Research distilled

Concentric ripples in water

Defining impact: a shift in thinking, acting and being

What is impact? And, more importantly, how do universities foster and measure it? Here is a plan to raise impact awareness, literacy and readiness

Igor Campillo, Glória Nunes, Iñigo Puertas

Enlight European University, Euskampus Fundazioa

Australian aboriginal hands against red dirt road illustrating exchange of Indigenous wisdom

Steps to decolonise higher education: after yourself, change the curriculum

Opening the curriculum to First Nations’ histories and knowledge is a key part of decolonisation, as lisahunter and Karen Lambert explain in this second part of their series

lisahunter, Karen Lambert

Monash University

Hands at laptop surrounded by cloud of tech-related icons

Six ingredients for successful digital transformation

For forward-thinking universities, technology is not an afterthought but a core part of their activities. Here, Nick Skelton distils insight from UK higher education leaders into six components of successful digital integration

Nick Skelton

Jisc

Black student points at a computer screen

Touch is a simple and effective way to manage learners’ cognitive load

Studies from educational psychologist Paul Ginns show that students who point and trace learning material results have greater comprehension and retention

Paul Ginns

University of Sydney

Hand holding a compass in open road

Questions beyond majors: developing mental maturity in students

When undergraduates build their own course plan, reading list and thesis project, the benefits extend beyond the individual student’s mindset to teaching faculty, write Ryan Derby-Talbot and Marjorie Wonham

Ryan Derby-Talbot, Marjorie Wonham

Deep Springs College, Quest University

Image depicting different elements of and outcomes from learning

Show off students’ employability with e-portfolios

Why and how to make e-portfolios a central part of university courses, helping students identify and exhibit skills that will appeal to employers, by Lourdes Guàrdia and Marcelo Maina

Lourdes Guàrdia, Marcelo Maina

Open University of Catalonia (UOC)

University students and adaptability

Adaptability is different from resilience – and here’s how to nurture it

Identifying what adaptability is and how to boost it can help students make appropriate adjustments to optimise their academic and personal well-being

Andrew J. Martin, Paul Ginns, Rebecca J. Collie

UNSW Sydney, University of Sydney

Students engaged in a classroom game

Arts-based methods to foster participatory and interactive learning

Arts-based methods in university teaching centre individual human values and relationships as key contributors in learning. Anne Pässilä and Allan Owens offer advice on how to this can be achieved

Anne Pässilä, Allan Owens

Lappeenranta–Lahti University of Technology LUT, University of Chester

Image showing someone trapped in a glass jar, trying to be heard

Breaking language barriers: supporting non-native English-speaking students

Steps that tutors can take to better support students who are non-native speakers of English and ensure they feel included and able to play an active role in their university community

Jiajun Liu, Qian Wang , Shuai Wang

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Students talking in class

Teach and talk: encouraging student dialogue in class

Dialogic validation is about making students aware of the value their ideas bring to the classroom. Roehl Sybing discusses three simple principles that teachers can adopt to get students talking

Roehl Sybing

Doshisha University

Women mentoring

The power of gender-sensitive mentoring

Mentoring is a powerful tool to enhance job satisfaction and work-life balance. This guide aims to help mentors adopt a gender-sensitive approach to support women and people who identify as women in teaching-focused roles

Marion Coderch

Durham University

Ink quill and old books

Learned words: using poetry to reflect on practices in higher education

Poetry writing can aid reflection on your teaching and learning or research practices, offering a fresh way of organising thoughts, as Sam Illingworth explains

Sam Illingworth

Edinburgh Napier University

A family embarking on a journey

When refuge isn’t safe: uncovering real-life stories to shape policy

Human stories that feed into research can be a powerful tool for driving policy change but need careful and sensitive handling, as Lizzie Kirsch explains

Lizzie Kirsch

University of Birmingham, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

A female student using an AR headset

Augmented reality in teaching: key challenges and how to overcome them

Will Shüler identifies three challenges of integrating augmented reality (AR) into the classroom and shares advice on how university tutors might navigate them

