Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice
Journal Ethos The Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice is an open access publication, including open peer review, which aims to provide a supportive publishing outlet to allow established and particularly new authors to contribute to the scholarly discourse of academic practice (both generally and in their discipline area). This can be acheived through the publication of papers that are theory-based and supported by evidence, as well as through the publication of Opinion Pieces and ‘On the Horizon’ papers on emerging work. The Submissions and Author Guidelines provide further guidance on the thematic areas covered by the journal, and the format for submissions to the journal. In relation to the general ethos of the Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, the journal exists not only for the publication of papers within our thematic scope but also as a collegiate and developmental platform for new authors, those new to journal reviewing, and for scholars who are seeking to gain experience in journal editing and publishing. This developmental ethos manifests itself in a range of activities and opportunities that currently include the following: Direct support for authors who are seeking to publish their first paper in one or more of the thematic areas of the journal, through assigning ‘critical friends’ from within the editorial team who will be happy to advise on the development of initial ideas for the formats of paper we publish. Prospective authors should consult the Submissions and Author Guidelines. Peer support for those new to reviewing The Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice welcomes academics with experience in the thematic areas of the journal, but who are new to the journal submission reviewing process, to become involved as reviewers for the journal. This will include an opportunity to work for an initial period of reviewing with a colleague who is already experienced as a reviewer. Editorial internships The journal will soon be offering editorial internships, normally two a year, for academics who are experienced in the thematic areas of the journal, have some publications of their own and experience as a reviewer, and who wish to develop knowledge and experience on the editorial side of journal publishing. Further information on our first round of editorial internships will be forthcoming. Special issues The Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice welcomes the opportunity to work alongside colleagues in the field to develop Special Issues of the journal dedicated to particular themes or emerging areas of work. Having a good idea for a special issue, and being willing to take on Guest Editor responsibilities for the special issue (with support provided from the regular Editorial Team for the journal), is much more important than prior editing experience.
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Guest Editorial – Designing transition through curriculum: From induction to embedded practice
Papers in this sub-section explore curriculum in the broadest sense: not only module or course content, but the designed learning journey, the hidden curriculum, assessment, induction, disciplinary belonging, skills development, professional identity and co-curricular practices that are aligned with learning. Support for those who teach first year students is an important element of this sub-theme. We are increasingly seeing approaches designed to support first year student success that align with Kift’s (2009) ‘Second Generation FYE Curriculum Principles’: transition, diversity, design, engagement, evaluation and monitoring. Some articles in this part two focus on one or two of these core principles. Important for this theme within the Special issue is also Butcher et al.s’ (2019) model of curriculum, which includes a range of education related opportunities and experiences. He argues for the addition of co- and extra-curricular, as well as the hidden curriculum. Articles here challenge the narrow view of curriculum as content alone, highlighting the significance of relational (between learners, and between learners/educators) aspects and developmental spaces (real and online) that engage learners and academics. Crucially many of the articles remind us too of those people who enable curriculum development and effectiveness beyond taught content, including: professional learning staff, student counsellors, technical staff and student mentors (though see part 1 for other articles about student mentors). Kift spoke about the importance of getting everyone around the table when designing first year programmes and McIntosh and Nutt (2022) argue for the importance of drawing on a range of roles and expertise to support student success. We have already explored (in part 1) the focus on students across some of the papers in this collection, which is where any consideration of supporting student success in a tertiary world should begin, and in this second part of the Special issue students continue to be central to processes, practices and decisions, but the articles here all provide insights into curricula focused activity.
Copyright (c) 2026 William Carey, Nutt Diane http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Welcome to this Special Issue on enabling first year student success in a tertiary world
Welcome to our Special Issue on supporting student success in a tertiary world. The idea emerged from discussions among members of the European First Year Experience (EFYE) Conference Organising Committee following the publication of Carey et al. (2024), which explored how EFYE had evolved from an annual conference series into a cross-role and cross-national development community, and considered its emerging potential as a wider movement for change, and therefore how a Special Issue could support a resource for this growing community.
