ABSTRACT. Welcome from Conference Chair, Professor Sam Nolan

ABSTRACT. Welcome from University of Sheffield

ABSTRACT. We know from our own experience as educators, that when we focus on engaging students, and when students give energy to engage with the learning opportunities we organise, that generally, students are more successful. In fact, empirical research continues to support that if students are highly engaged in their education, then better outcomes relating to grades, retention and even a sense of belonging follow (Thomas and Allen, 2022; Schnitzler et al. 2021; Snijders et al 2020). It is student engagement at the heart of our higher education, yet since the pandemic, there has been lower attendance in classes, footfall on campuses and even personal interactions in our classes. There are parallels with wider society as our wider personal lives are becoming more passive and digitally enabled, where we are shopping more online, streaming movies over visiting the cinema, sending voice notes instead of calling, and responding to texts with simple emojis. These practices of engagement are washing up at the modern university, where we are facing a student engagement crisis in our universities. Further compounding these changes is the mass availability of AI, where even how we engage with knowledge is not only at the end of a Google AI search, but knowledge artefacts can now be produced without our own critical minds. With the digital university positioning convenience as a top priority for learners, we need to re-prioritise higher learning, nuance, discussion and debate if we wish to create employability and applicable graduates. These factors have collectively put university education up for debate, where colleagues report students wanting to be ‘fed’ content and a mismatched expectation of degree level study. It is within this context that this keynote will discuss the place of contemporary student engagement, its changing nature, and the critical importance prioritising authentic student development and growth at the heart of a highly relevant and engaging curriculum in higher education.

ABSTRACT. Neurodivergency (ND) is an umbrella term, encompassing a range of experiences, such as autism, attention deficit hyper-activity disorder and dyslexia. Due to the sub-categories of disability that neurodivergent individuals may identify with (including cognitive or learning difficulties, or mental health conditions), the exact number in HE is difficult to ascertain, although data showed students with a registered disability had poorer outcomes than students without a disability at various timepoints in their degree (OfS, 2023). Learning and Teaching should be geared towards inclusive and intersectional practices, empowering students with diverse needs in their understanding of the subject. Additionally, doing participatory research with ND academics contributes to understanding better cognitive support for executive dysfunction. Current educational approaches are not sufficient to help our ND population thrive; we need to look for avenues that could help countermeasure the often limited resources allocated. Our research aim has been using our expertise in ND to co-create with our participants who have lived-experience of neurodivergence a ‘tool-box’ of AI resources to support Learning and Teaching in Psychology, recognising there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Developing ND-specific guidance around AI fosters critical thinking by removing accessibility barriers, supporting individuals beyond neurodivergency. This ‘tool-box’ captures their experiences on how these resources support ‘the hidden curriculum’ of academic skills. Our talk will explore how AI can be used to foster scientific thinking, while retaining an inclusive and intersectional focus.

ABSTRACT. Non-traditional university students particularly those with limited prior academic experience, diverse educational backgrounds, and widening participation characteristics often encounter significant challenges in developing academic writing skills. Feelings of uncertainty, low confidence, and unfamiliarity with academic conventions can act as barriers to engagement and progression in higher education. This presentation explores the role of generative AI as a “confidence bridge” in supporting students’ transition into academic writing. Drawing on teaching practice at Scholars School System, a partner institution of Leeds Trinity University, and informed by classroom observations and student reflections across diverse cohorts, the study examines how students with minimal academic background engage with AI tools to generate ideas, structure written work, refine language, and interpret academic expectations. Findings indicate that AI can provide immediate, accessible, and low-pressure support, enabling students to initiate writing tasks with greater confidence and reduced anxiety. This appears particularly valuable for learners who may feel excluded from traditional academic support mechanisms or hesitant to seek help through conventional channels. At the same time, the study highlights emerging tensions around over-reliance on AI tools, concerns regarding academic integrity, and the importance of developing an independent academic voice. The session reflects on a small-scale pedagogical approach designed to scaffold ethical and effective AI use within teaching practice and considers its implications for inclusive pedagogy and curriculum design. It contributes to ongoing discussions around AI literacy, student belonging, and equitable access to academic development in increasingly diverse and disrupted higher education contexts.

ABSTRACT. We present summarised data from over 1,500 postgraduate taught students where they describe their use of generative AI in their assessments. Students used a form containing pre-determined categories such as “I used AI to correct my spelling and grammar” or “I used AI to answer some questions (like a search engine)” along with free text responses where they describe their use in their own words, including prompts and outputs. We will highlight those responses from students who were later found to have engaged in academic misconduct, to comment on student literacy, awareness and transparency around use of generative AI.

ABSTRACT. Sense of belonging is a fundamental psychological need linked to academic success and wellbeing. However, neurodivergent students frequently report lower levels of belonging and higher attrition rates compared to neurotypical peers. While existing literature identifies social and environmental barriers, research often relies on quantitative measures that fail to capture the nuanced, lived experiences of this population. This study investigated the factors influencing neurodivergent students' sense of belonging across social, academic, and environmental domains. The goal was to identify specific barriers and facilitators to generate practical, implementable recommendations for higher education institutions. The study adopting a social constructivist framework and reflexive thematic analysis was conducted on semi-structured interviews conducted by students with 16 neurodivergent Psychology student peers. Three primary themes were developed centred around the need for connection and acceptance, the need for accessibility and inclusivity, and the need for guidance and a feeling of calm. The findings suggest that belonging for neurodivergent students is contingent upon moving beyond surface-level "accommodation" toward authentic inclusion.