Will Shüler

Royal Holloway, University of London

Female student reading a book in the university library

If you want students to read more, consider asking them to read less

Students can feel overwhelmed when faced with lengthy academic reading lists so how can educators help them develop their reading skills? Will Mason and Meesha Warmington share five actions to support students in tackling, even enjoying, their course literature

Will Mason , Meesha A Warmington

University of Sheffield

A female student writing in her diary

Student diaries as a tool to improve the university experience

Do you really know what your students experience during their studies? It is more complex than many surveys suggest. Using student diaries may support deeper understanding to improve student experiences, as Dan Herbert explains

Dan Herbert

University of Birmingham

Colleagues meeting in the street

How campus layout influences social ties and research exchange

Shorter distances between departments and offices can boost communication and exchange. But proximity is not the only way that campus design influences interactions among the university community

Andres Sevtsuk

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Student working online

Meaning making: how universities can boost the uptake of edtech among faculty

The key to promoting the uptake of new edtech tools and teaching innovation among faculty, based on research

Na Li, Xiaojun Zhang, Maria Limniou

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Woman holding up her hands against someone or something

What does ‘taking sexual violence seriously’ look like at universities?

Rates of sexual violence in universities are the highest in society, ONS data show. So what actions must universities take if they are serious about tackling this pernicious problem?

Graham Towl

Durham University

Woman walking past a field of yellow flowers

Walk the walk to benefit your academic research

The different ways that walking can be used to benefit academic research, help with problem-solving, and promote creative thinking, explained by Anna Lois McKay

Anna Lois McKay

University of Leicester

A group of diverse and happy looking students

A checklist for making disability inclusion a reality in higher education

Actions that universities must take to promote equal access and opportunity for disabled students in higher education, based on a research-backed framework developed by Carol Evans and Xiaotong Zhu

Carol Evans, Xiaotong Zhu

Cardiff University, University of Southampton, University of Lincoln

Eye scanner

What can human behaviour analytics tell us about student learning?

Human behaviour analytics could be the answer to enhanced student engagement and better learning experiences in computer-aided learning environments

Fang Chen, Kun Yu

University of Technology Sydney

Image showing unequal support being offered on the pathway to success

Address bias in teaching, learning and assessment in five steps

Biases can affect personal interactions, course design, learning activities, assessment and institutional practices, thus it is vital that educators work to remove bias from their teaching. Donna Hurford and Andrew Read share helpful approaches

Donna Hurford, Andrew Read

University of Southern Denmark

AI concept

What’s next for AI in higher education?

From assessment to ethics and job security, a new Jisc report highlights AI’s challenges and successes and provides insight into upcoming developments

Michael Webb

Jisc

Image of a young black woman scientist

Address STEM inequality by reconceiving merit

The cultural yardsticks used to measure merit in STEM are warped with bias and often devalue women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ scientists with records equal to white heterosexual male peers. To fix STEM inequality, academia must reconceive merit

Mary Blair-Loy , Erin A. Cech

University of California San Diego , University of Michigan

Image showing collaboration between doctoral students and supervisors

Co-creation: how to find the ‘super’ in supervision

Co-creation can bring together research supervisors and doctoral students to unpick the tensions and challenges in the supervisory relationship and seek solutions, researchers from the University of Warwick explain

Elena Riva, Louise Gracia, Rebecca Limb

University of Warwick

Woman holds magnifying glass over paper

Don’t be cruel: how to write a fair peer review report

Not every comment in a peer review report will be positive, but it is possible to highlight weaknesses and errors in a journal article while being constructive. After all, behind every manuscript are authors who have ploughed time and effort into the submission

Sin Wang Chong, Shannon Mason

The University of Edinburgh, Nagasaki University

Image showing people engaging through social media communications

Why universities in emerging countries should invest in social media marketing

Why should higher education institutions in emerging countries invest in social media rather than flashy marketing campaigns to develop brand credibility and brand equity? Charitha Harshani Perera, Rajkishore Nayak, and Long Thang Van Nguyen explain