Copyright (c) 2026 William Carey, Diane Nutt, Luke Millard, Joke Vanhoudt, Peter Szakál http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Guest Editorial – Systems and cultures of first-year success: Evidence, relationships and change
This third part of the Special issue brings together papers where the focus is beyond the curriculum setting (see part two) and while students remain key to the work explored here (see part one), the lens here is wider. This section explores institutional strategies, wider theorising and reflection. We see authors considering systemic changes and broader contextual considerations for supporting first year students in a tertiary world. Initiatives described in this section are focused on changing cultures, they are often university wide, or sometimes across universities. We note that in the wider context of European first-year experience, there are ongoing developments, which are likely to continue to shape university practices and support for student success across European settings. Some papers in this Special Issue (including Van Wiele’s paper in this section) are based on Erasmus + European projects for example, which are now well established. More recently the European University Association (n.d.) has been exploring quality processes, teaching development and other aspects of HE systemic framing around student experience. Our own European First Year Experience Conference, which was the catalyst for this Special Issue, continues to reach more countries and frame ideas and practices in local, institutional, national and European settings. The future of student success in a tertiary world looks bright.
Copyright (c) 2026 Diane Nutt, Millard Luke, William Carey http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Guest editorial - Students experiencing and shaping the first year: Agency, belonging and participation
It is perhaps not surprising that a key theme of this Special Issue is the role and agency of students in first-year experience across Europe. However, the articles in this part encourage us to conceptualise this in ways that are not singular, and not simple. We read of students as prospective entrants, first-year learners, peer leaders, ambassadors, mentors, student employees, co-designers, co-authors, users of digital systems, participants in evaluation, and narrators of their own experience. Drawing on Felten et al.’s (2019) distinction between students as objects, consumers and actors, this section invites us to ask not only whether work is student-centred, but how students are positioned within it: as sources of evidence, recipients of provision, or contributors to the shaping of learning, belonging and transition. Articles in this part also contribute to the research and practice on transition, persistence, belonging and participation. They invite us to consider the importance of supportive relationships between peers, and between staff and students; these varied relationships can contribute to developing confidence to become successful higher education learners (Thomas, 2012; Morgan, n.d.). It also reminds us that belonging is not a static outcome or a simple feeling of social connection, but is shaped in many ways (Thomas and Gilani, 2025). They encourage us to think of first-year experience as relational, developmental and situational.
Copyright (c) 2026 William Carey, Joke Vanhoudt http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Proposal form – STEPping over the threshold and beyond – supporting diverse learner journeys in a tertiary context
Copyright (c) 2026 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Healey, M. (2025) The Research-Education Nexus: Engaging students in research and inquiry. A report for the University of Westminster
For many years, Mick Healey’s website on the ‘Research-Teaching nexus’ was a place I would direct colleagues – an embarrassment of riches to support colleagues in making sense of the relationship between research and teaching in their context. The purpose of this latest book – as the title indicates – was twofold. On the one hand it is an internal document for the University of Westminster to inform institutional policy and practice and a tool for academic colleagues to develop their practice. However, it is also a resource for the sector more broadly, acting as a mirror through which we can look back and contemplate the – arguably seismic – shifts and changes that have happened since the previous work compiled in 2009. From this perspective it captures an important piece of our collective history as well as enabling us as institutions and as individuals to explore the complex relationship between research and education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Catriona Cunningham http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
“ChatGPT is my friend” – From solitude to university community with Cura personalis
The article follows the story of a first-year student who arrives at university feeling isolated but gradually becomes part of a supportive academic community. It introduces the „cura personalis” approach at the University of Sopron—an attitude that defines the university years as a qualitative period, where personal care and attention are considered fundamental elements of academic life. Readers gain insight into the value-based mental health work of the Student Support Service, where unconditional acceptance meets unconditional love, the activities of the volunteer Peer Helper group, and the inclusive spirit of the Open Intellectual Workshop. The personal story at the end of the article offers a touching and inspiring example that faithfully reflects the defining role of the cura personalis attitude in academic life. The stories discussed in the article were used with the full consent of the students.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ágnes Stummerné Nagy http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
SIMON: Supporting at-risk students through evidence-based personalized guidance
