Developing a collaborative project on higher education pedagogy: The institutional, organizational, and community identity dimensions of student staff partnerships

This case study presents an ambitious student-staff partnership project at University College London (UCL) to publish a collaborative book on higher education pedagogy. Over two-and-a-half years, a total of 86 students and staff contributed to the project, which sought to provide educators with a new type of scholarly material under the unifying theme of connecting research and teaching. Multiple layers of student-staff partnership were interwoven throughout the project; this case study contextualizes these layers against three dimensions: institutional, organizational, and community identity. Central to the project was our distinctive approach to engaging with Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) and their crucial role in bringing the three dimensions together. As such, the project represents a model of enhanced student-staff partnership that has the capacity to empower students and break down educational silos to form new, multi-specialty learning communities.</jats:p

MP 2010-01

Agronomy: barley, biomass, fertilizer, and sunflowers -- Horticulture: Controlled Environment Agriculture Laboratory, Georgeson Botanical Garden -- Animal Husbandry: Reindeer Research Program -- Student research -- Partnership

Preparing student teachers for Teaching Practice: early placements in Initial Teacher Education

This paper reports a pilot project of ten initial teacher training students engaged on a three-year undergraduate programme leading to BA(hons) in English with QTS. In the first two years of their programme, student teachers normally receive academic input only, embarking on a one-year practicum stage in the third year of their programme. The project allowed student teachers to become closely associated with one of the University’s partnership schools to enable them to understand the daily life in schools and begin to engage with teaching. In addition they used secure social networking through the Mahara e-portfolio system to exchange ideas and experiences. The project proved highly successful in reducing isolation, enhancing communication and it helped student teachers to decide which kind of school they wished to work with in the future

Experiences of learning through collaborative evaluation from a masters programme in professional education

This paper presents findings from a collaborative evaluation project within a masters programme in professional education. The project aimed to increase knowledge of research methodologies and methods through authentic learning where participants worked in partnership with the tutor to evaluate the module which they were studying. The project processes, areas of the course evaluated and the data collection methods are outlined. The findings focus on key themes from evaluating the effectiveness of using a collaborative evaluation approach, including: enhanced student engagement; creativity of the collaborative evaluation approach; equality between the tutor and students; and enhanced research skills. Discussion focuses on the outcomes and effectiveness of the project and tutor reflections on adopting a collaborative approach. This paper highlights lessons from the project relevant to those interested in staff-student partnership approaches and those facilitating postgraduate learning and teaching programmes and educational research courses

Applying university strategic objectives at the school level

University Teachers at the School of Interdisciplinary Studies are working together on the Teaching, Learning and Participation Project. This project encompasses three strands: widening participation, student experience, and innovative learning and teaching; all key aspects of the University’s strategic objectives. The widening participation strand has focused primarily on partnership with local schools. This includes Campus Days whereby pupils who have the ability, but perhaps not the confidence, to enter higher education come to the University's two campuses and experience a day as a student. Additionally this strand is seeking to conduct a comparative study of assessment and feedback processes in secondary and higher education. The student experience strand has concentrated on employability and internationalisation. Examples include working with the local education authority to extend student learning and provide staff CPD opportunities via the establishment of an annual education lecture, and developing opportunities for internships overseas. Finally, the innovative learning and teaching strand has sought to review current teaching practices within the School, and to identify and trial innovative methodologies in an effort to engage learners more fully and thereby to enhance both the student and staff learning experiences

Student screencasts within a learning partnership

This case study demonstrates a new approach to student partnership both within and away from the classroom. A self-selecting group of students are given the chance to explore a different type of learning experience, with the aim of helping students to create a positive online presence whilst also challenging their settled sense of what learning means to them

An investigation into international business collaboration in higher education organisations: a case study of international partnerships in four UK leading universities