ABSTRACT. Since 2015 several student initiatives have pushed to decolonise university curriculums, including ‘Why is my curriculum White?’ and ‘#Liberate my Degree’. The book Decolonising the University explores how this can be achieved: first, by thinking about the world bearing in mind the effects of colonialism, empire and racism; second, by promoting alternative ways of thinking (Bhambra, Gebrial and Nişancıoğlu, 2018, 2-3). This approach recognises a very current and timely problem which many academics want to tackle, and yet, some of us feel overwhelmed by such a task. Many of us are a product of such an education, and we need to recognise our positionality to identify new ways of thinking.

This paper reflects on the efforts to decolonise the curriculum at the University where I teach. As an inclusive educator, I aim to contribute to SDG3: Good Health and Wellbeing. With an increasingly diverse student population, it is important to support students as resilient individuals through sense of belonging. Decolonising the curriculum supports this embracing a pluriversal (instead of universal) approach to knowledge, who produces it, and how we deliver it. I have implemented decolonial efforts through extracurricular research live projects (2022-2025), working with minoritised communities in Nottingham, exploring diverse cultural heritage and their representations. We explored issues of belonging and diasporic identities, the relevance of intangible heritage, and its impact on individual’s wellbeing. I also designed curricular activities to decolonise architecture. For example, we have explored Decolonising architecture analysing the Venice Biennale of Architecture (2023-4), curated by Lesley Lokko; and more recently, students designed a research framework for small museums in India, in collaboration with CEPT University in Ahmedabad (2025). This paper offers insights into the challenges and opportunities that these approaches can bring to Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development.

ABSTRACT. This project seeks to explore and understand the challenges faced by undergraduate students from all Schools in FMS who are in groups known to be at risk of reduced experiences and attainment compared to students from outside these groups. The four groups we decided to focus on are students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, students with disabilities/long-term chronic illness, students with caring responsibilities, and students who identify as LGBTQ+. With this information we aim to create meaningful interventions to improve experiences and outcomes. This project is investigating how to a) optimise data collection from these four student groups, b) identify group-specific challenges, c) design effective interventions, and d) raise awareness to encourage the whole student population, and staff, to be more inclusive and respectful of diversity. This lightning talk will focus on the optimal data collection aim. Two student interns performed an extensive literature review to identify potential research methods and then selected which would be most appropriate for each group. One method that was identified was the recently-developed “listening rooms”. We will outline the key features of listening rooms and present the findings from our pilot study. During the presentation we will invite the audience to contact us if they are working with similar student groups or have experience of potentially relevant interventions.

ABSTRACT. Chinese students represent the largest international student PGT cohort in UK universities and are a key demographic for universities. Research demonstrates that students from China face unique challenges adapting to UK academic life. These include language barriers, difficulties with social integration, and differing academic expectations, which could lead to negative academic outcomes, including reduced attainment and increased drop-out rates. Gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese students’ experiences is therefore key to developing a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. Our work uses qualitative interview methodology to explore barriers to classroom participation, gather students’ perspectives on overcoming them, and identify where additional/more effective support is needed. Through a strengths-based lens, the aim is to move beyond deficit narratives and develop evidence-based, inclusive, student-informed strategies that recognise and build on the strengths of Chinese students. Data collection, supported by Student Researchers who speak Mandarin, will begin in April 2026. The authors will present research findings and actionable “Good Practice” guidelines to support all students in a challenging Higher Education landscape.

ABSTRACT. This talk presents a published case study of Collaborative Intercultural Encounters (CIEs), a student-led, extracurricular initiative designed to address social siloing and support a more integrated student community within a UK university school (Jose & Satar, 2026). Rooted in an ethical, values-based approach to internationalisation at home, the programme used a World Café-informed format to create multilingual, multisensory spaces for dialogue across difference. Sessions invited students to engage not only with cultural perspectives, but also with complex ethical and social issues including migration, racial privilege, toxic masculinity, gender inequality, climate justice, multilingualism, and wellbeing.

Evaluation drew on surveys, session feedback, facilitator reflections, VLE outputs, and focus groups. Findings suggested increased global and cultural awareness, high levels of satisfaction, and stronger connectedness to peers and staff. The initiative has since been embedded as a zero-credit module, with refinements including alternative timings, expanded activities, and facilitator training.

The presentation will share the rationale, design principles, outcomes, and practical lessons from this work, arguing that dialogic, low-resource, co-curricular interventions can support belonging and inclusive community-building in complex higher education contexts. It will also signpost an accompanying practical guide for educators interested in adapting similar approaches in their own contexts.

References Jose, L., & Satar, M. (2026). Collaborative Intercultural Encounters: A Case Study of Integration and Belonging at a UK Higher Education Institution. Enhancing Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 3, 81–98. https://doi.org/10.62512/etlhe.29

ABSTRACT. Neurodiversity was 1st coined by Singer in 1998 as a 'new category of disability’ encompassing conditions stemming from a different, rather than inferior, way of thinking. This concept of ‘cerebral pluralism’ contributes to the idea that individual brain functions vary leading to categorisation as neurodivergent (ND). In the UK approximately 1 in 7 people are ND but the list of conditions this includes is not definitive, meaning greater variation is possible particularly when considering missed diagnoses. Conditions commonly associated with neurodivergence are dyslexia, ADHD and ASD. These brain differences lead to different strengths and weaknesses that require accommodations for the individual to succeed in a dominantly neurotypical environment. This is particularly evident in social situations and learning environments. All these labels come with preconceptions, both in the education sector and beyond. They help institutions and educators better support students but also lead students to feel ‘other’ and ‘less than’.