This study examines the SIMON (Study skills and Interest MONitor) platform, developed at Ghent University (UGent), which supports bachelor’s students by addressing three key questions: What am I capable of? What can I do to succeed? Am I making progress? SIMON integrates predictive models, targeted interventions, and continuous monitoring to enhance academic trajectories. At entry, SIMON provides evidence-based insights into students’ likelihood of success using assessments of cognitive and non-cognitive factors such as mathematics, reading comprehension, motivation, and test anxiety. These predictions, grounded in historical data, help students set realistic expectations, which research links to better outcomes. Building on this, faculty advisors enter tailored recommendations and remediation actions into the platform, connecting students to appropriate support resources. Progress monitoring is facilitated through visualizations and clear metrics, providing transparency in the face of strict academic progress regulations in Flanders. This study analyzes SIMON’s effectiveness through predictive validity of success probabilities, the impact of faculty interventions, and student engagement with the platform. The dataset includes anonymized records from over 30,000 bachelor’s students. Preliminary results show a strong correlation between SIMON predictions and actual performance, as well as the platform’s utility in identifying at-risk students and supporting timely interventions. Findings highlight the importance of combining data-driven insights with human guidance to foster proactive student engagement. While SIMON effectively predicts outcomes and offers actionable advice, its impact depends on students’ willingness to engage and implement recommendations. In conclusion, SIMON demonstrates how universities can enhance academic success and study progress through continuous, personalized guidance. This integrated approach underscores the potential of combining advanced predictive analytics with supportive human interaction to improve higher education outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lot Fonteyne, Simon Acke http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Uncontrollability of the First-year Experience: Balancing Chaos and Control in Students Transition to HE
The beginning of one's academic journey is often filled with uncertainty and worries. We usually tame these feelings by setting clear goals and rigid structures for the first year. We plan, structure, and safeguard. We do all we can to make the transitions as smoothly as possible. But what if we flipped the script? What if we saw the uncontrollable aspects as catalysts for student growth and learning, rather than obstacles to overcome? What if we saw the bumps and friction of this transition as a valuable source of personal insight and attunement to this new world as it reveals itself. Drawing on Hartmut Rosa’s concept of uncontrollability and Gert Biesta’s notion of subjectification, this article explores how overly controlled FYE designs may undermine students’ opportunities to grow—not despite discomfort, but through it. When we try to remove friction with hacks, handbooks, buddy systems, and safety nets we risk framing struggles as failures. But if we engage with the uncontrollable instead of avoiding it, transformation becomes possible. The article proposes four practical principles for FYE design: face the uncontrollable together, create spaces for resonance, celebrate subjectification, and embrace the transformative. A successful FYE is not one that removes all struggles—but one that supports students in making meaning from it.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rune Mastrup Lauridsen, Tine Waast Nielsen http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Fostering belonging: challenging imposter syndrome and celebrating the dual identities of articulation students.
Step-Up is a 20-credit, level 1 (SCQF 7) module run by Academic Skills at University of Dundee. The module delivers academic skills to prepare articulation students studying towards HNC Social Sciences (SCQF 7) at Dundee and Angus College for greater independence in university study. Successful outcomes for both course and module lead to direct entry to level 2 of the Humanities MA at the University. Step-Up’s theme is ‘being, belonging, and becoming’, but student feedback revealed otherwise, suggesting that they felt isolated from the University community perceiving progression via college as inferior. The concept of articulation students having dual identities evolved through closer collaboration with the college and leading the module for the first time. Articulation students need to have a working knowledge of two institutions and their respective policies, procedures and terminologies to manage their learning and progression successfully. Bearing this in mind, an enhanced introduction to the university, the degree pathway and the Step-Up module was created. Revisions to the Step-Up module acknowledged the students’ academic workload, and perpetual cross-institutional collaboration assured a legitimate sense of belonging to benefit the student. Enhanced provision was key to establishing more meaningful student relationships, creating staggered orientation sessions to avoid overwhelm and create a safe place to introduce new staff, unfamiliar systems and build student confidence. Similarly, module content was reviewed to contextualize academic skills with Humanities topics and model university style delivery and expectations. Following completion of the Step-Up module, a dichotomy emerged between attendance and achievement on Step-Up and the HNC. Reflexively, identifying strategies and solutions to harmonise attendance, retention and achievement at both institutions is the next step.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sue Liddon http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Beyond recommendations: The emotional and relational foundations of inclusion
Inclusion has become a defining concept in higher education (HE), shaping pedagogical discourse and institutional strategy. Within English for Academic Purposes (EAP), however, inclusive practice is often approached procedurally rather than experientially. While a growing body of evidence-based research provides comprehensive recommendations for inclusive teaching across classroom, programme, and institutional levels, their successful implementation depends on two interdependent and frequently overlooked dimensions: emotionality and relationality. This opinion essay argues that inclusion in EAP cannot be achieved solely through structural reforms or policy commitments; it must be emotionally and relationally grounded. Emotionality recognises the affective realities of teaching and learning, while relationality concerns the human connections that sustain inclusion as a lived experience. These dimensions transform inclusion from a policy to a practice, from a framework to a feeling. Only when educators and institutions attend to the emotional and relational foundations of their work can inclusion move beyond rhetoric to become an embodied commitment to belonging and equity in higher education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Angelos Bakogiannis; Evie Papavasiliou http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