Charitha Harshani Perera, Rajkishore Nayak, Long Thang Van Nguyen

Northumbria University, RMIT University Vietnam

Woman checking a research paper

The evolving meaning of ‘corresponding authorship’ in research

How the role of the corresponding author is changing in terms of research team dynamics and the perception of its meaning, and the implications for assuming the role

Rachel Herbert, Alison McIntosh

Elsevier, University of St Andrews

Young woman pushing an older woman along in a wheelchair

An invisible minority: what is needed to support students with caring responsibilities

There is no joined-up support for students with caring responsibilities in the UK. Jessica Iyamu and Ellie Brown make a call for policies to provide consistent help across all universities for this overlooked group

Jessica Iyamu, Ellie Brown

University Campus North Lincolnshire (UCNL)

Woman at a laptop holding temples with stress

Women in academia are doing too much non-promotable work – and that has to stop

The No Club shares advice for women about how to spend their time at work, how to change the environment to stop saddling women with unrewarded work, and prioritise the tasks that get noticed

Linda Babcock, Brenda Peyser, Lise Vesterlund, Laurie Weingart

Carnegie Mellon University , University of Pittsburgh

Thumbs-up buttons

How to maximise student satisfaction with the flipped classroom

What are the pedagogical, technical and social aspects that lecturers should consider to give students the best possible experience of the flipped classroom?

Erkko Sointu

University of Eastern Finland

Illustration of people with an oversized stopwatch

Block mode of teaching in higher education: advantages and challenges

Block scheduling may be intense but can also foster student engagement and reduce stress. It needs careful implementation to realise its full benefits

Amir Ghapanchi

Victoria University

Image showing an inclusive diverse and happy group of students

It is about ‘people knowing who I am’: reflections on how to guide inclusion work in universities

Advice on using a framework called ‘the Inclusion Compass’ to guide inclusion work within universities, based on a pan-European research project carried out to explore how this could work across higher education

George Koutsouris, Lauren Stentiford , Tricia Nash

University of Exeter

Image to depict how sensory and motor systems aid learning

Improving learning through physical action and sensory perception

Drawing on movement and sensory perception as part of learning can enhance outcomes, research shows. Sheila L. Macrine and Jennifer M. B. Fugate explain how to put this into practice

Sheila L Macrine, Jennifer MB Fugate

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Kansas City University

People learning in a public library

Five tips to enhance your institution’s civic engagement by working with public libraries

Advice to help universities work in partnership with public libraries to reach wider audiences and enhance their civic engagement

Marge Ainsley, Rachel Heydecker

Carnegie UK

Image showing co-authors working on a paper

Coordinating co-authors

Co-authoring with other researchers can result in more ambitious and exciting papers than solo endeavours but is also fraught with potential hiccups. Steven Bateman and Jie Zhang share advice on keeping collaborative work on track

Steven Bateman, Jie Zhang

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Male student choosing a book in his university library

Using digital technology to get student affairs and faculty working together for better results

When student affairs staff and faculty work together, it results in better learning experiences for students. Amy Greenstein and Steven Goss explain how digital tools can be used to support such partnerships

Amy Greenstein, Steven Goss

Manhattan College, Northeastern University

Image representing the role of edtech firms in higher education

Three tips for ‘unbundling’ an aspect of your university services

Building partnerships with ed-tech firms and other providers involves ‘unbundling’ elements of university services to share tasks among all parties. Dawn Gilmore and Chinh Nguyen offer three tips on how to do this successfully

Dawn Gilmore, Chinh Nguyen

RMIT University, Curio

University students wearing covid masks as they walk around campus

Engaging public health faculty to make healthier campus decisions

As universities move from a crisis response to ongoing management of Covid-19, this guide outlines why and how to engage public health faculty in campus decision-making

David Johnson, Sarah Walsh

University of Louisville, Eastern Michigan University

Advice on steps instructors can take to encourage equitable group dynamics among students

