Duncan Cross

Funding was obtained from a HEFCE catalyst fund by Drs Cross and Prescott in 2016 to undertake a research project to enhance learning and teaching through technology via a student- led research project. The 18 month project ended in April 2018. This presentation aims to discuss the project, providing detail of the two technology based interventions, a university wide mobile app (uBolt) and a virtual reality (VR) therapeutic game to be used on the Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling pathway.
The presentation will discuss the project in terms of students as collaborators and co-creators, as well as the benefits and challenges of undertaking research with students. As well as the PI's of the study, two of the key student researchers will also provide their insights of the research and its process.

For students born in the digital age of computers and considered as ‘digital natives’, I feel the current curriculum design on a module I teach provides insufficient scope to explore and challenge students ‘digital bravery’ abilities.
Most students in the current higher education context use technology to access online learning materials. However, relatively few students claim to be digital content creators although many own a web-enabled electronic device with easy access to various useful digital tools that allows for the creation of these online learning materials (Jones, Johnson and Gruszczynska, 2015).
Educators can nurture power-sharing relationship with students over online content creation and help learners ’take control of their learning needs and enhance student engagement by treating students as partners (SaP) as an approach to curriculum design. The concept of SaP emphasizes on engagement as an active process by engaging students as co-creators, co-designers, co-inquirers, coproducers and collaborators in partnership learning communities thus enabling the skills development process of both staff and students alike through learning partnerships (Healey et al., 2016; McPherson and Heggie, 2015; Mercer- Mapstone et al; 2017).

This workshop will build on a current initiative by Bolton University and University of East London ‘SOTLVision’, which brings academics together in person and online to discuss SOTL issues. The purpose of the workshop is to engage participants in discussion around factors affecting SOTL development, from its value in the development of research (TEF/REF) and teaching and learning practices, to how we drive wholescale cultural change that embraces SOTL as part of the academic framework. The workshop convenors will share outcomes of those discussions from the two initial institutions who took part, but also wish to engage those attending the workshop in discussions around these themes to build on the work.