ANCORing Generative AI within the Computing Curriculum
Generative AI and Large Language Models have become ubiquitous across education and within higher education institutions. Emerging challenges include potential over-reliance on Generative AI, risks to academic integrity, and inequitable access: there is an urgent need for students to develop ethical, self-regulated and grounded learning practices in its use. This paper presents insights distilled from a survey of 14 computer science educators in the UK, and identifies the overarching importance of teaching responsibility and ethical implications of the use of AI to students. The ANCOR framework is presented as a method for teaching responsible Generative AI use, integrating ethical reasoning, real-world examples, and curriculum-wide approaches. It offers a novel contribution by providing both actionable teaching techniques and a conceptual approach for embedding ethical and responsible use of Generative AI tools across computing curricula, including guidance on ethics integration, contextualising relevant policies, developing ethical decision-making skills, addressing anthropomorphism, and using illustrative real-world cases.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mark Zarb, Martin Goodfellow http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The evolution of the peer learning model Supplemental Instruction in Europe and its impact on the student first year experience
Supplemental Instruction / Peer Assisted Study Sessions (SI-PASS) has been adopted across Europe as a structured model of peer learning to support student transition, retention, academic confidence and success in higher education. This article examines six European case studies from Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Estonia, representing longstanding, established and emerging implementations. Rather than presenting SI-PASS as a uniform intervention, the article analyses how institutions have adapted the model in response to local priorities, including first-year transition, high-risk courses, student belonging, leader development, staff learning and institutional strategy. A synthesis of the Case Studies shows how SI-PASS has been adopted, adapted and sustained across different institutional contexts and identifies key conditions that support implementation and sustainability: clear coordination, disciplinary ownership, trained student leaders, institutional legitimacy, and purposeful evaluation. The article concludes by outlining lessons for institutions considering SI-PASS, including the need to balance alignment to the model with contextual adaptation, to evaluate more than attendance and attainment, and to acknowledge the challenges of scaling peer learning beyond initial enthusiasm.
Copyright (c) 2026 William Carey, Manuel João Costa, Joakim Malm, Marcia Ody, Kaire Uiboleht, Dominique Verpoorten, Aoife Walsh, Linda Wennborg http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Student transition to university: Taking a needs based approach
Student transition to university can be psychologically and emotionally challenging and has often been positioned in the literature as a unique phenomenon, unlike any other experience. This article considers whether this is such a unique experience or whether it shares common aspects with other episodes in life. Whether there are underlying mechanisms to all transitions which make them particularly challenging and if so if this may lead to further insight and understanding. It does this by considering transition through the lens of a needs theory (Human Givens Theory) as a way to explain the challenges of all transitions and the transition to university in particular. The article then considers the implications of this approach and what benefits it may bring to understanding student transition to university.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr Gareth Hughes http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
On the transition to undergraduate studies as experienced by working class students
The scholarship of transition to undergraduate studies offers substantial understanding and guidance to those that work with students in the curricular, co and extra-curricular spaces. However, students can still experience transition as a single event that has been crammed into a broader general programme of induction. The potential fragility of the process of transition is yet to be taken as seriously as it should be on campuses across the country. The particular experience of working-class students during this process of transition is often obscured due to the classed based assumptions of the social origin of the student population. This failure to critically engage with the working-class experience of transition has highly negative and impactful consequences on students and their institutions. Firstly, by ignoring hysteresis, we end up with the misdiagnosis of working-class student experience and outcomes. Rather than questioning institutional habitus and the role it plays in the inequitable structures of higher education, working class students are frequently cast as problematic. Secondly, by failing to properly acknowledge the ontological fractures initiated by habitus clivé, institutions run the risk of further isolating and marginalizing working-class students as they decided whether they are willing to shed their working-class origins in order to fit in and succeed. In the absence of an overhaul of institutional culture and behaviour, the applied academic responses to such circumstances are proposed as two-fold. Firstly, a peer mentoring programme rooted in Freirean hope and love – that through collective labour facilitates relationships of solidarity based upon senior working class students providing mentorship to new first year working class students. Secondly, the need for reflexive continual professional development for all staff. So as to develop an active compassionate understanding of the diversity of the student population and the reality of the various lived experiences.
Copyright (c) 2026 Neil Speirs http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
My Maynooth on Moodle - Introducing a year-long digital student transition programme.