Supporting equity among students in group work

Natasha Holmes and Kira Treibergs share strategies for preventing implicit biases affecting student group dynamics, and facilitating productive and equitable teamwork

Natasha Holmes , Kira Treibergs

Cornell University

Building blocks of elements of education

Deep and meaningful learning: taking learning to the next level

Explicitly linking prior knowledge and experience is key in engaging students in deep learning and transitions them away from passivity in learning

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Sailing boat under stormy skies

Learning challenge and difficulty: calm seas do not make skilful sailors

Five strategies for university teachers to encourage students to use challenge, struggle and safe failure for effective long-term learning

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

key of knowedge

Learning to learn and higher-order thinking: it’s not just what to learn but how to learn

Through deconstructing the thought processes that occur during learning, students understand how they learn and therefore learn more effectively

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

sky-divers

Interactive learning: more than teamwork makes the dream work

Educators can engineer, harness and guide social dynamics towards a positive learning experience rather than leaving students’ interaction to chance

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

illustration of outline of heads showing different emotional states, detail, emotions and learning

Emotions and learning: what role do emotions play in how and why students learn?

If educators understand the factors that interplay with emotional states to affect learning, they can work with this to enhance the learning experience. Here are six strategies to manage the role of emotions in learning

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Image of a university tutor answering a student question during lesson

Writing about the day job: levelling up scholarship across higher education

Tutors with full class schedules have little capacity for research but by focusing on the scholarship of teaching and learning, they can contribute valuable insights supported by their day job, write Russ Woodward and Tim Veal

Russell Woodward, Tim Veal

University Centre, Grimsby: The TEC Partnership

Young woman works on engineering planning project, contextual learning, HELF

Contextual learning: linking learning to the real world

Experience in the professional world can set your students up for a seamless transfer from higher education to the world of work

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Learning as becoming, lifelong education, holistic approach, HELF framework

Learning as becoming: what do students become as a result of their higher education experience?

A learning framework can help students understand their transition from higher education to the professional world as well as support their holistic experience of university life

Alexandra Osika, Stephanie MacMahon, Jason M. Lodge, Annemaree Carroll

The University of Queensland

Steps that institutions can take to increase the research productivity and impact of their academic staff

Managing individual research productivity in academic organisations: seven key insights

Advice on steps institutions can take to boost the productivity and impact of researchers, based on a study by Olga Ryazanova and Jolanta Jaskiene

Olga Ryazanova , Jolanta Jaskiene

Maynooth University , ISM University of Management and Economics

Advice on using popular culture to demonstrate concepts to students in relatable ways

Squid pro quo: using Squid Game to engage economics students

Wayne Geerling explains how economics lecturers can draw on popular culture to demonstrate key concepts in a more relatable way that aids understanding, taking ‘Squid Game’ as an example

Wayne Geerling

Monash University

Advice on providing evidence-based support for adults with ADHD in higher education

Adult ADHD and higher education: improving the student experience

Alex Conner and James Brown explain why adult ADHD is linked to underachievement in higher education and what institutions can do to support better outcomes for those with the condition

Alex Conner, James Brown

University of Birmingham, Aston University

Illustration of hands holding puzzle pieces

Intersectionality and why in 2022 inclusion must allow for multiple identities

University diversity policies must include intersectionality, and now is the time make it happen. Paul Harpur, Dino Willox and Brooke Szucs offer five strategies for using diversity as a source of strength and opportunity

Paul Harpur, Dino Willox, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Empty lectern illustrating opinion article about lack of university leadership with visible or stated disability

Where are the leaders with a disability in higher education?

