Take5

In this blog, Dustin Hosseini reflects on some minor changes that he made to a research module, which is a part of a paramedic science degree apprenticeship, designed to increase student success. Whilst some may believe that Apprenticeship students are ‘special and different’, the changes implemented were small and could work in any course for any students: moving some sessions around and helping students brainstorm and articulate their ideas. They both significantly improved first-time pass rates and are already having a positive ripple effect to other instances of the module and the wider programme. As an experienced Learning Developer, the […]

This blog is brought to you from Dr Natalie Mack, an academic in Biotechnology, based in the School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham, UK. She is writing on the topic of student academic integrity training, drawing upon her experience as an academic misconduct officer to develop an effective quiz-based approach to raise awareness and reduce incidences of accidental misconduct. The Problem The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rise in our open-book/remote access assessments, and alongside this, the availability of artificial intelligence (AI) software has increased. These factors created an upsurge in our academic misconduct cases; a common problem in […]

This #Take5 is brought to you from David Baldwin, Head of Special Collections at London Metropolitan University. David is sharing how he uses the Special Collections at his university – to inspire us – to make us think: What is a Special Collection? Do we have any here? How can I get involved? How might I use some aspect of the Special Collections in my Learning Development work, in my teaching, support of learning, or my research? [A Library is More Than a Library] In Learning Development, students are often encouraged to think critically, evaluate sources, challenge assumptions, and reflect […]

Human-Centred Approaches to Understanding Student Partnerships’ Impact Setting the Scene: Who the Changemakers Are This #Take5 blog is brought to you from a team of Changemakers at the London College of Communication (LCC), part of the University of the Arts London (UAL). Guided by their lead, Kevin J. Brazant – Senior Educational Developer at the college – they work on projects in collaboration with staff, students and external partners, to advance social and racial justice within the university, with a focus on curricula and pedagogies. Their programme has been developed through the students-as-partners model from Advance HE. This blog explores […]

This #Take5 is brought to you by Ikedinachi Ogamba, Associate Professor and Curriculum Lead, Coventry University, UK. Ike explores what it means to be an AI sceptic in this postdigital age. Is it possible? Are we forgetting or neglecting the sceptical, unengaged and disengaged groups in the AI adoption and integration conversation and policy? What does it mean for the academic? What might it mean for their students and higher education?  The Spark, The Angle  The idea to write this piece grew from reviewing an institutional AI literacy framework and competency progression model. The framework mapped educator development and support […]

In this #Take5 Sandra Abegglen, University of Calgary, Sandra Sinfield, London Metropolitan University and Bonnie Stewart, University of Windsor, make a case for taking more time for ourselves. They argue that we all need time to pause and reflect – time for some intentional stepping away from the pressures and fast pace of our working lives. Today’s university life – with its multiple demands and constant pressure – they argue, necessitates that we pause in order to re-group – and continue with more energy and humanity. Weaving in Bonnie’s sabbatical,’Belonging and Place,’ in the University of the Highlands and Islands […]

This #Take5 is brought to you from Ravshonbek Otojanov, Queen Mary University of London who discusses how he uses ‘thought experiments’ to help students think like economists. This is an interesting approach to tackling active learning in large group settings where the space may inhibit physical interactivity  – but where you harness problem solving to initiate epistemic thinking. A challenge for us might be: What thought experiments can we harness in LD and other disciplines to help students understand and take ownership of their disciplinary learning? Think like an economist Students are not just engaging with and learning content, they […]

On the 15th of each month, we are inviting those working in the field of learning development to share their day. Write up what you have done on the 15th of the month (or your nearest working day to this date) (plus reflections) and share it with us via this short submission form. The entries will be shared here on the ALDinHE blog. In 2010-11 and 2014-15, the ALDinHE website was previously used for a collective online journal by members of the LD community. The collective journal re-launched on the 15 May 2023. You can read the journal entries for each month. The shared experiences […]

Sandra Abegglen, Tom Burns, Richard F. Heller, Rajan Madhok, Fabian Neuhaus, John Sandars, Sandra Sinfield, Upasana Gitanjali Singh This #Take5 is brought to you by the editorial team of Stories of Hope: Reimagining Education, an open book made possible by the contributions of authors from across the globe. These educators all had a positive and innovative approach to education, and have given much needed hope for a better future for both learners and teachers in these challenging times. Here we hear from the team and what they are doing now. We wanted to share this update because if Learning Developers […]

In this #Take5 post, members of the Learning Development community share reflections on how articles from the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education (JLDHE) have influenced their practice, shaped their professional identities, and broadened their perspectives. This reflective blog post connects to a forthcoming special issue of JLDHE exploring the theme of the reach, value, and impact of Learning Development. We invite you to read on and consider adding your own voice to this conversation. For submission details, please visit the special issue’s webpage. This blog post was brought to you by the following JLDHE Editorial Board members:  With […]