Student Experience Proceedings (LJMU)
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Session 7 Lightning talk: Simpler recycling regulations
No full textSession overview:
New waste regulations have come into force in England and as a result we are having to change the way we manage waste. This session will explain changes on how waste is being collected around campus including changes in bins and their locations; what can be collected in different waste streams; and why these changes are happening.
Key learning points from this session:
Understand changes to how waste is being managed around campus and why
Understand how this will affect you
Simpler recycling regulations PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource
Session 8: Towards a manifesto for a compassionate curriculum
No full textSession overview:
A compassionate curriculum is one where notions of fulfilment and wellbeing are designed into curriculum structure, processes and practices. Such a curriculum, in its planning and delivery, is characterised by a motivation to help, to minimise stress and eliminate distress for both students and staff. The focus on the compassionate curriculum was born from the RAISE Partnership Special Interest Group. A series of events addressing a seemingly unrelated elements of student/staff partnerships came to the same overall conclusion; the student journey is enhanced when universities explicitly and strategically attend to wellbeing in the construction of learning experiences. This presentation will outline work done by the Special Interest Group to promote the notion of a compassionate curriculum through the development of a manifesto that will be published on the RAISE (Researching & Inspiring Student Engagement) website. The presentation will explore how consideration for student and staff wellbeing is embodied in the formal curriculum, as defined by content, pedagogy and assessment. It will also examine the role of student support. Finally, the presentation will explore the how the unwritten rules and assumptions of a university (the ‘hidden curriculum’) can sustain or constrain efforts towards compassionate curricula.
Key learning points from this session:
This session will provide attendees with the opportunity view curriculum features and associated practices through the lens of student and staff wellbeing. Consideration of this will emphasise that many of the features of a compassionate curriculum are already common practice in LJMU. Hence, developments will often be in how curricula, services and practices are organised rather than recreated.
Towards a manifesto for a compassionate curriculum PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource
Session 9: Beyond celebration: building inclusive community support and professional growth during Black History Month
No full textSession overview:
Black History Month is often marked by celebrations that highlight cultural heritage and historical achievements. However, to create lasting impact, there must be a focus on actionable initiatives that foster inclusive community support and professional development. This presentation explores strategies for embedding sustainable frameworks that empower Black students and professionals beyond the month of October. Drawing from real-world initiatives, including co-creation internships, focus groups, and career development workshops, this session will provide insights into meaningful engagement and long-term structural change. The session will also reference Advance HE guidance on the attainment gap of Black students and the Unite Students report Living Black at University to contextualise key challenges and solutions.
Introduction
Black History Month presents an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the achievements of Black individuals. However, the focus should extend beyond celebration to ensuring Black students and professionals receive continued support in their educational and career journeys. This session will discuss ways to establish year-round initiatives that address key challenges faced by Black students in higher education and employment, with a particular focus on research findings from Advance HE and Unite Students.
Case Studies and Practical Applications
The session will highlight successful case studies, such as:
Black History Month Focus Groups: Engaging 30 students to capture lived experiences and inform institutional policies.
Co-Creation Internships: Collaborating with Black and ethnic minority students to design and implement career development programmes.
Networking and Mentorship Initiatives: Establishing mentorship schemes that connect students with professionals in various industries.
Conclusion
Building inclusive community support and professional growth for Black students requires intentionality, collaboration, and sustained commitment. By shifting from a celebratory lens to a framework of continuous empowerment, institutions and organisations can drive meaningful, long-term change. This session will provide practical strategies and recommendations to help educators, employers, and policymakers create environments that support Black success beyond Black History Month, with insights drawn from Advance HE and Living Black at University research.
Key learning points from this session:
Key Discussion Points
Inclusive Community Building:
Creating safe spaces for dialogue and mentoring. Developing networks that foster belonging and collaboration. Engaging Black students in co-creation and leadership roles.
Professional Development & Career Readiness:
Addressing the attainment gap and barriers to employment, as highlighted by Advance HE. Implementing targeted career workshops and networking opportunities. Leveraging institutional resources to support Black students’ progression.
Sustainable Change and Institutional Commitment:
Embedding racial equity initiatives into university and workplace policies. Partnering with organisations to provide long-term career pathways. Using data-driven approaches to measure and improve inclusivity efforts, informed by Living Black at University findings.
