Following on from the Society for Research into Higher Education's excellent Landscapes of Learning for Unknown Futures symposia series, University of Teesside's Professor Sam Elkington shares some fascinating insights from the symposia series as well as his own take on the largely unexplored phenomenon that is learning spaces. Sam delves into critical questions on the role of space in learning, spatial considerations when designing instruction, the role and impact of digital technologies on space, and how we might better support colleagues to develop their spatial literacies in education contexts. This is a brilliant episode! Sam Elkington is Professor of Learning and Teaching at Teesside University where he leads on the University’s learning and teaching enhancement portfolio. Sam is a PFHEA and National Teaching Fellow (NTF, 2021). He has worked in Higher Education for over 15 years and has extensive experience working across teaching, research and academic leadership and policy domains. Most recently Sam worked for Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) where he was national lead for Assessment and Feedback and Flexible Learning in Higher Education. Sam is also an executive committee member and pedagogic research lead for the Association of National Teaching Fellows.      Sam’s most recent book (with Professor Alastair Irons) explores contemporary themes in formative assessment and feedback in higher education: Irons and Elkington (2021). Enhancing learning through formative assessment and feedback. London: Routledge.  

In this brilliant episode, Steve Nordmark talks to us about the possibilities for learning, teaching and assessment through the leveraging of AI. Steve gives us a brief history of AI applications in education, before providing some great insights into how learning and teaching could be further shaped by AI both now and in the future. Steve provides a critical balance between the pros and cons of AI applications in educational contexts. This is a must listen for all educators. Formerly of CAST, the world's leading UDL organisation, Steve Nordmark is the founder of Learning Community Insight, an organisation that supports the intelligent and intentional leveraging of technology to increase the effectiveness of teachers and maximize the personalization of learning for learners.

In this fascinating episode, we're talking student attendance in higher education with Tom Lowe. Tom explores the current attendance picture in higher education and delves into some of the possible reasons underpinning poor or non-attendance in UK universities. Tom goes on to discuss whether attendance is still a valid proxy of engagement, and elaborates on how measures of engagement may need to change in the coming years. Finally Tom provides some important insights on encouraging attendance, but ensuring learning is still accessible and inclusive. This is a fabulous episode. Tom is a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education at the University of Portsmouth, where his research includes student engagement in development of education, embedding employability into the curriculum and belonging. Prior to Portsmouth, Tom was the Head of Student Engagement and Employability at the University of Winchester where he led the University’s student development, internationalisation and extra-curricular opportunities, staffing and strategies. Tom was also the programme leader for the MA in Student Engagement in Higher Education at Winchester, and has served on the RAISE Committee in various roles for over eight years. Tom is experienced in the practicalities surrounding student engagement in quality assurance, learning and teaching, University governance and Students' Unions, as well as student involvement in extra-curricular activities and overcoming barriers to student success through inclusive practice.

In this fabulous vodcast, we talk to Dyslexia Handled's Dr Ivan Newman about how best to support learners with dyslexia in a higher education context. Ivan provides some clear and critical information relating to the barriers and subsequent challenges learners with dyslexia face in HE. Ivan then goes on to provide some excellent and innovative tips, advice and guidance on how we can practically support learners with dyslexia in their academic studies. This is a must see / listen for all educators.

In this fabulous episode, Dr Petia Petrova talks to us about academia, stress, burnout and wellbeing. Petia discusses the nature of academia and its propensity to cause stress, as well as the possibility for burnout. Petia also discusses the processing of stress, various coping mechanisms that may support academic colleagues to manage their emotions and subsequent stress responses more effectively, as well as many other fascinating insights gained from her own experiences as an academic and from her own Serious Leisure Podcast. podcast . This is a fantastic episode! Enjoy! Dr Petia Petrova is Associate Director of Academic Practice at the University of the West of England - Bristol. Petia has worked in HE for 20 years, much of her work has involved leading and working on a range of institution-wide change initiatives. In the last 10 years of her career, Petia’s focus has been the development and support of early career, as well as experienced academics. At UWE, Petia has created three staff CPD programmes: Programme and Module Leader Development, Introduction to Teaching and Learning in HE, and Improvisation Skills for Teaching. In 2020, in response to the pandemic, and recognising the important role hobbies can play in recovering from trauma and stress, Petia launched the Serious Leisure podcast with Kat Branch and Sam Elkington. In this episode Petia shares reflections from her own career in HE, her work as an educational developer, and as a host of the Serious Leisure Podcast.

