Students are the beating heart of Learning Development work. For this reason, ALDinHE and the University of Portsmouth team are breaking with tradition and putting students at the heart of this year’s conference keynotes. We hope that what delegates learn from the student voice gives us pause for thought, and the ability to harness reflections about how we can be truly impactful to the experience and education of our diverse student populations.
Friday 9th June (Online): Learning Development in students’ experiences: multi-disciplinary perspectives
Students from Portsmouth will present their journeys through university, including where they have intersected with Learning Developers and to what effect. For example, one student presenter will discuss their inspirational trajectory from undergraduate research project, to conference presentations, to eventual book chapter publication. The students will explore LD related themes from across the disciplines (sciences, creative arts and humanities and social sciences). The presentations and discussion will open questions such as: How does LD look and feel different within various academic disciplines? What does mentoring of students by students in the disciplines teach us about our practices? In light of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world of HE, the impact of the pandemic, new technologies such as ChatGPT, what are the priorities for students?
Student Keynotes: Friday 9th June (Online)
Student Panel – PAL mentors in Pharmacy
Ramisa Ahmed, Sabina Ayathurai, Ellena Green and Safa Younis are second year undergraduate MPharm students at the University of Portsmouth, and are Peer Assisted
Learning (PAL) mentors for the 2022/23 academic year. The PAL programme plays a crucial role in the development of pharmacy future by transforming the engagement of current students in this multifaceted degree. As students themselves who had just experienced their first year, the PAL Leaders were able to understand the struggles of their mentees, and provide support accordingly. PAL Leaders are expected to use a range of teaching techniques which extend beyond the lecture theatre and take a peer approach when it comes to their sessions with the students. Due to its proven success in the Pharmacy department, the University has launched PAL across the University to enhance the learning experience for all students.
Cerys Coppins
Cerys Coppins is a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth. She is currently in her first year of study with her project about cast recordings and listening spaces. Cerys is a research network administrator for the MT-OCR Network which focuses on cast recordings and their sonic heritage. Cerys has presented at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research in 2021 on her research surrounding race and representation in Hamilton: An American Musical. Following this research, Cerys co-wrote a case study that was featured in the Routledge textbook Undergraduate Research in Theatre: A Guide for Students (2021, edited by Michelle Hayford).
Luke Basford
Luke is a current undergraduate Forensic Psychology student at the University of Portsmouth. Luke is very active in the psychology department taking on roles as Course Representative, Student Mentor, British Psychological Society Ambassador and President of the Psychology Society. Elsewhere on campus, Luke works as a University Ambassador, Digital Engagement Officer and recently won the award for Peer Advisor of the Year 2023, for his work as Peer Advisor at Portsmouth University Student Union. Luke plans to complete his doctorate in clinical psychology after graduation and is already gaining experience working with Hampshire Constabulary, HM Prison Service and the NHS.
Tuesday 13th June (University of Portsmouth): Co-designing the optimum LD provision with our students
The interactive keynote will be a panel discussion featuring students, Learning Development staff and audience participation. We will be examining questions such as How can the optimum learning development provision be built for today’s students? What sticks with students about how LD interactions helped them to achieve goals? What could have enhanced the developmental support even more? How might all of that look in the future? By adding the student voice to that of the conference delegates, we will illuminate and co-construct insights that we would otherwise not have access to.
Student Panel Discussion: Tuesday 13th June (University of Portsmouth)
The students featuring on the panel are:
- Cathryn Barty (BA Hons Childhood and Youth Studies with Criminology)
- Laura Hogben (MSc Educational Leadership and Management, also awarded a Degree Apprenticeship)
- Yafei Yu (BA Hons Education Studies)
- Cerys Coppins (PhD Art and Design, previously MRes Theatre Performance and BA Hons Music Theatre)
- Luke Basford (BSc Hons Forensic Psychology)
- Sabina Ayaturai (MPharm)