This On the Horizon piece outlines the development and early implementation of the My Maynooth on Moodle programme- a year-long, digital orientation initiative designed to support first-year undergraduate students’ transitions into university. Developed in response to the university’s Student Success Strategy, the programme combines asynchronous, modular content with student-led video resources to foster engagement, belonging, and confidence. This paper reflects on the co-creation process, early deployment, and lessons learned, offering recommendations for institutions seeking to enhance their orientation and transition support through digital means.
Copyright (c) 2026 Eddie Corr http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
No Student Left Behind: Scaling Equity and Belonging in First-Year Mathematics
This paper describes a three-year institutional journey to enhance equity, engagement, and belonging in first-year mathematics at Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE). The initiative emerged in response to growing diversity among incoming students, who arrive from a wide range of national and international educational systems with varying levels of mathematical preparation. Over time, differences in readiness had translated into persistent achievement gaps and lower confidence among specific student groups, particularly those from under-represented backgrounds. The project unfolded in three iterative phases. The first, Bridging the Gap (2023/24), introduced instructor-led learning modules, each including a self-paced online quiz, aimed at consolidating core mathematical skills. Data analysis showed that student engagement, measured by quiz attempts, strongly predicted achievement, yet participation was lowest among those most in need of support. The second phase, Closing Equity Gaps (2024/25), implemented a diagnostic assessment that enabled early identification of underprepared students and targeted support through structured workshops. This intervention reduced performance disparities and increased students’ self-efficacy. The current phase, No Student Left Behind (2025/26), expands the approach into a holistic model that integrates diagnostics, active learning, peer mentoring, and community-building to foster belonging and confidence. Across all phases, the findings demonstrate that equity in mathematics is best achieved through proactive, data-informed, and compassionate pedagogy. The project shows how early assessment, structured support, and relational engagement can transform mathematics from a barrier into a shared academic journey, ensuring that every student can succeed.
Copyright (c) 2026 Patricia Xufre, Áurea Quintino, Tânia Zaragoza http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Digital feedback histories: Tracing the influence of past experiences on undergraduate students’ university transitions
A persistent challenge in Higher Education (HE) is students’ dissatisfaction with feedback as they transition from school to university. A relatively under-explored aspect of this issue is the role digital technologies may play in shaping students’ perceptions and expectations of feedback – particularly in the shift from low-digital, personal school settings to the highly digital, large-cohort university context. Limited attention has been paid thus far to how digital technologies in earlier learning contexts might inform students’ expectations and attitudes towards feedback in HE. Much of the current literature explores cultural and linguistic influences on feedback experience or treats technology as overly instrumental or having inherent potential to improve feedback practices. What is missing is a more critical view of the complex ways digital technologies intertwine with experience. This ‘On the Horizon’ piece draws on preliminary findings from a PhD study following 24 first-year STEM undergraduate students using interviews and diaries. I explore how students’ previous encounters with digital technologies and feedback shapes their perceptions at university. Initial findings, generating using a Reflexive Thematic Analysis approach, indicate two significant themes: the materialisation of care and trust in feedback and the shifting role of peer comparison across educational contexts. As educators face increasing demands to deliver personalised feedback practices, it is essential to recognise how students’ prior experiences might interplay with their engagement in feedback processes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lauren Shields http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
A new era in Education: Equipping first-year students with AI-driven study skills
The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has ushered in new modes of learning, with students of all ages sharing a common desire for greater efficiency. Tasks that traditionally consumed significant time—such as researching and summarising academic literature, visualising data or querying AI for exam-relevant topics—are among the many areas where learners are turning to AI for support. Yet, the abundance and diversity of AI tools can be overwhelming. Students require clear guidance to identify which tools serve which purposes; without it, frustration mounts and procrastination may follow—undermining academic success. AI reaches its full potential only when paired with established learning strategies like self-organisation and critical thinking. This was the impetus for FernUniversität to introduce a new extracurricular course, Learning with AI, into its studyFIT programme. Aimed at first-year students from all faculties, the course offers a practical introduction focused on developing the study skills outlined above. It was developed by an interdisciplinary team of experts in AI and data literacy, media didactics and academic writing, along with student assistants from various disciplines. Lasting 25 to 30 hours, the course is grounded in the AI Course Design Planning Framework (Schleiss et al., 2023) and aligns with the university’s AI guidelines (Biederbeck et al., 2024). In our case study, we present the course design and highlight student feedback and data gathered through a mandatory initial and follow-up survey, as well as through learning analytics. We also reflect on key lessons learned and detail how the evaluation process has informed adjustments to both course design and content. In doing so, we address how support services can foster AI literacy among first-year students of all ages, considering their varied backgrounds in knowledge and technical competence.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr Andre Biederbeck, Dr Moritz Kohls http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Reflections on a multi-agentic project to understanding learner needs in transition to Higher Education
To better understand the challenges around transition to, through, and from Higher Education (HE), the School of Modern Languages at Cardiff University undertook a 2-year project investigating multiple perspectives on transition to HE, working with secondary schools, students, university staff, Widening Participation, and third sector organisations. The core of our strategy for supporting students through transition, their studies, and beyond into graduate employment is one of inclusivity. Understanding transition not just from an academic perspective but also seeking to understand the challenges students may face in terms of access to education, personal characteristics, mental health, and neurodiversity must be undertaken through collaboration. This reflective analysis presents the project’s findings in terms of quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Student admission, progression, and retention data over a 5-year period was mapped to student characteristics and analysed to gain greater understanding of the composition of the student body and to identify trends in retention and progression. Using the quantitative data and existing research in transition to HE, the team devised questionnaires for university staff, university students, and teachers in schools and Further Education colleges. Reflecting on the data, this article will highlight that developing a shared understanding of learning expectations is essential to create independent and critical thinkers and that engaging with students to find out what their needs and concerns are regarding their first year of university is a fundamental step in supporting university staff to provide targeted, appropriate support.