While support is available for people with a disability in universities, this is not translating to senior leadership positions – to the detriment of individuals and the sector as a whole, say Paul Harpur and Brooke Szücs

Paul Harpur, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Advice on embedding sustainable development into university curricula by aligning it with core subject learning outcomes

Achieving SDG 4.7 by matching sustainability learning outcomes to subject-specific curricula: a guide

Ron Johnston provides a guide to embedding education for sustainable development into university courses by linking it with the learning outcomes of the core subject being taught

Ron Johnston

UNESCO

Advice on applying action learning to student surveys to improve teaching practices

Using action learning to improve interdisciplinary online teaching

A guide to using action learning – questioning knowledge to find solutions – to evaluate and improve teaching practices, based on research by Na Li, Qian Wang, Jiajun Liu and Victoria Marsick

Na Li, Qian Wang , Jiajun Liu, Victoria Marsick

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University , Columbia University

Advice on handling individuals' names with respect to create an inclusive learning environment

Say my name: the importance of correct terms, titles and pronunciation

Jane Bryan shares lessons in handling people’s names with respect and sensitivity, ensuring correct use and pronunciation to boost feelings of belonging within institutions

Jane Bryan

University of Warwick

Wellbeing pedagogies to boost the student experience online

Well-being pedagogies: activities and practices to improve the student experience online

With many concerned about the mental health effects of learning remotely, Elena Riva shares some helpful practices that can boost student well-being in the online teaching and learning environment

Elena Riva

University of Warwick

Advice on using productive failure to activate deeper learning

Using productive failure to activate deeper learning

Manu Kapur explains how using a flipped-classroom approach, setting students problems that they are unable to tackle properly until they have been taught the associated concepts, deepens their learning through ‘productive failure’

Manu Kapur

ETH Zurich

Research backed advice on managing different national cultures to encourage engagement with learning technology

How does national culture affect the adoption of learning technology?

Na Li, Xiaojun Zhang and Maria Limniou offer tips to counter the hidden cultural and social factors that reduce acceptance of virtual learning environments, based on their research

Na Li, Xiaojun Zhang, Maria Limniou

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Three benefits of moving final year assignments online

Virtual classroom connections: enhancing three presence elements via online tools

Nguyen Hoang Thuan and Pham Cong Hiep provide practical tips for enhancing three types of presence – teaching, social and cognitive – in online learning and teaching, based on their research

Nguyen Hoang Thuan, Pham Cong Hiep

RMIT University Vietnam

Advice on fostering fruitful relationships between students from all over the world

Relationship building among globally diverse students in a borderless university

Monika Foster offers insights into why and how to encourage relationship-building between global learners by celebrating diversity and encouraging collaboration in teaching, learning and assessment

Monika Foster

University of Sunderland

paper boats illustrating different pathways to PhD

Fostering freedom in PhD students: how supervisors can shape accessible paths for doctoral research

Clive Palmer looks at alternative approaches to PhDs that open postgraduate research to more candidates – for professional development, career change or just love of learning

Clive Palmer

University of Central Lancashire

Advice on how online review exercises can be used to improve student performance

Online review exercises to improve student performance in large courses

Online review exercises, used in combination with other learning activities, improve student engagement and learning performance in large online courses, Peng Cheng and Rui Ding explain

Peng Cheng, Rui Ding

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Advice on designing higher education to make the most out of in-person teaching alongside online instruction

The future of education in the real world: five shifts to consider for building a better learning environment

Kyriaki Papageorgiou outlines shifts in higher education that should help academics in designing more effective teaching and in recognising what areas need in-person instruction and what can be done online

Kyriaki Papageorgiou

Esade

A framework for an equity oriented pedagogy that improves student grades

Equitable teaching that creates pathways to success for all students

Andrew Estrada Phuong and co-authors present a framework for an adaptive equity-oriented pedagogy that helps diverse students achieve better results

Andrew Estrada Phuong, Judy Nguyen, Fabrizio Mejia, Christopher Hunn, Dena Marie

University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Orinda Academy

Advice on how faculty should be mindful of their attitudes in order to ensure better outcomes or reaction to challenges

How resetting motivations can help faculty achieve better teaching and well-being during challenging times

Faculty members’ personal motivations impacted their attitudes towards meeting the challenges of the pandemic, and in turn, their well-being and teaching quality, research suggests