Beyond celebration: building inclusive community support and professional growth during Black History Month PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource
Session 51: Enhancing international student experience through bespoke academic study support: International Business Management MSc students’ perspectives
No full textSession overview:
The internationalisation of higher education (HE) has significantly increased the presence of international students in academic institutions worldwide (Deuchar, 2022). In postgraduate programs, particularly in International Business and Management (IBM), this change comes with language barriers, cultural differences (Lee et al., 2019), critical thinking skills, collaboration, academic styles differences, socio-economic factors, and unfamiliar academic norms (Jones, 2017). Yet, studies are limited on academic support classes (ASCs) especially for the postgraduates compared to the undergraduates (White, 2023). Therefore, our study aimed to gather insights from MSC international postgraduate students at LJMU on how the ASCs initiative enhanced their student experience and success.
We conducted a qualitative study via an in-depth semi-structured interviews with MSC IBM students (n=16), who attended ASCs between 2022-2023. Interview questions were based on Schlossberg, Waters and Goodman’s transition theory (1995) on adult behaviours and coping with life situations, events, and change. The results were thematically analysed.
Key results that the session will cover: Arrival experience in the first week is crucial and could be defining. Learning approach and hierarchical differences are the top two factors of differences in education systems. Transitioning can prompt positive, negative, and mixed emotional experiences. Academic culture shock for individual student varies - not always negative but could also have positive connotations e.g. a more conducive learning environment and better facilities. Bespoke ASCs are peculiar to LJMU postgraduate IBM programmes, and the initiative bridged academic shock, language barrier and cultural differences. All participants emphasised the positive impact on academic engagement and performance, creation of a sense of belonging and reduction of stress.
Key learning points from this session:
The presentation will showcase (1) how the ASCs initiative informs student voice and enhances the international student experience (2) ASCs’ importance, benefits, and positive impact for a more vibrant MSc community within LJMU, and as an insightful exemplar for UK universities.
Enhancing international student experience through bespoke academic study support: International Business Management MSc students’ perspectives PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource
Session 58: Functional freeze in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) - focused curriculum
No full textCurriculum Enhancement Internship Project funded by the Teaching and Learning Academy
Session overview:
Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) are increasingly emphasised in business management programmes, with the goal of preparing students for real-world challenges. However, new research at Liverpool Business School reveals that this emphasis can sometimes lead to “functional freeze,” a state where learners default to safe, familiar strategies in response to cognitive overload. Running from the 2024/25 to 2025/26 academic years, the study focuses on students who, at the time of developing this talk, have yet to decide between dissertation or consultancy routes. Initial findings provide insights into how structured interventions – such as resilience training and reflective practice – can alleviate overwhelm while maintaining the benefits of VUCA-based teaching.
Hence, this session offers valuable perspectives for educators, programme leaders, and policymakers on striking the right balance between exposing learners to unpredictability and equipping them with supportive scaffolds. By exploring the initial patterns in decision-making and risk-taking behaviour, we will examine how to prevent or mitigate functional freeze, thereby helping students remain agile, creative, and confident in the face of rapid change.
Key learning points from this session:
Attendees will learn to recognise signs of functional freeze, adopt strategies to maintain student engagement in uncertain contexts, and integrate supportive interventions without stifling innovation. The session offers practical tools for balancing VUCA exposure with effective scaffolds, fostering more resilient and adaptive learners overall.
Functional freeze in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) - focused curriculum PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource
Session 62: BRIDGE Accelerator: closing the socioeconomic gap through capital development
No full textSession overview:
The BRIDGE Accelerator Group at Liverpool Business School is a transformative initiative aimed at addressing disparities in student outcomes by developing students’ capital and reducing barriers to success. With a focus on underrepresented groups, including students from IMD quintiles 1 and 2, service children, care-experienced students, those with mental health conditions, and students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, the programme directly aligns with LJMU’s commitment to inclusivity and equality of opportunity.
Key activities within the BRIDGE Accelerator include:
Workshops focused on self-efficacy, resilience, and leadership, equipping students with the tools to navigate academic and professional challenges.
Mentorship programmes that connect students with alumni, faculty, and industry professionals, fostering guidance and real-world insights.
Networking events designed to bridge the gap between students and employers, enhancing career opportunities and building professional connections.
Targeted interventions to remove barriers, such as personalised academic support and early engagement initiatives.