Copyright (c) 2026 Theresa Federici http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Disrupting first-year curriculum design: A holistic approach to student success
This 'On the Horizon' article presents a reflective case study on the implementation of a reimagined undergraduate tourism curriculum. Grounded in Freirean principles and compassionate pedagogy, the innovative design of the first year moves beyond traditional modular learning and graded assessments. Our students undertake an ungraded and holistically assessed year-long learning journey that is team-taught and project-based. This article documents the pragmatism and compromise required to bring this pedagogical disruption into being, focusing on those moments of realism and concession required during both its introduction and first delivery. I reflect on how my team and I navigated three separate, but interlinked areas of resistance: institutional rigidity, initial perceptions amongst the teaching team around the loss of professional identity traditionally related to module leadership, and the pedagogical work of guiding students through the unlearning of their entrenched relationship with assessment. Initial findings, drawn from personal reflections noted after ongoing staff action research meetings and curated from student reflective portfolios, reveal that while this process caused initial anxiety amongst different groups, it ultimately fostered some deeper critical consciousness and a shift in motivation from grades to intentional learning amongst numerous, but not all students. The paper concludes by distilling key lessons from this messy middle of pedagogical innovation to support other curriculum designers considering a radical reimagination of their course.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lisa Gorton http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Near-Peer Led Simulation in Paediatric Nursing Education: Pedagogical Promise and Performative Pressures
Near-peer led simulation (NPLS) is gaining attention as a way to enhance experiential learning in pre-registration nursing programmes, particularly in areas where placement capacity is constrained and emotional preparedness is essential. Paediatric nursing education faces persistent pressures relating to clinical exposure, rising patient acuity, and the relational and affective complexity of children’s care. At the same time, higher education institutions operate within audit-driven environments where teaching is increasingly shaped by recruitment, satisfaction and employability metrics. These pressures create a tension between supporting emotionally grounded, psychologically safe learning and meeting regulatory and institutional performance demands. This paper explores these tensions by examining the opportunities and challenges of NPLS through Stephen Ball’s concepts of performativity and neoliberalism “out there/in here.” Drawing on the existing literature, the paper outlines the reported benefits of NPLS, including increased confidence, stronger reflective practice, and a more approachable learning climate. It also highlights recurring challenges such as variable facilitator preparation, emotional labour, psychological safety, and the need for clear role boundaries. The analysis then considers how these pedagogical benefits and risks are shaped by the wider higher education environment, where what is most valued is often what can be easily measured. Using Ball’s framework, the paper argues that while NPLS has significant pedagogical promise, its sustainability depends on how institutions recognise and resource the relational, emotional and supervisory labour it demands. In many workload and quality systems, this labour remains largely invisible. The conclusion identifies two areas for future inquiry: first, empirical research that examines how universities negotiate the competing demands of emotional, critical and performative priorities when implementing NPLS, and second, a small design-focused pilot that tests whether NPLS can be supported in ways that protect psychological safety while meeting institutional requirements. Together, these directions offer a balanced way to develop NPLS as both a pedagogically valuable and institutionally viable approach within contemporary higher education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lisa Harvey, David Crighton http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
A plea for the structural anchorage of co-creation: empowering educators to foster self-regulated learning.