To this end, I have begun producing a podcast in which I speak to fellow neurodiverse individuals in the higher education community (students, academic staff and support staff). This provides them with the opportunity to use their own voice to be open and about their life journeys and experiences. Self-describing rather than being described.

Hearing these personal stories in the individuals’ own voices encourages others to see not how they have survived being ND but how they have flourished. This enables fellow ND students to see their own potential while others gain a better understanding and the ability to offer more targeted support. Ideally, this also frees people to have more open conversations based on respect and understanding. Contributors can also share their favourite ‘hacks’ to living in a neurotypical world. I hope to share what I have learned and how giving this voice has not only benefited those listening but more so those who have the chance to speak.

ABSTRACT. In 2024, Gen-AI literacy was formally embedded into the Level 3 Neuroscience curriculum through targeted teaching and assessment redesign. To support students in developing informed, responsible, and practical skills in using Gen-AI, the course now begins with a dedicated lecture introducing the principles of artificial intelligence, its mechanisms, and key challenges including ethical considerations, inaccuracies, and hallucinations. Building on this foundation, an existing assessment (a student-written blog based on a neuroscience article) was re designed to explicitly incorporate Gen-AI. Because the original task could be readily completed using AI tools, the revised assessment requires students to generate the blog using Copilot via a prescribed, intentionally imperfect prompt, and then critically evaluate the AI produced output. In this talk, I will reflect on key ethical issues, including the environmental impact of generative AI and how to support students who may object to the assessment for these reasons. The shift in assessment design also raises an important question: are we genuinely reducing the potential for AI misuse, or simply moving it to the critique stage of the task? Informal feedback from students indicated that they particularly valued being asked to offer their own personal viewpoint on a piece of work, helping them develop confidence and a stronger sense of ownership in their learning. Overall, this case illustrates how assessment innovation can integrate Gen-AI in a way that strengthens critical thinking, confidence and promotes ethical awareness.

ABSTRACT. The relative advantages of summative and formative assessment for learning are complex and nuanced. This paper outlines how learning is affected by the different modes of operation. In this paper, the differences are explored in a Team-Based Learning (TBL) context, where students prepare for class and then are tested both individually and as a group in a two-step process. Summative tests provide extrinsic motivation (although still relatively low stakes), encouraging attendance and participation. Formative tests lower student anxiety, promoting a growth mindset.

The research data are drawn from a common cohort of students, enrolled in two courses simultaneously, one course with summative in-class tests, the other with formative. Both quantitative (test results) and qualitative (focus group) data are gathered. Data from two years are gathered, with the first year using rotating (not permanent) teams for one class, allowing an additional factor to be investigated.

The quantitative findings suggest that assessment mode does not dissuade students from pre- learning, although focus groups suggest the nature of engagement can differ, with students spending longer on preparing for summative RATS, while formative RAT preparation was less stressful.

Students felt higher levels of accountability towards their teams during summative RATS, while in formative RATs, they reported more experimentation and risk-taking. Use of rotating (non-permanent) teams also reduced engagement and accountability.

Overall, the study shows that summative RATs may increase the level of preparation of students and lead to higher grades, but formative RATs increase risk-taking, discussion and provide good learning outcomes. In both cases, engagement is improved by a more stable (longer-lived) team composition.

ABSTRACT. We will describe our Masters programme’s move to transform feedback into a compassionate process that prioritises empathy and student well-being while maintaining academic rigor. Misconceptions can hinder this shift, with some assuming compassion means lowering standards. In fact, research in educational psychology shows that feedback grounded in Self-Determination Theory, supporting autonomy and competence, and Self-Compassion fosters motivation, belonging, and resilience, enhancing learning outcomes without compromising quality. These approaches also play a critical role in supporting student mental health, reducing anxiety associated with assessment, and promoting a sense of psychological safety. This aligns with our ambition to ensure that teaching, learning, and assessment practices are informed by developments in pedagogy and best practice.

ABSTRACT. This presentation introduces a structured clinical reflection and feedforward framework designed to enhance learner development, self-regulation, and reflective competence within Higher Education supervision contexts. The model is theoretically grounded in metacognitive learning theory, social cognitive perspectives on self-regulation, and established reflective practice models, particularly Gibbs’ reflective cycle. The approach provides explicit scaffolding to support novice Allied Health Profession students whose emerging clinical reasoning benefits from structured opportunities to plan, monitor, and evaluate their decision making. The framework consists of sequenced reflective layers addressing learning intentions and clinical rationale; analysis of personal performance, interactional skills, and feedback use; and reflection on client engagement, progress, and evidence informed decision making. An explicit feedforward component requires students to translate supervisory discussion into concrete, actionable strategies for subsequent sessions, supporting progressive autonomy across placements. This contribution aligns with the ESLTIS theme Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Practice by presenting a theoretically informed pedagogical innovation currently being implemented and prepared for formal evaluation. Drawing on early practice insights, the session will outline how the model strengthens students’ clarity of intention, metacognitive awareness, and capacity for self-monitoring. The model offers practitioners a replicable and adaptable tool for embedded reflective supervision. The approach demonstrates how structured, theory aligned reflection can enhance learner self-perception of clinical competence, confidence, and preparedness for future clinical practice.

