Dear colleagues,
We are seeking offers to undertake a blind peer-review of the following submissions to the JLDHE (Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education).
If you would like to undertake a review of any of these articles, please email the designated contact editor(s) below (not the whole list), including a brief description of your interest in the topic, your relevant qualifications, expertise and/or experience in relation to the submission (100-200 words max). This might include your knowledge of the subject and/or your experience acting as a peer reviewer for academic papers or as an author or researcher in the field. Please also join our register of reviewers and list your interests via http://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/user/register. New reviewers are welcome! The editors will then select reviewers and inform those involved.
NB: it is essential to be respectful of the writers of submissions to our journal, especially when they are at the draft stages. Please do not comment publicly on the list or elsewhere on any aspect of the paper title or abstract above.
| Submission | Title and summary | Editor to contact | |||
| #1226 Case Study | The importance of trust and collaboration in the creation of writing retreats to address the ethnicity degree awarding gap: A Case Study and Reflection The awarding gap between UK-domiciled full-time Black and white students is a significant problem at HE institutions across the country. This paper examines a case study of a dissertation writing retreat programme which sought to address this awarding gap at a university in the south of England. The programme was based on an innovative ‘three Cs’ framework which focused on three core areas: Community, Culture, and Curriculum. Inspired by the community-building and curriculum elements of the framework, the programme built trust and collaboration between specialists and students, aiming to empower Black students to excel in one of the most important and impactful aspects of their degree, whilst also providing them with a space to engage positively with their peers and the wider university community. | Gita Sedghi g.sedghi@liverpool.ac.uk | |||
| #1267 Paper | We need to talk about AL: has academic literacies designed the pedagogy out of Learning Development?Academic literacies (AL) research has made significant contributions in both scope and depth to understandings of student writing and the meaning of literacy across higher education. It has been particularly impactful on thinking in Learning Development. In this theoretical discussion, we elaborate concerns with the structural coherence of the AL model, its social constructivist underpinnings and evidence base, and the impact of its ideological orientation on the pedagogy we derive from it. Underpinning these critiques is a suspicion that the social constructivist epistemology which AL uses to pinpoint weaknesses in the models of literacy/writing which it subsumes cannot generate a practical pedagogy. We argue that these structural and ideological tensions in the model help to explain confusion over its interpretation and implementation. We speculate that a singular focus on social constructivist-derived theory, though well-intentioned, does more to reinforce a particular ideological commitment than to enhance student learning. | Carina Buckley carina.buckley@solent.ac.uk | |||
| #1282 Brief Communications | Nurturing Inclusive Teaching Practices of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Higher Education (HE): A Call for Comprehensive ChangeThis brief communication underscores the critical importance of cultivating inclusive teaching practices in Higher Education (HE), particularly in English for Academic Purposes (EAP). It advocates for comprehensive transformations across individual, departmental, and institutional levels to ensure effective implementation of inclusive teaching practices. Emphasising the multifaceted nature of inclusivity, the article highlights the need for a paradigm shift at the individual level, supported by continuous professional development and cultural competence enhancement. Moreover, it stresses the significance of systemic changes at departmental and institutional levels, including revisiting curriculum design and assessment practices. Finally, the article asserts that fostering inclusive teaching practices demands both independence and active collaboration among stakeholders, offering a roadmap for creating learning environments that value diversity and empower all students to succeed in HE. | Gita Sedghi g.sedghi@liverpool.ac.uk |
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!
With best wishes on behalf of the editorial board,