In this episode I provide a short preview of my new book, Delivering Inclusive & Impactful Instruction: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. In the preview I explain what the book is about, who it's for and why I wrote it. You can purchase the book direct from CAST Professional Publishing here or through online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop. Enjoy the preview!

In this great episode, Buckinghamshire New University's Rebecca Rochon and Matthew Smith discuss reflection as a tool for learning in Higher Education. Specifically, Rebecca and Matthew discuss how lessons from positive psychology can support the reflective process through the SELF model. This is a fascinating discussion that anyone involved in supporting student learning in an HE setting should not miss. Rebecca Rochon is an Associate Professor at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) and Lead for the Impact Centre for the Advancement of Learning. She teaches postgraduate education programmes, and her work spans across different sectors of education including FE, practice education and initial teacher training. Rebecca’s research interests include how affect can be embedded into learning and teaching, and ways that we can meaningfully integrate positive psychology into learning opportunities, particularly through reflection using the SELF model. Matthew Smith is an Associate Professor and founding member of the Centre for Positive Psychology at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU), having co-developed the MSc Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at BNU since 2012. He is currently course leader for the MSc Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education. His research interests span positive psychology, applied social psychology, and exceptional human experience.

In this fascinating episode, De Montfort University's Amal Abuzeinab discusses her approach to supporting the student PhD journey using the PERMA approach. The PERMA Model represents the five core elements of happiness and well-being. PERMA stands for Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments and is a positive psychology model of human flourishing. Amal tells us how she has skillfully woven PERMA into her approach to PhD supervision, supporting her learners to "flourish" as well as be successful with their studies. This is a fascinating episode that any colleague supporting student learning can learn from. Enjoy! Dr Amal Abuzeinab is a senior lecturer and the Institute Head of Research Students (IHRS), Institute of Architecture, De Montfort University. Amal is currently supervising 3 PhD students, supervised 4 PhD students successfully to completion, and examined 4 PhD students. She served as the Co-Faculty Head of Research Students (FHRS) for the faculty of Arts, Design, and Humanities between 2017-2020. Amal created toolkits to build capacities of both PhD students and supervisors including: PhD supervision mentoring toolkit; PhD completion 7 principles; and checklist for writing for publications.

In this fascinating 7th instalment of our Mental Health & Wellbeing series, Lewis Stockwell from the University of Hertfordshire shares his story of being an academic with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Lewis provides us with a clear definition of CFS and its key symptoms, explaining what it is like to work in the academic environment with a life-limiting condition. Lewis also goes on to discuss the pressures of the academic environment more generally, explaining how the role of an academic is intimately tied to their identity, meaning that "switching off" can be difficult, causing potential wellbeing concerns. This is a wonderful listen, with so many important insights. Enjoy! Lewis Stockwell is principal lecturer in education at the University of Hertfordshire, working at the University 10 years in academic education and more recently outdoor environmental education.  He is programme leader for the postgraduate provision in outdoor environment education, and his areas of interest include social justice pedagogies, environmental justice, environmental aesthetics and outdoor experiential learning. Lewis is currently undertaking his PhD at a university in Scotland on aesthetic educational canoe journeying. Lewis has been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since 2018; he is also neurodivergent and advocates for greater inclusion in higher education teaching and learning for students and staff.  

In this episode, Buckinghamshire New University's Jonathan Devine talks to us about his research investigating the experiences of students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NdDs) in clinical healthcare settings. Jon defines Neurodevelopmental Disorders and discusses their prevalence in UK higher education. Jon then goes on to discuss his research and its outcomes, providing some important insights into how we might support students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders more effectively. This is a fascinating listen. Enjoy! Jonathan Devine is a registered Operating Department Practitioner, who joined Buckinghamshire New University as a senior lecturer in perioperative practice in 2015.  Prior to his move to higher education Jonathan was a team leader for trauma and orthopaedics at an NHS trust within the Thames Valley Region.  Jonathan is in the final stages of completing his master’s in education, he has keen scholarly interests in neurodiversity, mental health and wellbeing.  Jonathan sees himself as a strong advocate for holistic, learner centred approach to teaching and learning.