Self-regulated learning (SRL) is essential for academic success and lifelong learning, yet many students enter higher education lacking the necessary cognitive and metacognitive skills. Despite widespread recognition of SRL’s importance, educators often struggle to integrate SRL support into their teaching practices. This opinion piece argues that a key barrier lies in the design of support tools: many are developed by experts without meaningful involvement of educators themselves. To address this, the authors advocate for co-creation as a structural approach to educational development. Using Educational Design Research (EDR) as a methodological framework, the authors illustrate their approach through a project at AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Antwerp. The project aimed to develop a toolbox to support SRL, grounded in the validated LEMO instrument. A needs analysis involving surveys and focus groups with educators revealed both practical and perceptual barriers to SRL integration. These insights informed a set of design principles—such as accessibility, contextual relevance, and ownership—which guided the development of a prototype toolbox on Moodle. Evaluation of the toolbox with users showed strong appreciation for its clarity and relevance, while also identifying areas for improvement. The project underscores the value of co-creation in fostering educator engagement, enhancing tool usability, and bridging the gap between research and practice. It challenges the notion of educators as passive implementers and highlights their potential as active contributors to educational innovation. The authors conclude that co-creation should be a standard practice in educational development. By involving educators early and meaningfully, institutions can create tools that are not only theoretically sound but also practically effective. Co-creation is not merely a method—it is a mindset essential for fostering SRL and advancing academic practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Astrid Koelman, Sabrina Govaerts, Elena Van den Broeck, Dr. Gert Vanthournout http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
A case for space: exploring the role of collaborative learning spaces in supporting first-year university students’ sense of belonging
First-year students often face considerable challenges adjusting to university life and integrating into the academic community. Facilitating peer interaction and collaborative learning can ease this transition by enhancing academic outcomes, and fostering a sense of belonging and connectedness with peers and the broader university community. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of these connections, as campus restrictions and social distancing severely impacted belonging and academic motivation. Physical learning spaces, and specifically their lay-out, can play an important role in enabling interactions among students and between students and educators. In response to the limitations of the traditional classroom configuration, educational developers of the Faculty of Science at KU Leuven (Belgium) launched a bottom-up initiative to convert several flat-floor seminar rooms on the science campus to official collaborative learning spaces with group islands, without additional costs or loss of seats. In this paper, we briefly outline the rationale for the initiative, reflect on the implementation process, and consider its implications regarding formal and informal interactions and sense of belonging. Preliminary survey results suggest that the redesigned spaces encouraged peer and teacher interactions, which support students’ sense of belonging. Given the role that learning space design can play in fostering interaction and belonging in first year-students, this initiative offers reflections for universities to consider (simple) spatial interventions and the physical learning environment as part of a broader education policy aimed at supporting student transition.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sylvia Grommen, Bert De Groef, Bavo Meuwis, Lotte Paesbrugghe, Annelies Raes http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Professional development in a tertiary model – addressing the disconnect between further and higher education
As governments internationally begin to move towards a ‘tertiary’ model of post-compulsory education with greater collaboration between – and alignment of – further (FE) and higher education (HE), there is a need to address the misalignment of professional development for learning and teaching across the tertiary sector. This paper argues that the schools-based regulatory model prevalent in the college sector across the UK is disconnected from a vision of tertiary provision and that there should be greater alignment and recognition of learning and teaching qualifications across colleges and universities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Derek J. Robertson http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Fear of looking bad: Othering of students requiring a reasonable adjustment within professional practice placements
The research project was a cross disciplinary multi-methods research study to explore the effectiveness of reasonable adjustments in professional practice placements in one British university. The aim of the research was to understand the lived experience of procedural and practical use of reasonable adjustments on practice placement. The objective was to enable the facilitation of recommendations to enhance student outcomes including continuation and degree classification. Thirty-four undergraduate and postgraduate students completed questionnaires and n=9 students attended n=2 focus groups. The research participants were students undertaking professional degrees in occupational therapy, social work, childhood studies, biomedical science, sport and exercise therapy, dietetics, nursing, education and therapeutic counselling who had a diagnosis or self-disclosure of mental health, physical health, physical disability or neurodivergence. The data were subjected to a thematic analysis, and the themes of ‘need for clearer procedures’, ‘looking bad: stigma and negative perceptions of students’, and ‘experience on placement’ emerged. The article presents the research findings and discusses the othering of students in practice placement. It concludes by first recommending that the procedural response to reasonable adjustments could be reviewed to incorporate practice accommodations. Secondly, it recommends that placement providers discuss students’ reasonable adjustments more openly to align learning opportunities with those experienced by able-bodied and neurotypical students, to support the development of knowledge and skills of all students.