The BRIDGE Accelerator is research-driven, using qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the impact of its interventions on student success. It aligns with the objectives of LJMU’s Access and Participation Plan (APP) by addressing gaps in continuation, completion, and progression rates for disadvantaged groups.
This session will explore how BRIDGE supports LJMU’s mission to place students at the heart of everything
Key learning points from this session:
Attendees will learn how targeted, evidence-informed initiatives can attempt to close socioeconomic gaps in student outcomes. They will gain practical insights into delivering impactful mentorship, workshops, and interventions that build resilience, employability, and academic success. The session will also showcase strategies for achieving equity, aligning with institutional Access and Participation Plan goals.
BRIDGE Accelerator: closing the socioeconomic gap through capital development PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource
Session 67: Neurodivergent-inclusive teaching: practical hints and tips
No full textSession overview:
Do you want to better support your neurodivergent students, but feel unsure about where to start? Are you unsure of how to translate general information about reasonable adjustments into specific classroom strategies? This session presents a beginner’s guide to neurodivergent-inclusive teaching in HE, from a neurodivergent academic who is also a researcher in Disability Studies and Neurodiversity Studies.
Drawing on 15+ years’ experience supporting neurodivergent students (as a support worker, lecturer, and senior lecturer), I’ll present a brief, accessible introduction to ‘neurodiversity’ and related concepts, before moving on to practical guidance on effective teaching for neurodivergent students. Drawing in particular on my experience of designing and delivering a new module on neurodiversity for a student group with a high proportion of neurodivergent learners at a previous institution, I’ll reflect on what worked and what didn’t, and consider how specific strategies might transfer to the LJMU context.
Key learning points from this session:
Practical strategies for teaching neurodivergent learners.
A better understanding of the concepts of \u27neurodiversity\u27 and \u27neurodivergence\u27, and the needs of neurodivergent students.
Neurodivergent-inclusive teaching: practical hints and tips PowerPoint. Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource
Case study: Reaching out beyond the module space and connecting with others to support studentlearning
No full textSummaryClare will continue to teach this module completely online next year as she continues to connect students across the institution and through the alumni to understand the challenges of employability in a post covid world.Further Information:Subject Area: Media and CultureLevel: 6Class Size: 30
Case StudyClare has found that her students have been remained highly motivated during the process of moving her module online and Clare thinks this has been ‘great’ for her too. The redesign has created different opportunities to engage with a much wider range of people both internally and externally. The design was collaborative in terms of students and Clare sharing ideas, online tools and perspectives in the area of employability. Tools identified by students might be then built into workshops and discussions with students. The delivery for each week did change which required the students to be more proactive in their own time management and learn and develop those skills. This was very different from the previous year when it was taught face to face as students would tend to drift off during the workshop based activities.AlumniOne group that has always been useful to motivate, inspire and inform students are past students.This group has been easier to reach out to and engage with because suddenly everyone was online. Clare has become more engaged with her alumni using social media such as LinkedIn. here she follows her past students to help her understand where their careers are developing but also to see how the knowledge and skills they\u27ve gained are also influencing their career paths. This knowledge helps her feedback to the current students but also helps her consider the current curriculum.In the past Clare would need to arrange times, dates, travel etc to get a past student to attend physically. The convenience of all being online and having the skills to engage in live online sessions has meant alumni and current students can get together with a minimum amount of fuss and the maximum amount of engagement.Her alumni have been particularly supportive with one of them offering two free tickets to Cambridge Universities ‘Social Media Day’ worth £200 per ticket, and donated 2 social media kits to the students that created the most effective online presence. This has helped students to engage with course activities and content but see the relevance and connection with possible career paths. Clare\u27s students have really benefited from this engagement and are further ahead in terms of learning than previous years.Working across the institutionClare also reached out to engage with other departments. Similarly the ability to run session online meant it was more convenient for staff to engage. She worked with the careers centre, the digital incubation hub, and the equality and diversity team. She incorporated their resources, such as the online careers 24/7 tools , and the prospect career planner , into the resources on the course. She\u27s also developed her own skills audit tools using the canvas quizzes function.Digital skillsThere was a lot for students to get used to in terms of the tools and methods through which this module was delivered. There was some resistance and students did struggle in places but what is interesting is the clear communication of the