ABSTRACT. Our study explores Self-Worth Protection Strategies as methods adopted by students to manage the emotional and motivational strain of possible failure while at university. We explore the mechanisms underlying these strategies and the impact of these strategies on the student experience. Examples of Self-Worth Protection Strategies include procrastination, defensive expectations and setting unattainable goals. We are particularly interested in whether specific cohorts of students disproportionately use Self-Worth Protection Strategies compared to their peers. To this end, we have collected questionnaire data from 231 undergraduate students studying in the UK. In addition to data relating to their use of various Self-Worth Protection Strategies, we have also collected data on the following variables: self-efficacy, identity, social mobility, wellbeing, anxiety, support networks, and students’ expectations about the benefits of attending university. Findings suggest that more students are using defensive expectations (e.g., lowering their self-expectation to manage potential anxiety) than has been found previously. In contrast, less students are using self-handicapping (e.g., procrastination) than anticipated. Results will be discussed with respect to student demographics including subject discipline, gender, age and family support (including first in family). This study begins a body of work that aims to develop interventions and teaching strategies to better support students who use Self-Worth Protection Strategies. This important research aligns particularly well with the conference’s theme of ‘Supporting Student Success, Belonging, and Inclusion’; especially because literature suggests that students who attend university through widening participation routes are more likely to engage in Self-Worth Protection Strategies.

ABSTRACT. Context This project explores the introduction of student-produced podcasts as an alternative assessment method for the Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP), focused on inclusive teaching practice. This replaced the previous written assessment, an Associate Fellowship application, which, for many participants, was duplicative of work for a previous programme. The redesigned assessment mode aimed to model diverse assessment strategies by promoting authentic, dialogic engagement with theory and practice.

Intervention Students were able to decide who they wanted to do the podcast with and were given clear guidance to ensure they both had an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge. Microsoft Teams was selected as the recording platform to minimise technical barriers and ensure accessibility for busy teaching staff unfamiliar with audio production tools. More importantly, I wanted them to focus on the content of the Podcast rather than worrying about the production. Staff are very familiar with Teams, which enabled everyone to manage the recording and upload their Podcast without any issues.

Findings The Podcast assessment was highly successful, achieving a 100% success rate. Marking Podcasts felt less onerous than written submissions; I could hear students' enthusiasm and noticed imaginative touches, such as added music. Most students used a conversational style, fostering meaningful peer learning and collaborative knowledge construction.

An informal evaluation, conducted via Microsoft Forms, indicated that students strongly found the assessment to be a positive experience. They valued the innovative approach, reporting that it enhanced their learning through the use of dialogue, and expressed interest in integrating podcasting into their own teaching.

During the assessment of the podcasts, it became evident that this method provided a valuable learning experience, as students appeared to develop their understanding while discussing their pedagogical practice.

Implications Challenges included the time commitments required for collaborative recording and concerns by students for whom English is an additional language. However, the provision of required transcripts addressed issues of clarity. Neurodiverse students found the task accessible due to the flexibility both in partner choice and recording format.

Overall, podcasting proved to be an effective, inclusive, and engaging assessment method that fostered authentic reflection, peer learning, and a deeper engagement with pedagogical concepts. The experience also resulted in a more enjoyable and insightful marking process, allowing the assessor to hear students’ voices, literally as they articulated their developing practice. This project demonstrates the value of audio based assessments in professional learning contexts.

It can be stated that this represented the most positive marking experience of my teaching career. Most importantly, students benefited from engaging with one another’s perspectives.

ABSTRACT. Collaborative working can be one of the great joys of an academic career, building relationships whilst leading to exciting outcomes. However, it can be difficult to balance the perspectives and preferences of a diverse staff and student population, especially given the constraints of this challenging period for the sector. At the University of Sheffield, a merger of three departments into a single School of Biosciences in 2021, along with institution-level changes, has given us new opportunities to work together as we develop our community and make fundamental changes to our curriculum.

In this workshop we will share the ways in which we have worked with staff and students in these processes (including, specifically, changes to our assessments and level 3 capstone projects), and interrogate aspects that have been more and less successful. We will then invite colleagues to reflect on collaborative working using simple, guided role-play scenarios and group discussions. Participants will be able to share their own experiences and strategies for successful collaboration.

ABSTRACT. All Biosciences students at the University of Sheffield complete a 40 credit Capstone project module, which comprises 1/3rd of their academic final year studies. We offer a range of different project types, supporting students into a broad range of future careers, e.g. laboratory, fieldwork, big data analysis, clinical, science communication and education projects. However, irrespective of which project they complete, all students must reflect on the following with respect to their specific project: 1. Ethics. 2. Risk assessment. 3. Environmental considerations. This reflection is needed to ensure students fulfil the learning outcomes of the module, and also meet the accreditation requirements for the Royal Society of Biology. However, we also recognise the critical importance of students considering these issues and developing a reflective skill set for their future careers.

As module lead, I recognised that some students might struggle to complete this reflection, as they might not find it easy to identify some specific aspects to discuss. While I provide support and guidance on the Professional Skills section of the virtual learning environment page for the module, and a detailed assessment brief, we know that students feel supported by doing activities directly related to the assessment they are completing. I therefore took an approach that embedded a teamwork brainstorming activity into one of their group tutorials. Importantly, in that session students documented their ideas, adding information to a team Google document. This was then shared with me as module lead, and compiled into a database of ideas, which were shared with students. This co-creation approach to learning and supporting students has been positively received by the students, particularly as it is a co-creation approach that allows peer to peer support. In my presentation I will explore this approach, highlighting how it was implemented and integrated into wider support for students on what is a key component of their final year studies.