Copyright (c) 2026 Paula Beesley, Paige Davies, Angela Murphy, Sharon Vincent http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
A field study on how PE students perceive the potential of video-based peer feedback in higher education
In the context of increasing digitalization in education, teacher education programs face the dual challenge of fostering both pedagogical and digital competences. This study explores the potential of video-based peer feedback as an innovative and practice-oriented method to support the professional development of future physical education teachers. Embedded in a university-level field hockey course, the intervention combined video analysis and peer feedback to enhance professional competences. Drawing on a mixed-methods design, the study first gathered quantitative survey data (N = 28), followed by nine qualitative interviews to gain deeper insights into students’ experiences. Results show that video-based peer feedback promotes professional reflection, improves movement execution, and supports the acquisition of didactic and general pedagogical knowledge. Furthermore, the peer interaction fostered a more nuanced understanding of how to give and receive constructive feedback. The findings highlight video-based peer feedback as a scalable and meaningful way to integrate digital media into physical education teacher education and address current demands for digitally competent educators.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lina-Doreen Rose, Christiana Schallhorn, Hendrik Beckmann, Christian Winter, Robert Collette http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Enhancing Online Postgraduate Orientation: Action Research into Improving Engagement, Belonging, and Support
This case study reports an action research project at Abertay University evaluating and enhancing an orientation module for fully online, asynchronous postgraduate taught learners. Using a mixed methods design, the study analysed 172 student enquiries to the Support Enquiry Zone (SEZ), surveyed 54 students, and planned follow-up interviews which, despite expressed interest, yielded no attendance, highlighting the methodological challenges of engaging asynchronous cohorts. Findings revealed three key areas for improvement: (1) academic flexibility and clarity around mitigating circumstances and assessment procedures, (2) navigation and timely access to orientation and university systems, and (3) opportunities for interaction to foster a sense of belonging. Targeted updates were implemented, including multimedia guides on extensions and feedback, programme-specific discussion spaces, enhanced information on support services, and earlier release of orientation content. Further refinements addressed structural clarity through revised academic regulations, clearer assessment communication, and time-zone alignment tools within the virtual learning environment. Framed through the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison et al., 2000) and Moore’s (1993) Theory of Transactional Distance, these interventions sought to reduce structural and communicative barriers while strengthening teaching, cognitive, and social presence. The next phase adopts a continuous improvement model informed by student feedback, engagement analytics, and sector guidance. In alignment with JISC’s Global Education and Technology: Digital Challenges Associated with the Effective Delivery of Transnational Education (2025), future developments will focus on digital sustainability, equitable access, and data-driven benchmarking to support international online learners. The study concludes with reflections on researching asynchronous populations and offers practical recommendations for academic developers and institutional leaders seeking inclusive, pedagogically coherent, and digitally sustainable orientation practices for online postgraduate education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nicola Brown http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The AI-Extended Student Mind (or: How ChatGPT Calls for a Gamification of Education)
In this opinion piece, I reflect on teaching Philosophy of Mind to first-year students in the age of ChatGPT. I reflect on how my students perceive the LLM as a tool for studying and even call it a useful extension of their mind, echoing Clark and Chalmers’ extended mind hypothesis (1998) taught in the course. During a trial lecture for prospective university students, I was confronted with a group of students lamenting the fact that educators don’t allow the use of ChatGPT, making an already hard education process needlessly harder. However, rather than supporting students in their struggles, ChatGPT often removes the struggle altogether. That is unfortunate, as I argue that a specific type of deliberate inefficiency makes education meaningful. I show this by comparing education to gameplay. Following on Suits’ (2014) definition of games as “the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles,” and Nguyen’s (2020) distinction between achievement and striving play, I propose that education could be usefully gamified. That is, not in the usual, trivial sense of replacing inherently valuable goals with clearer, quantifiable ones, but in the sense of inviting students to embrace difficulty, failure, and struggle as crucial moments of growth (see Deterding 2014). ChatGPT forces educators to confront the long-standing problem of students motivated by grades rather than a desire to learn. The hyper-efficient LLM can be used to bypass some of the intellectual struggles that make learning worthwhile, help develop critical skills, and reinforce long-term understanding. But with the right kind of gamification, we can motivate students in early stages of their academic career to embrace the challenge in learning. In the age of ChatGPT, it is essential to design learning experiences that invite students to see struggle not as suffering or to be avoided, but as a rewarding activity that leads to growth.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nele Van de Mosselaer http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0