modules aims and helping students to understand the commitment that they would need to make in order to succeed in this particular module increased engagement. An important outcome from the module is the developing digital confidence of the students. This is embedded into a reflective process where students saw understanding and reviewing their progress as they make differentrepresentations of themselves online. Some of the formative activities included a discussion board on the impact of covid on the workplace, where they responded to recent podcasts highlighting different issues.Personal reviews and reflectionsClare ran 4 hour online workshop where she would set up a single Zoom room and then allowed students 15 minute slots where she reviewed where they were up to. She found the process of having students attend a single room easier because it allowed her and them the simplicity of a single link, but also allowed her to easily connect emerging issues from previous students to the next appointee. This was major improvement on face to face sessions where interruptions would lose the focus, flow and direction of the discussions. Self-reflection activities such as discussion board posts allowed students to engage and leave their own digital footprint inside canvas to explore, reflect on and include in ongoingassessments.Creating a communityClare\u27s tip for creating stronger engagement and community is to focus on understanding where students are up to and their individual interests. Students set up their own WhatsApp group to help develop a supportive online community. They might mention to Clare that they were discussing particular things in this community and Clare would ask them to highlightparticular resources to review rather than join their space.Next yearClare will be feeding into the faculty employability group as she learns more about how her students are adapting to an increasing online working environment. This module has been given the ‘green light’ to run completely online next semester and feedback from the students showed that they agreed with this approac
Case study: Supporting student tutorials with the feedback dashboard
No full textSummaryUsing the feedback dashboard to support student tutorial meetings.
Further Information:Subject Area: CriminologyLevel: 4-7Case Study:What have we been doing?Will and Anne are both lecturers on the Criminology programme. The programme team have been working collectively to share and improve feedback practice. Part of this includes an ongoing process of adopting a single rubric added to all Canvas assignments. The aim of this is to help students by providing a consistent framework by which they can gauge their improvements, identify weaknesses to work on, and get to know the underlying aims of the course. Another process that the team is beginning to look at is to develop a consistent approach to written feedback on Canvas, using best practice in this area.Like most programmes, feedback is incredibly time consuming, and finding ways to ensure students get the most from this effort is important to the team. Students recognise the importance of individual tutorials, but tend not to be prepared, therefore not realising this until late in their studies. There is also a risk that in writing feedback tutors can become side-tracked by other demands and start writing feedback to satisfy externals rather than supporting students. Will and Anne are finding that the Feedback Dashboard is helping support students and their own development.What is the feedback dashboard?The feedback dashboard is an online space where staff can access all the electronic feedback in Canvas for each student in a single pageSeeing student feedback across the programmeThe main way Will and Anne are using this dashboard is prior and during individual tutorials and PDPs, using it to help students to see the commonalities across the different assessments leading to plans and strategies to improve.
Prior to meeting: prior to a meeting they might go in and have a brief glance at some of the different comments left on the assignments and also a quick overview of their marks in the past semester.
“I only spend a couple of minutes on the system before the session. I usually discover that the same things are coming up, this allows me to have a more focused meeting”Anne
Talking to students: This can then lead to more targeted dialogue with students in a more in depth way, rather than just fishing for issues you can actually get down to the detail straight away.
Developing a relationship: Using the dashboard allows you to be more aware of what is going on. On large programmes, students can feel like a number, this allows you to treat them more personally, and that you are keeping a close eye on their progress. A screenshot of an individual students feedback dashboard showing marks and feedback from different courses combined into one space. When I meet my personal tutees for PDP they feel that I am aware of what is going on with them because I can comment on their strengths and where they need to develop
Connecting the dots: Helping the student to see the connections between the assignments
“As staff submitting to journals our experience of feedback is usually so useful because eventually you are going to get something out of responding to it and getting your work published. In contrast, for students feedback tends to feel final and there\u27s no chance to resubmit, so it\u27s an important part of the process to work alongside the student to connect those dots and help the student utilise the feedback from a previous submission to improve the next one. Students don\u27t always naturally see that connection”Will
Struggling students: For Anne and Will it is particularly helpful with struggling students because then you can analyse why they\u27re struggling in more detail and discuss strengths and weaknesses and try and identify common problems.