ABSTRACT. In a context of sustained disruption in higher education, including increasing diversity in student preparedness, evolving expectations around feedback and support, and intensified pressure on assessment and progression, core modules that are both compulsory and complex become critical sites where these challenges are amplified. In STEM disciplines in particular, laboratory-based modules combine cognitive demand with tacit practices, coordination across teaching teams and high-stakes assessment, making them especially sensitive to inconsistency and hidden barriers.

This paper presents a scholarship-informed case study of the redesign of a second-year undergraduate Physics Laboratory Skills module and argues that meaningful and sustainable improvement in such contexts depends not only on curriculum revision, but on the deliberate reconfiguration of the wider teaching system. The intervention addressed long-standing patterns of dissatisfaction, anxiety and perceived inconsistency through a three-strand model: inclusive redesign of content, guidance and assessment; structured development and calibration of the teaching team; and systematic integration of student voice through iterative feedback loops and responsive adjustment.

Drawing on inclusive pedagogy, constructive alignment and scholarship on student belonging, the paper reframes core-complex modules not as inherently problematic, but as pedagogically under-specified environments in which disruption becomes most visible. By strengthening coherence across module design, staff practice and feedback processes, the approach supported more consistent and compassionate learning conditions, improved students’ sense of belonging and confidence, and contributed to more sustainable and collaborative teaching practices.

Although grounded in a physics case, the paper proposes the concept of the core-complex module as a transferable analytical and practical lens for redesigning high-risk points in the student journey. It offers an adaptable, evidence-informed framework for educators seeking to support student success and inclusive learning communities while sustaining teaching teams in complex and rapidly changing contexts.

ABSTRACT. Expanding student cohorts and shifting educational landscapes present particular complexities for engineering educators, particularly when delivering high-quality collaborative projects. As class sizes grow, teaching staff face the ongoing challenge of safeguarding student learning and skill development while simultaneously finding ways to support one another through these structural shifts.

This 15-minute talk introduces The Large Group Work in Engineering Handbook, an online resource designed to equip educators with guidance, support, and discussion frameworks for managing large-scale group work. Rooted in pedagogical inquiry and reflective practice, the handbook synthesizes three key areas: the author’s personal experiences delivering group work within aerospace engineering; qualitative interviews with cross-disciplinary engineering teachers; and analysis of wider educational literature.

The presentation will provide an overview of the handbook's creation, summarizing key findings regarding the specific hurdles of scaling up cohort size and making practical, evidence-based recommendations. This talk frames the handbook not as a static manual, but as an ongoing, evolving project designed to foster continuous discussion among educators about the issues raised. Attendees will leave equipped with actionable strategies to maintain academic rigor, alongside an invitation to join a broader, collaborative dialogue on navigating the demands of contemporary engineering education.

ABSTRACT. This session introduces a co-designed classroom experiment with Foundation Year psychology students, aligning inclusive pedagogies, assessment design, and staff-student partnership. Students co-designed and participated in a within-subjects crossover study examining whether removing smartphone access during class affected engagement and knowledge retention. Each student experienced both conditions across two weeks. An AI-supported data analysis workflow was shared to introduce AI and data literacy. Students then used the analysed dataset to produce an assessed report in the style of an academic article to interpret, contextualise, and critically evaluate the methods and findings of the experiment.

The project included an element of metacognition: students investigated their own engagement and relationship to smartphones. Many reported increased engagement without smartphones, an observation reflected in the final results.Conducting an experiment without a predetermined outcome modelled real-world research and positioned students as active contributors to knowledge, fostering a sense of belonging within a community of learning. A mixture of expected and unexpected results enabled multiple evidence-based interpretations and showed that there is not always a single, “right” answer. Reflections on design choices, student response, and implications for participatory teaching will be shared.

ABSTRACT. In this interactive workshop, Rose and Julie will explore how scholarship can be conceptualised through types of scholarship activities. They will lead us in considering how scholarship identities can be developed and enhanced using the Description of Activities Related to Scholarship of Higher Education (DARSHE) framework.

The DARSHE takes a broad and inclusive approach to scholarship, providing education-focused colleagues with a tool that they can use to turn teaching into scholarly outputs and to raise scholarly profiles. This informal workshop will begin with a short introductory presentation followed by guided individual and group work using the DARSHE framework to explore our strengths and areas for development in scholarship. We will conclude with whole-group feedback and discussion.

The workshop aligns to the conference theme of Academic Identities and Professional Sustainability, focusing on how to support staff in teaching-focused careers and to enable these staff to gain recognition and reward for their work.

