workers across the wider health service and encourages learning throughout the continuation of the patient journey. &nbsp

The Gallery in the Expanded Field: Russian art students investigate the diversity of international DIY gallery spaces

Abstract The Gallery in the Expanded Field is a case study of the development of a pedagogic model which involves art students working with a range of international DIY gallery spaces.  Students gain first-hand experience of exploring the possibilities of exhibition making, and how initiating and running a gallery programme can be a creative and empowering activity. Participants are exposed to different models of what could constitute an art gallery beyond those of simply the museum and commercial dealerships. The gallery spaces that the project has worked with were chosen for their unusual physical manifestations and have included: an iPhone, an overcoat, an art school locker, the grease pit of a former garage, a hair salon, a world-wide shipping container and a small Scottish town. Through their dialogues with artists and gallerists, students start to understand how, through their own agency, they can begin to engage with the art world

Students’ development of employability skills through an online international hackathon

Abstract This article explores the skills generated from an online 2-week sustainability hackathon. Participants of the hackathon were students enrolled in one of the universities under the UK-Singapore universities alliance for entrepreneurship and innovation. The hackathon included 80 students from 14 universities in Singapore and the UK. Data was collected from 18 out of 80 participants who took part in the hackathon via a post-hackathon questionnaire. The 22 semi-structured questions included questions on participants’ previous work experience, reasons for taking part in the hackathon and what skills and experience they gained from taking part. Qualitative data was analysed using a comparison of descriptive statistics and qualitative data was examined using a thematic analysis approach. The results showed an awareness in enhancement of both personal and professional skills, ranging from teamworking, communication, ideation and critical thinking. Participants also appreciated the interdisciplinary working and connecting with students from different countries and institutions. Keywords: hackathon, sustainability, employability, student enterprise, international collaboratio

Editorial: LTEC Post-Festival Publication: Developing Authentic Practitioners “practice”, “identity”, “community”

The editors would like to thank all the contributors to this special edition for disseminating their scholarship, and to the keynote speakers who helped to make the festival a success.  We also are very grateful to those who contributed to the reviewing: Carole Conroy, Dean Irwin, Ebba Brooks, Kiefer Lee, Helen Keegan, Lynne Marrow, Maggie Scott, Paul Vivian, Rob Higgins, Sami Safadi, Sara Namvar, Tim France, Vicki Harvey and Wendy Taylor

Flipping Failure: A case study on building resilience and confidence through \u27Failureship Strategies\u27 in theory and practice at the University of Salford

This paper presents the Flipping Failure project, which aims to challenge the negative perception of failure and promote its benefits for building resilience, insight, and action. The project involved students and staff who participated in failure-focused events that explored different aspects of failure in various contexts. We discuss the theory and practice of flipping failure to present it more positively and provide a practical toolkit with resources to help others adopt failure as a transferable skill-set. In sharing the outcomes and insights of the project, and its further development at The Festival of Learning and Teaching, we suggest ways to enhance and extend this work in the future

An evidence-based approach to re-engaging students by re-framing support for success

Abstract Improving student retention and engagement is a high priority for the sector. This study presents an approach adopted within a large Academic School to re-engage students who might otherwise have been withdrawn from the system. The work presented contributes useful knowledge in two areas: firstly, in recognising the potential of re-engagement using a connected triage approach (forming effective partnerships between the student, the academic team and central guidance). Secondly, it found that 68% of students identified at potential risk of withdrawal had multiple intersections of protected characteristics.  The three highest characteristics were found to be non-traditional entry qualifications, students with traditionally low participation rates (Polar 4 quintiles 1&2) and students from the most deprived neighbourhoods (IMD quintiles 1&2). The work conducted in this study enables at risk students to be identified earlier; hence affording more targeted support plans to be put in place to support their learning journey when appropriate. Keywords: retention, engagement, withdrawal, evidence-based research, protected characteristic