“If a student is suddenly getting poor marks at level 5 I might even look further back at level 4 to see how they were doing then and perhaps this will help confirm suspicions around the struggles that they might be suffering from.” Anne
Transition and looking back as well as forwards: It is also useful for looking at any students who have moved to the masters programme from the undergrad programme because it\u27s easy to look back over the previous years in order to understand that student and how they are progressing on the new level.
Seeing from student point of view: Seeing the range of feedback helps you to understand the student experience from receiving all of these comments, and the emotional affects that might have.
Helping to catch up on where they are at: Because of the increased numbers of students on the course using the tool helps you get to know where the student is at, and what they have been doing recently.
Hidden problems: Feedback can also contain hints of deeper more hidden problems.
“I may even find that there are comments about particular issues that the student might be facing so this will help me point the student towards student welfare.” Anne
Improving my feedback by seeing good examples: When reviewing the feedback you can identify good practice from other staff.
“I read other people\u27s comments and I do pick up on good practice, for instance there was an example where staff were pointing students to study skills and their feedforward sessions so I now use that idea in my own feedback” AnneWhat nextAfter positive comments from the programmes external reviewer during validation on its use, Anne and Will are looking are developing its use across the team.Will and Anne are both happy with the design and find it easy to use. It is designed to provide an overview when you first own it, allowing you to explore elements of feedback if required.From Anne and Will’s input the Teaching and Learning Academy are going to look at developing and improving:
The search function
The display of rubric information
Link to the submission to access annotations if needed
The possibility of allowing students to access their own dashboards
Further reading/more information:
Staff feedback dashboard guide
Blog Post: Recent Assessment and Feedback Developments in Canvas (Staff)
How to use Canvas rubrics
Winstone, N.E., Carless, D., 2021. Who is feedback for? The influence of accountability and quality assurance agendas on the enactment of feedback processes. Assess. Educ. Princ. Policy Pract. 0, 1–1
Case Study: Experiential Learning, Simulations and Serious Games
No full textJonathan is using the PCS Spark system to create scenarios for individual students to apply their developing skills and knowledge. This system is built on the latest machine learning technologies to deliver conversational AI for patient-provider interview training. Students can interact directly with a virtual patient and perform basic physical assessments (including listening to the patient’s heart and lung, checking their blood pressure and taking the patient’s pulse), all of which are all tailored individually to the specific case. It also provides instant and automated assessment at the end of each scenario letting students know which areas need improvement.
The programme was initially utilised to demonstrate key skills and knowledge in face-to-face and virtual teaching and controlled by a staff member in the early part of Semester 1, with students having independent access to the system and a facilitated demonstration of the system in Week 3. Following this, scenarios were then introduced gradually throughout the academic year.
This simulation tool was connected with online lectures and Canvas quizzes all leading to a series of \u27Experiential Learning Days\u27, in Week 8. These days, developed in combination with a team of pharmacist teacher-practitioners, were intended to support the student in developing and building skills, refining and developing clinical decision making skills and broadening the student’s understanding of the role of pharmacists across multiple sectors of practice. Students were placed in the role of the pharmacist for a day, and had to work through a series of scenarios and enquiries intended to accurately represent a day in the life of a pharmacist working in the area of practice. Students were asked to complete post-exercise quizzes and activities which asked questions about the patient cases, their history and the student’s plans for their ongoing management. Feedback was provided through an end of day Panopto recording, unlocked using Canvas module requirements and pre-requisites, with students having to score 70% in post-exercise quizzes to access the feedback. Scenarios could be re-run any number of times to allow students to collect additional information to inform their decision making and ensure they were able to meet the required standard.
With the provision of workplace-based placements currently challenging due to the impact of COVID, the intention of these days was to find ways for his pharmacy students to experience work-based learning, to manage and make decisions relating to patient care in a virtual environment. Elements of serious game and escape room design were utilised in order to maintain a level of interactivity through a number of different mechanisms. The design of scenarios, and post-scenario activities were intended to ensure activities were interactive, and to try and make these asynchronous activities feel more like an actual day at work.
Some of the mechanisms that were explored included:
Recorded ‘handover’ videos, introducing students to the activities and intended learning outcomes of the sessions
The use of passwords or codes to protect sensitive documents, with passwords revealed through interaction with simulated patients
Students being required to record voicemail messages for patients in response to patient enquiries.
Award: Jonathan won the LJMU Excellence in Technology Enhanced Learning 2020 
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