SEDA research & evaluation small grants – 2018 Grant holders

Grant Holder(s)Project Title & AbstractGrant Status
Catherine Bovill & Dr Catriona CunninghamEvaluation of the Scottish Higher Educational Developers (SHED) inter-institutional peer observation of teaching scheme

View Project Abstract
Complete
Helen King & Dr Kyriaki AnagnostopoulouProfessional Learning of Expert Teachers in Higher Education

View Project Abstract
Complete
Susan Mathieson, Roger Penlington & John Holmes Academic apprenticeship: socially situated workplace learning for early career academics

View Project Abstract
Complete
Agi Ryder & Gillian LazarSpeaking the same language: Developing a language-aware feedback culture

The aim of this project is to explore the barriers multilingual academics face when providing students with feedback. This project builds on the findings of a previous project (Lazar and Ryder, 2017) that explored how educational developers can incorporate a language-aware approach to feedback when working with staff involved in learning and teaching. This was in order to enable staff to make appropriate linguistic choices when providing feedback so that it is more comprehensible and motivational for students.

While this small-scale project was successful in enhancing awareness among staff about the linguistic aspects of feedback, it also raised additional questions about the complexities of providing effective feedback, particularly for staff from a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This current project focuses on exploring these complexities further, especially focusing on areas that many academics struggle with, including the challenges of providing students with feedback when both parties may speak English as a foreign language. The research aims to unpack these issues from both an educational and linguistic point of view in order to identify some examples of best practice and thus aid clear communication and enhance students’ learning.

Reference: ‘Gillian Lazar & Agi Ryder (2017): Speaking the same language: Developing a language-aware feedback culture, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, DOI: 10.1080/14703297.2017.1403940’
Did not complete
Helen Walmsley-Smith & Patrick LynchHelping designers design: Proving learning designs using eDAT and Learning Analytics methods

View Project Abstract
Complete