Gann, R.J. and Hulme, J.A. 2025. Scholarship reimagined: creating the DARSHE, an inclusive and flexible framework for developing scholarship in higher education. Higher Education

ABSTRACT. Addressing the challenges that Professional Service (PS) colleagues can face in attaining Advance HE recognition, this presentation presents the initiatives undertaken at Manchester Metropolitan University to address this challenge. The paper outlines the approach used to raise awareness and demystify the process of Advance HE recognition. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be shared indicating the success and impact of the initiative, offering food for thought in how institutions encourage and engage PS staff to attain recognition. Using service data from the last five academic years, and research data gathered from a two-year institution-wide project into experiences of gaining Fellowship, this paper will reflect upon a dramatic increase in the number of colleagues from PS gaining Advance HE recognition. Firstly, the paper will outline the steps we have taken to challenge hidden biases and assumptions that previously favoured colleagues in academic roles. Secondly, the paper will detail a cohort approach to supporting whole areas of PS in these goals. Finally, the paper will document the headline figures around the growth of our PS colleagues gaining AdvanceHE Recognition. Across the past four academic years, approximately 37% of all awarded Fellowships (across all categories) have been to colleagues in PS roles. Data also reveals an evolution across the past four years where PS colleagues seeking Advance HE recognition have shifted from predominantly applying for Associate Fellowship to a more even spread across all categories of Fellowship in 2024/25. By sharing the approaches taken and research into the experience of PS colleagues, it is hoped that colleagues in PS roles and colleagues with responsibilities for supporting PS colleagues to achieve recognition of their teaching and learning practice can take some of the lessons learnt and apply them to their own work.

ABSTRACT. Technological University Dublin serves nearly 28,000 students across five different campuses in the greater Dublin area. Within its five faculties, the university offers a range of programmes to part-time and full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students. The university has an active Learning, Teaching and Assessment team, whose remit is to support staff, in particular, lecturing staff to develop and enhance practices in learning, teaching and assessment. Recognising that student success goes beyond academic achievement, and encompasses a holistic view of success at university, as part of a programmatic redesign of the institution’s Masters in Higher Education Practice, a new micro-credential for staff titled Supporting Student Success was designed in 2025. The micro-credential will be offered to staff for the first time in May 2026. This professional development opportunity is available to academic and professional services staff members and syllabus topics include definitions of student success, transitions, the role of extra-curricular activities, staff members’ roles in supporting a sense of belonging, the diversity of the institution’s students and supports available at the institution. A key aim of the micro-credential is to help participants to make connections with other staff members engaging with the micro-credential. During this presentation, the micro-credential’s coordinator, will share the design of the module along with insights, lessons learned, and initial feedback from this first iteration of the initiative.

ABSTRACT. This presentation introduces the ‘Scholarship Café’ as a vehicle through which teaching-focused colleagues may shape their professional identities, share practices that streamline workloads, and cascade innovations that can be replicated sustainably.

The Scholarship Café was built in response to teaching-focused staff’s perceptions of a lack of pathways for professional advancement. Our contracts focus on ‘scholarship’, yet teaching-focused staff reported that the contours of this term were not fully understood and appeared to differ amongst managers. Colleagues also felt that they lacked the collegial spaces that were common in supporting staff employed on research contracts.

This talk will detail the response to this problem. It begins with a description of the role of Director for Scholarship. This role coordinates the school’s scholarship by identifying how scholarship will be understood in the school, provides strategy, and creates spaces for colleagues to discuss their professional development. The first task was to identify the school’s understanding of scholarship, curate themes underpinning the activity taking place in the school and establish networks through which colleagues could cascade their scholarship.

Key to the technique is the ‘Scholarship Café’. This is an informal environment where staff may convene discussion topics, ask for collaboration and mentorship, or present innovations in any area of scholarship-related activity. Outputs of the Scholarship Café has resulted in an increased number of successful applications for fellowships, greater scholarship outputs, and the creation of scholarship plans.

ABSTRACT. Newcastle University School of Dental Sciences and Indiana University School of Dentistry, USA, offer a unique reciprocal undergraduate educational exchange programme. The programme involves preparatory online seminars comparing the different locations, cultures and healthcare systems. Students are offered a 10-day exchange visit to the partner institution. Students can also participate solely as hosts in recognition of the financial burden of international travel. Visiting students observe student clinics, undertake outreach activities and experience the host city. This presentation will use student feedback to demonstrate the innovative features of this transatlantic collaboration, such as preparatory online teaching and healthcare system comparisons, with the emphasis on student-led activities. Feedback from students participating in the programme was collated to understand the benefits to students and the impact on preparedness for clinical training and future careers. Feedback revealed the bi-directional benefits of participating in this transatlantic collaboration. For example, as well as gaining an understanding of healthcare systems in the host country, Indiana students felt that their visit to Newcastle increased their knowledge and confidence going into clinical training in their home country, in addition to benefitting from observation of patient interactions. Both Newcastle and Indiana students reported how their communication skills developed. Establishing connections with future international healthcare providers was another benefit, and feedback suggested that this transatlantic exchange programme enlivened the educational environment for all. Student feedback demonstrated the impact of this programme in developing connections and partnerships and developing professional identity and preparedness for future careers in global dental care.

