Expanding your provision across the whole institution

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi29.1093

Keywords:

transitions, academic success, retention and success

Abstract

This joint case study, delivered as a mini-keynote, presented and reflected on the ways in which we had adopted a whole-institution response to transition to new stages of learning and research. The case study highlighted the ways in which Learning and Researcher Development teams can offer a transformational transition experience for our students and researchers (Cage et al., 2021; Thompson, Pawson and Evans, 2021), and provided evidence of impact through evaluation and analysis.

We discussed two institution-wide projects, designed and implemented by the Learning and the Researcher Development teams at the University of Glasgow, to transform our approaches to transition for key groups of students. We also discussed the ways in which we adopted a large-scale approach that provided for excellence in student and researcher transition into our institution.

The questions used the focus the small group discussions were:

  • What are the key needs of students transitioning into, through and out of your institution?
  • What are the key challenges and opportunities for working at scale across (large areas of) your institution?
  • In an ideal world, what large-scale initiative would you pick to do first to most benefit your students? Why?

Author Biographies

Andrew Struan, University of Glasgow

Andrew Struan is Head of Student Learning Development at the University of Glasgow, UK. He has worked across the globe in academic literacies and in political history. His role at Glasgow is in developing students’ academic literacies and he leads an award-winning, multi-disciplinary team. Andrew convenes several courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level, ranging in topic from the History of Argumentation to the linguistics of academic text. His research investigates the implementation of active blended approaches to academic literacies pedagogies. His PhD is in political history: he researches the linguistic history of parliamentary debate and the role of language in shaping ideologies.

Jennifer Boyle, University of Glasgow

Jennifer Boyle is the Postgraduate Research Writing Adviser in the Research Services Directorate at the University of Glasgow.  She has worked extensively in higher education, initially in a Widening Participation context before moving to specialise in learning and researcher development, running the University of Glasgow’s Writing Centre before moving to her current role in the Research Services Directorate. Jennifer works with postgraduate researchers from all disciplinary backgrounds and offers training to supervisors on how they can support the development of their doctoral students’ writing.  She is especially interested in the idea of academic identity in the context of academic writing.

Scott Ramsay, University of Glasgow

Scott Ramsay is Deputy Head of Student Learning Development (Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics team) at the University of Glasgow. Since 2012, he has worked variously as the Good Practice Adviser in learning and teaching for the University, and the Effective Learning Adviser for students in the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences. With a PhD in Molecular Biology, Scott is currently Secretary of ScotHELD, the professional network for Scottish Higher Education Learner Developers. With Dr Jennifer Boyle, he is the author of Writing for Science students (Bloomsbury: Academic Book of the Year 2018) and Writing a Science PhD (Bloomsbury).

References

Cage, E., Jones, E., Ryan, G., Hughes, G. and Spanner, L. (2021) ‘Student mental health and transitions into, through and out of university: student and staff perspectives’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 45(8), pp.1076-1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1875203.

Thompson, M., Pawson, C. and Evans, B. (2021) ‘Navigating entry into higher education: the transition to independent learning and living’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, pp.1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1933400.

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Published

31-10-2023

How to Cite

Struan, A., Boyle, J. and Ramsay, S. (2023) “Expanding your provision across the whole institution ”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (29). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi29.1093.

Issue

No. 29 (2023): Special Edition, ALDinHE Conference Collaborative Proceedings

Section

Conference Proceedings

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Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education

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