Martin Daumiller, Raven Rinas, Julia Hein, Stefan Janke, Oliver Dickhäuser, Markus Dresel

University of Augsburg, University of Mannheim

Self directed learning is effective among Chinese students coming from a different educational and cultural context, research shows

Supporting self-directed learning across cultural boundaries

Academics from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University draw on their research showing the Western teaching model based on ‘self-directed learning’ is effective among Chinese students coming from different educational and cultural contexts

Qian Wang , Chang Xiong, Jiajun Liu

Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University

Learn how applying game techniques to online learning improves engagement

Serious play: boosting engagement in online courses through games

Dario De Notaris explains how gaming techniques should be taken seriously as a way to keep students engaged in online courses, based on his research into improving Mooc completion rates

Dario De Notaris

University of Naples Federico II

Lessons in improving online teaching and learning from a survey of Hong Kong students

Lessons on improving online teaching from a survey of students in Hong Kong

A survey of students in Hong Kong highlighted concerns relating to the efficacy of online teaching. Ka Ho Mok runs through key lessons for universities looking to improve their digital education

Ka Ho Mok

Lingnan University

Virtual exchange: enabling online group work that benefits all learners

Virtual exchange: supporting online collaboration to benefit all learners

Virtual exchanges enable group work between students in different locations, but studies show varied learning gains. Irina Rets and Bart Rienties use research to examine how instructors can manage virtual exchanges to ensure everyone benefits

Irina Rets, Bart Rienties

Lancaster University, The Open University

Research on effective digital course design and implementation

A guide to effective digital course design and delivery from four online teaching experts

Chrysi Rapanta consolidates the knowledge of four online teaching experts to produce guidance on what pedagogical content knowledge faculty need in order to develop effective digital courses

Chrysi Rapanta

NOVA University Lisbon

Using instant messaging to deliver feedback to students learning remotely

Instant messaging for improving instructor feedback in distance learning

One of the biggest challenges for students learning online is the lack of immediate instructor feedback, Justin Fendos’ research revealed. He explains how his team trialled instant messaging to enable prompt responses to on-the-spot questions

Justin Fendos

Dongseo University

Research shows forum based online learning helps keep students more engaged

Forum-based online teaching to improve student engagement and motivation

A key challenge with online learning is maintaining student engagement and motivation. Researchers found that a forum-based teaching system, in which all students could see and compare their work within a shared online space, helped mitigate this challenge

Xiaowei Kang, Wen Zhang

Capital Normal University, New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark

How to guide students to assess and feedback on their own work to improve online learning

Guiding learning by activating students’ inner feedback

David Nicol explains how students can be guided to make comparisons and feedback on their own work, rather than relying on instructor comments, for improved learning outcomes

David Nicol

University of Glasgow

Lessons from research into the flipped classroom model online

How a flipped classroom model improves learning in online STEM courses

STEM courses can be challenging to master online, but research by Atef Abuhmaid and Tao Tang shows a flipped classroom model improves outcomes. Here they outline the key lessons from their study

Atef Abuhmaid, Tao Tang

The Hashemite University, Chengdu University of Information Technology

Strategies for scaling up quality online courses in higher education

Strategies for scaling up quality online courses in higher education

As remote and blended learning models look set to remain in place, universities need to consider how to scale online courses while maintaining quality. Michael Fried and Jenna Joo outline three effective scaling strategies

Michael Fried , Jenna Joo

Ithaka S+R

Teachers stay present - don't take yourself out of your online classes

In defence of old-school teaching during a worldwide crisis

The rapid move to online teaching risks lecturers becoming over reliant on technology and steadily disappearing from their own courses. Here Glenn Geher argues the case for instructors remaining at the heart of their classes and only using technology to support their teaching

Glenn Geher

State University of New York at New Paltz

Creating a home studio to record engaging online classes

Building an effective home studio for remote teaching

Recording classes well from home can be a challenge but by getting the basics right you can create a simple studio set up which will support effective online teaching. Here, Sean Willems explains how

Sean Willems

University of Tennessee, Knoxville