ABSTRACT. While much of the sector initially focused on categorising assessments by 'levels of AI use' - reflecting a necessary first step in policy development - the University of Sheffield is transitioning towards a different paradigm. We share our experience in developing the Sheffield Common Approach: a model designed to de-centre the technology and re-centre disciplinary scholarship, student agency and the development of critical thinkers. Rather than categorising assessments primarily by their relationship to Generative AI (GenAI), we focus on centring good assessment design. Here, the emphasis remains on authentic human authorship within a modern information environment, where tools are available but the scholarly process remains the student's own. This is balanced by AI-Free environments, used only when essential to a particular assessment goal, and AI-Required tasks designed to build professional-level GenAI literacy through engagement with tools and/or ethical debates. Our approach prioritises ‘harmonisation, not homogenisation,’ viewing AI as an enhancement of, rather than a replacement for, academic expertise. Through central scaffolding provided by the Elevate team - including a Disciplinary AI Activity Menu - we aim to support staff in designing assessments that challenge students to harness technology in addressing complex, ‘wicked problems.’ We want our graduates to lead technological change, rather than being led by it. We reflect on the practicalities of our phased 2026–2028 rollout, including ensuring equity via institutional Google Gemini, and supporting ethical objectors through evaluative, rather than generative, tasks. Attendees will leave with a transferable, SoTL-aligned model for turning disruption into a structured opportunity for curriculum renewal, that strengthens the core human purposes of a research-led education.

ABSTRACT. Most debates about generative AI in higher education focus on what it produces, essays, questions of integrity, institutional policy. This presentation starts somewhere slightly different: what AI absorbs - the hesitation, rehearsal and private negotiation of uncertainty through which students and educators develop judgement.

That reorientation matters because judgement is not only cognitive. It develops through the emotional and relational work of remaining with uncertainty long enough for thinking to clarify. Students and educators are increasingly offloading parts of that labour to AI in ways that are often experienced but rarely acknowledged within institutions. The question then becomes not simply whether AI is used, but how this redistribution changes the geography of thought.

This question becomes particularly visible in transnational and distributed programmes, where the practical work of learning and teaching already unfolds across campuses, time zones and academic cultures. Because these environments involve many moving parts - multiple educators, platforms, institutional expectations and local contexts - even small changes in where thinking work takes place become more noticeable. AI does not introduce distributed cognition to these environments; it adds a new node to networks that were already complex.

Drawing on a structured questionnaire exploring patterns of AI use among UK and TNE students and staff across ten partner institutions spanning Europe, the UAE and South-East Asia, this presentation maps the different ways AI is absorbing the labour of learning and teaching across academic practice. It also offers a way of recognising how students and educators move between different ways of working with AI and how awareness of learning and judgement shifts when AI becomes part of the thinking process.

Good judgement in AI-mediated environments depends on careful attention to where thinking work now unfolds and how AI enters that process. Judgement develops through the work of uncertainty, difficulty and dialogue, and AI does not replace those conditions - it interacts with them. For educators working across distributed transnational programmes, that attention is already part of the everyday work of teaching.

ABSTRACT. Artificial intelligence is transforming the role of mathematics and computation within engineering education, challenging longstanding assumptions about what students need to learn, when, and why. Traditional barriers—such as technical coding proficiency or manual symbolic manipulation—are increasingly removed by AI and modern computational tools. Yet this shift exposes deeper challenges: students can produce answers without understanding the underlying concepts, often lacking the critical judgement required to assess whether AI‑generated solutions are meaningful, valid, or appropriate for the engineering context. This paper argues for repurposing mathematics and computation curricula toward application, interpretation, and problem‑formulation skills, supported by contextualised engineering scenarios and structured critique of AI outputs. We discuss approaches that balance foundational manual skills with modern computational fluency, integrate AI literacy, and strengthen student partnership and feedback mechanisms. The goal is to develop engineers who can work effectively with AI while maintaining the conceptual insight required for responsible practice, using teaching strategies that treat AI as a support, not a substitute, for reasoning.

ABSTRACT. The presentation aligns with the theme ‘Teaching and Learning in an Age of AI Possibilities and Disruptions’ drawing on a reflective overview of how GenAI was critiqued and analysed within a Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability module on an undergraduate Business and Management programme. Findings and reflections from the module and method of assessment will be shared with participants. In age of AI possibilities and disruptions, students were first challenged to utilise GenAI to provide a succinct overview on the advantages and disadvantages of GenAI for corporations and the ethical challenge of balancing profit and social responsibility. In the first part of their summative assessment, students were asked to critically evaluate the threat to humanity posed by GenAI and its negative impact on social, environmental and economic issues and discuss the implications for business. In the second part, students were asked to critique the first section and evaluate potential bias and assumptions before extending their essay further to consider an alternative economic paradigm. The use of GenAI was not permitted in Part B. In the final section, students reflected on their learning from the module and the assessment, and this provided insight on their perceptions of GenAI both prior to the module and how through learning more about the ‘good, bad and ugly’ aspects of GenAI, they felt more informed about the opportunities it provides whilst being mindful of wider implications and limitations. Student reflected on the possibilities it provides whilst recognising the disruptions to the graduate labour market, inequality and environmental impact drawing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout. The presentation will comprise: •Overview of the module and method of assessment. •Reflections on the challenges of incorporating GenAI within the method of assessment and using LLMs to critique itself in terms of possibilities and disruptions relative to the SDGs. •Student reflections and feedback on their perceptions of GenAI.

