Journals (University of Staffordshire)
Not a member yet
282 research outputs found
Sort by
A phenomenological reflection on approaching attitudes towards race in research
Full text linkThrough a phenomenological lens, this reflection explores the interplay between research ethics, researcher positionality, power and researcher identity during a semi-structured interview on International Student diversity in Higher Education. The phenomenological process of bracketing, i.e. the act of suspending biases or attachments, provides scope to evaluate researcher ethics during data collection and subsequently, during data analysis when met with racist language from the perspective of a researcher, specifically a researcher belonging to an ethnic minority group. This reflection advocates critical reflection on researcher identity throughout the research process to enable the researcher to better anticipate and prepare for challenging or confrontational interview responses. Furthermore, this reflection emphasises the significance of open questioning during data collection as a tool for increasing understanding of interviewee perspectives and avoiding confrontation whilst increasing the validity of findings.
Key words: Ethnicity; Linguistic Ethnography; International student diversity; Phenomenology; Power; Reflective practice; Reflexivity; Researcher positionalit
Ecologies of Care: The art of belonging in a studio classroom
No full textEcologies of Care: The art of belonging in a studio classroom
Victoria MacLynn, MSc Art Psychotherapy, Graduate in Residence, Belfast School of Art, Ulster University, [email protected]
Pamela Whitaker, Lecturer Art Psychotherapy, Belfast School of Art, Ulster University, [email protected]
Data Collection for Educational Game Jams
Full text linkData Collection for Educational Game Jams
Joe MacLeod-Iredale, Manchester Metropolitan University, [email protected]
Factors driving achievement and retention rates of apprentices in the casual dining sector (example submission)
No full textThis study investigates factors influencing achievement and retention rates among apprentices within an employer-provider in the casual dining sector. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected from company records and a learner survey to identify challenges and enablers of success across 150 sites. Four key factors were identified: workplace support, completion of functional skills, method of employment, and access to off-the-job training. Findings revealed that learners with strong managerial support and pre-apprenticeship recruitment were more likely to complete their programmes, while inadequate time for functional skills and limited access to resources hindered progress. Six targeted recommendations were implemented, including improved induction packs, enhanced recruitment screening, and IT upgrades. One year post-implementation, the organisation reported a 14% increase in achievement rates and significant improvements in learner satisfaction and progression. These results support the organisation’s ambition to expand its training provision and reinforce the importance of structured support in vocational education
Editorial: GLAD-HE 2024 Post-Conference Publication
No full textGLAD-HE 2024 Post-Conference Publication
“Gathering Pace”
Editorial
Jess Power, Louise O’Boyle and Davina Whitnall
“To gather means to come together, assemble or accumulate (often from scattered sources), to collect, to harvest, to increase in force or to summon up.”
Group for Learning in Art and Design (GLAD HE)
Corresponding editor: [email protected]
Collaborative Classrooms: Enhancing Resilience and Adaptability in PGCE Art and Design Educators
Full text linkCollaborative Classrooms: Enhancing Resilience and Adaptability in PGCE Art and Design Educators.
Franz Hoeritzauer, Ulster University, [email protected]
Collective Manifestation: Co-creating a Studio Manifesto
Full text linkStudio-based learning has long been a mainstay of arts higher education, but is now at risk in many countries, due to instability caused by the current university funding crisis and ensuing budget cuts. This paper considers the emerging literature on studio pedagogy as a response to broader sector moves away from continued investment in space-hungry studios. The researchers collaborated to design a primary research exercise that sought to explore what arts educators see as the affordances, values, environment and practices of studio education. A participatory workshop was held at the 2024 GLAD conference at Ulster University, Belfast to collectively develop a manifesto for pedagogic studios in the art school*. The resultant co-authored manifesto is presented as a proposition for consideration, alongside analysis. Suggestions for how the manifesto might be activated by other educators are included.
*By art school we refer to creative disciplines\u27 education
Welcome to JVRP: introducing the journal and its mission
Full text linkThis first editorial article introduces the Journal of Vocational Research and Practice (JVRP), a new platform dedicated to bridging the gap between academic research and industry practice. Stemming from research conducted at the University of Staffordshire, the journal responds to the need for accessible, practitioner-informed dissemination of work-based learning outcomes, particularly those from Higher and Degree Level Apprenticeships. The paper explores the evolving scope of vocational research, emphasising its potential to inform policy and address productivity challenges within the UK and beyond. JVRP advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration, and values contributions from all vocational levels and sectors, including apprentices, degree students, and professionals undertaking practice-based qualifications. This article sets the scene for the editorial issue, which introduces the diverse editorial board, outlines article submission formats, and includes guidance to support first-time authors. Ultimately, JVRP aims to create a community of inquiry where practitioners can share innovations with academic and industry audiences
Rebranding Learning & Teaching at the University of Salford: Building a creative community to support academic practice.
Full text linkRebranding Learning & Teaching at the University of Salford: Building a creative community to support academic practice.
Prof Jess Power, Learning & Teaching Enhancement Centre, University of Salford, [email protected]
Dr Calum Thomson, Learning & Teaching Enhancement Centre, University of Salford, [email protected]
Davina Whitnall, Learning & Teaching Enhancement Centre, University of Salford, [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
Repositioning digital literacy: ethics, pedagogy, and student voice
Full text linkThis account of practice critically reflects on the limitations of competency-based approaches to digital literacy across UK higher education, apprenticeships, and vocational learning. While frameworks have offered useful benchmarks, their static nature risks narrowing literacy to measurable outcomes, fostering compliance cultures, and reinforcing inequalities. Drawing on sector policy, UK scholarship, and practice evidence, the article argues for a dynamic, pedagogically embedded model of digital literacy that incorporates inclusivity, reflexivity, and student voice. It sets out three guiding principles for such a model and outlines the next stage of research, which will focus on transitions from further education to higher education. The work highlights the need for institutions to move beyond frameworks as compliance tools and towards strategies that sustain dialogue, adaptability, and equity