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to develop a comparative analysis of the main objectives of international institutional partnerships in four UK leading universities. Based on the presented case studies, the paper outlines a model for objectives and implementation of international partnership. Design/methodology/approach - Using a multiple case study approach, the paper employs three sources of data: templates of international partnerships, actual agreements of international partnerships and interviews with senior and very senior managers concerned with internationalisation at the four universities. The analysis includes inter-university comparative analysis and templates-agreements-interviews comparative analysis for each of the four universities separately. Findings - It is found that, for the four universities, the objectives of international partnerships are related to both students and staff with relative importance given to the student dimension. While the student dimension refers to any overseas partnerships where the core topic of the partnership is the student whether it is related to student exchange, collaborative programs, student recruitment, etc.; the staff dimension refers to any overseas partnerships that are more related to the staff topic, such as joint research, collaborative teaching, staff exchange, etc

Preparing for generation Z:how can technology enhanced learning be firmly embedded in our students' learning experience? A case study from Abertay University

Abertay is a relatively small, modern university (undergraduate population of around 4000) with a wide portfolio and a diverse student population. Around 35% of our students are direct entry from local partner colleges to years 2 and 3 of our programmes and a significant number are first generation higher education within their families. As such, partnership working with colleges and support to aid student transitions are key aspects of Abertay’s provision. Since 2013/14, the university has developed and implemented a new Teaching and Learning Enhancement strategy that has catalysed wholescale transformation across the institution. This paper provides an overview of technology enhanced learning at the university with the drivers for change being to the quality of our students' learning experience, improve student retention and progression and enhance learners’ engagement

Student Wellness Center & SMART Lab: A Student Life & Educational Studies Partnership

The Office of Student Life Student Wellness Center at The Ohio State University defines wellness as an active, ongoing process which involves becoming aware of and taking steps toward a healthier, happier, successful life. To that end, we have partnered with the Department of Educational Studies in the College of Education and Human Ecology to implement wellness programs and engage in wellness-related research for the benefit of Ohio State students. The Wellness Coaching program proposes a new approach to health promotion by orienting programs and services toward a holistic model of wellness that aspires to help students maximize their potential across nine dimensions (career, creative, emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual). The mission of the Stress Management and Resiliency Training lab is to teach and research the efficacy of stress management and resiliency skills to our clients. We provide a number of coaching, computer mediated learning, and group activity services for this purpose. These two services share a space on the fourth floor of the Physical Activities and Educational Services building, located at 305 Annie and John Glenn Ave., providing opportunities for collaboration and partnership. In the spirit of community engagement, we plan to present a poster to show the variety of ways the rare partnership between an academic department and student life office can benefit students through increased services and engaged research. Our staff is comprised of graduate students from different disciplines bringing unique skills and expertise to accomplish our goals: Mackenzie Hogan serves as the graduate administrative associate for the wellness coaching program at Ohio State. She earned her B.A. in community leadership with a minor in education from Ohio State and is currently working on completing her master's in higher education and student affairs. Mackenzie previously worked full-time for the university in the Office of the President. Damon Drew serves as the graduate teaching associate for the Stress Management and Resiliency Training laboratory. He earned his master's of education in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Louisville. He has worked as a clinical counselor in community, school, university, and hospital settings. Blake Marble serves as the associate director of the Student Life Student Wellness Center. In this role, he provides leadership by working with staff and students to create a campus environment that promotes and supports student success and well-being. Blake has served in a variety of roles since joining the Student Life Student Wellness Center team in July 2013, most recently in a leadership capacity addressing high-risk behaviors and enhancing peer education efforts at Ohio State. Blake received his B.S. in exercise science and M.Ed. in administration of higher education from Auburn University.AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Damon Drew, Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Educational Studies, [email protected] (Corresponding Author); Blake Marble, Associate Director, Student Life Wellness Center; Mackenzie Hogan, Graduate Administrative Associate, Student Life Student Wellness Center.The Office of Student Life Student Wellness Center and Department of Educational Studies have partnered to provide wellness services to Ohio State students. The Wellness Coaching program at Ohio State proposes a new approach to health promotion by orienting programs and services toward a holistic model of wellness that aspires to help students maximize their potential across nine dimensions (career, creative, emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual). The Stress Management and Resiliency Training Lab provides a number of coaching, computer-mediated learning and group-activity services for this purpose. These two services share a space on the fourth floor of the Physical Activities and Educational Services building, which provides opportunities for collaboration and partnership. It is our hope that academic departments and student life offices can use this information to partner and provide more services to students