ABSTRACT. Large, diverse cohorts and the rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping engineering education, creating new challenges for how student learning, engagement, and development are supported. This paper presents a practice-based Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) study drawing on longitudinal reflections from a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) involved in three consecutive iterations of an MSc engineering design module ( 1st cohort ≈ 240, 2nd cohort ≈ 85, and 3rd cohort ≈ 50 students). The module centres on an open-ended group design project requiring problem definition, stakeholder consideration, and professional judgement. Thematic analysis of GTA observations revealed recurring challenges, including difficulty initiating tasks under uncertainty, gaps in information literacy, participation barriers in linguistically and culturally diverse groups, inconsistent teamwork, and variable, sometimes uncritical, use of generative AI tools. Rather than treating these as isolated student deficits, the study traces how they informed iterative redesign of the module. Across successive deliveries, targeted interventions were introduced, including structured entry points, sample answers, formative assessment, clearer role definition, and explicit guidance on critically engaging with AI-generated outputs. These changes improved student engagement while preserving the open-ended and authentic nature of the task. The paper argues that many of the challenges associated with AI use, diversity, and open-ended learning are not problems to be removed, but conditions to be designed for. It demonstrates that structured support is not in tension with autonomy, but a prerequisite for it, particularly in diverse, AI-rich learning environments. By foregrounding iterative, practice-based refinement, the study positions SoTL as a practical mechanism for responding to ongoing pedagogical disruption and offers transferable design principles for educators working in similar contexts, including how to scaffold open-ended tasks, structure teamwork, and support critical AI use.

ABSTRACT. Across higher education, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT are reshaping how students learn and develop academic and professional skills. While much current discourse focuses on disruption, less is known about which aspects of learning remain most relevant after graduation. This study addresses this gap by examining graduates’ retrospective evaluations of a core MSc module, Programming and Systems Development (ProgSD), and its perceived alignment with their current work or further study.

Using a mixed-methods survey of 100 MSc graduates across multiple cohorts, the study investigates how teamwork, technical skills, and AI-related attitudes relate to perceived degree alignment. Quantitative analyses included correlation and regression modelling, complemented by qualitative thematic analysis to contextualise findings.

Results reveal a clear divergence across domains. AI-related variables (e.g., policy support, fairness, perceived benefit) were strongly interrelated, and AI use was widespread (M = 7.84), yet these factors showed weak or non-significant relationships with perceived alignment. Technical skills similarly demonstrated limited and inconsistent associations. In contrast, teamwork-related learning showed consistent, moderate relationships with alignment (r = .41–.50, p < .001) and with course usefulness, and emerged as the only significant predictor of alignment in regression analysis.

These findings suggest that, despite rapid technological change, collaborative and socially embedded learning experiences remain central to graduates’ perceptions of educational relevance. The study contributes a graduate-centred perspective to discussions of teaching and learning in an AI-driven context, highlighting the enduring importance of teamwork alongside the complementary, rather than transformative, role of AI in shaping long-term outcomes.

ABSTRACT. This paper will share a teaching activity that has evolved in unexpected directions, evaluating its potential utility and impact as a learning tool. Initially used for a Lifelong Learning taster session at Sheffield, ‘On This Day’ has developed into a collaborative seminar incorporated into a Foundation Degree Humanities module, then subsequently deployed as a teaching activity in other institutions and settings, from an undergraduate cohort at the Royal Northern College of Music to an interdisciplinary Open University module about Revolutions. Students are invited to search for events that happened on the date of the session at different points in history, selecting one example that they found ‘interesting’ to share with the group. Tutors do the same activity alongside students. We then collectively evaluate what we have found interesting and why, before expanding the discussion to investigate where we found our examples, how the platforms and search tools we used influenced our choices, and in what ways biases inherent in the system(s) impact our decisions. The default source used by students has over the past year shifted from online databases to AI responses, exposing a new set of possibilities and challenges that continue to evolve at a speed it is impossible to keep on top of. This activity has proven to be particularly valuable as an accessible and adaptable seminar that embraces the unknown and the unexpected. It is a low-stakes and inclusive activity, which appears to effectively increase the readiness of students (and me) to discuss and debate the high-stakes online world HE teaching and learning finds itself in (evidenced by module feedback and declared student use of AI in formal Humanities assessments, in addition to classroom observations). Furthermore, as well as being a useful activity in its own right, approaching the challenge of AI through a multi-institutional multi-disciplinary tutor-student Humanities collaboration turns out to be an interesting confrontation that effectively disrupts and challenges AI at the same time as making use of it.

ABSTRACT. This presentation explores the use of AI avatars as a tool for exam preparation in advanced foreign language learning, specifically targeting the German Proficient (C2) exam. The German Proficient module is the language module that students take during their final year of studying at the University of Sheffield (Bachelor's degree). They have an oral exam at the end of each semester. The C2 exam simulates real-world professional contexts, requiring students not only to demonstrate linguistic mastery but also to navigate complex interpersonal and professional interactions. To support my students’ preparation, I implemented AI-driven avatars to simulate job interview scenarios, allowing learners to practice speaking, comprehension, and situational problem-solving in a low-stakes, interactive environment.

The presentation will detail the methodology I employed to ensure responsible and effective use of AI avatars. This includes designing structured practice sessions, guiding students on ethical use of AI, monitoring interaction quality, and providing feedback aligned with exam objectives. In the presentation, I also situate this intervention within established language learning theories, specifically Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), which emphasises authentic conversation as a driver of proficiency development, and Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), as the simulated job interview represents a meaningful, real-world task aligned with C2 exam requirements. I will share a step-by-step framework that instructors can replicate, including prompts, role-play scenarios, and strategies for integrating AI practice into broader language instruction.

Additionally, I will present quantitative data from student surveys evaluating their experience with AI avatars. Results indicate a high level of engagement, increased confidence in speaking tasks, and positive perceptions of AI as a complementary learning tool. These findings suggest that AI avatars can provide meaningful practice opportunities for high-stakes oral examinations while fostering autonomous learning and critical reflection on technology-mediated communication.