Author: Sheri Djafer

SRHE International Conference 2024 – Higher Education: A place for Activism and Resistance?

In December 2024, the Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE) ran its annual international conference bringing together higher education (HE) researchers and scholars from all around the world. For a while, I have known SRHE to be a longstanding learned society concerned with all matters HE, and one that has been consistently promoting methodological rigour of HE scholarship and research, and the advancement of knowledge on the sector from a worldwide perspective. The 2024 iteration of their annual conference however, was my first experience of coming together with delegates from all over the world to discuss topical, and at times contentious topics currently at the HE thematology forefront. (more…)

Perspectives in Education – July 2024

By Dr Camille Kandiko Howson, Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

On 25th July 2024, Imperial’s Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship hosted a joint Perspectives in Education lecture and a book launch. Belonging and Identity in STEM Higher Education (UCL Press) was edited by Professors Camille Kandiko Howson and Martyn Kingsbury. The book features contributions from several Imperial staff as well as from scholars around the world.

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Bringing Together Imperial’s Social Scientists: A Flagship PhD and ECR Event

 

By Lauren Shields, PhD Student in the Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

On Monday 10th June 2024, over 20 PhD and Early Career Researchers from across all four Imperial faculties met in a first-of-its-kind networking event. As a PhD social scientist in a STEMMB institution, it can be hard to find other researchers conducting similar research to you. We are often either isolated in departments or are lacking targeted training or collaboration sessions with others in the same institution. I wanted to host an event that would bring these researchers together, to form connections and learn from each other, as well as celebrate the hugely important offerings that social science can bring to physical science. (more…)

Twenty-two recommendations for inclusive teaching and their implementation challenges

By Dr Iro Ntonia, Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

 

Inclusivity in teaching and learning within the HE context is a nuanced and layered concept. It is commonplace for HEIs to rely on toolkits and recommendation checklists, however oftentimes the true meaning of inclusive practice, and the complexities of implementing an authentically inclusive and equitable approach are often lost in translation from checklist to practice. In a research project led by Katie Stripe (Senior Learning Designer, Education Office), we reflected on our own practice and explored alongside practitioners what the perceived barriers for implementing an inclusive teaching and learning approach may be. We recently published our findings in the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education (DOI: https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi28.1034  ) and are currently exploring avenues for disseminating our conclusions. (more…)

An Evening of Thought-provoking Educational Research: Catch up on Imperial’s MEd ULT Presentation and Prize-giving Event

We are excited to share the highlights of our inspiring and enjoyable, presentation and prize-giving event where we showcased the outstanding work of our students and celebrated their academic achievements. For those who missed the event or wish to relive the moment, we’re pleased to announce that the recording is available on Panopto. 

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Reflections on ISA World Congress of Sociology 2023

By Julianne Viola and Luke McCrone, Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

Julianne Viola and Luke McCrone remotely attended the International Sociological Association (ISA) World Congress of Sociology held on 25th June – 1st July 2023. The conference theme centred on ‘Resurgent Authoritarianism: The Sociology of New Entanglements of Religions, Politics, and Economies’.

The conference focussed on how sociologists worldwide contribute to the understanding of resurgent authoritarianism (a shift away from democratic principles, such as individual rights and freedom of expression, toward centralised power) and engage (physically and critically) in the formidable social movements we are witnessing today in different parts of the world. We presented on our work on the Belonging, Engagement, and Community (BEC) and Imperial Bursary projects.

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Active emotions, active engagement: Interactive presentation for the Global Festival of Active Learning, 26th April 2023

By Nikki Boyd and Kate Ippolito, Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

We were delighted to facilitate a one-hour interactive, online presentation entitled ‘Active emotions, active engagement’ for the 3rd Festival of Active Learning: hosted by The Active Learning Network and held from 23rd-27th April 2023. The ALN represents “a group of people from around the world who share an interest in active approaches to learning” and the annual (now ‘Global’) Festival of Active Learning provides an opportunity for those within and beyond the network to share and celebrate ideas and research relevant to active approaches to learning.

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Combining worlds: a mixed method for understanding learning spaces

By Luke McCrone, Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

This blog reports on a mixed method approach combining qualitative methods with space occupancy datasets recently published in a research article in the International Journal for Qualitative Methods. The mixed method was developed in my doctoral research (supervised by Professor Martyn Kingsbury) which explored how undergraduate students perceive and engage with different learning spaces and the transitions between them. (more…)

Festival of Learning and Teaching 2023

By Sheri Djafer, Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

The in-person three day event which took place on the South Kensington Campus, brought over 150 people together discussing ‘Transition and Transformation’. With many external keynote speakers invited to present, the event gathered the attention of many members of the Imperial community from across College.

This years theme for the event ‘Transition and Transformation: Thinking, Experiencing and Being in STEMMB’ was inclusive of perspectives College wide as it invited many speakers from different Faculties to participate and share practice. (more…)

Reflections on the first “Landscapes of Learning for Unknown Futures: Prospects for Space in Higher Education” Symposium

Dr Julianne K. Viola, Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship

The origin of the symposia series

Last summer, I was contacted by Professor Sam Elkington (Teesside University) and Dr Jill Dickinson (University of Leeds), in partnership with Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE), to be a panel speaker for their new 2023 symposia series entitled “Landscapes of Learning for Unknown Futures: Prospects for Space in Higher Education.” Yesterday, I participated in this symposium as a speaker, and enjoyed the thought-provoking, day-long discussion with colleagues. (more…)