Video vignettes for pharmacy education

Video vignettes for pharmacy education

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: Atta Naqvi*, Sam Bizley, & Shweta Ghosh, School of Pharmacy
Three people standing in front of doors with a sign above them that says "Welcome to Harry Nursten Home of Pharmacy & Food and Nutritional Sciences."
From left to right: Dr Atta Naqvi, Dr Shweta Ghosh, and Dr Sam Bizley. © Atta Naqvi

Overview

This innovative project produced four video vignettes that simulated culturally complex patient interactions in pharmacy settings. Developed collaboratively between the School of Pharmacy and the Department of Film, Theatre & Television (FTT), the vignettes enabled students to reflect on non-verbal cues, patient diversity, and inclusivity. The project was funded by the Teaching and Learning Enhancement Projects (TLEP) scheme and informed by student feedback.

Objectives

  • Support pharmacy students in recognising and interpreting non-verbal cultural cues.
  • Improve students’ ability to respond inclusively to diverse patient needs.
  • Provide simulated exposure to real-world patient communication scenarios.
  • Enhance cultural competence education through an interdisciplinary, research-informed approach.
  • Build sustainable capacity for future simulation-based learning

Context

The initiative stemmed from cultural competence teaching embedded in the newly accredited MPharm programme. Previous student feedback revealed challenges in recognising non-verbal cultural cues, especially in potentially sensitive scenarios involving pain, gender, and disability. Traditional workshops were insufficient in exploring these making it challenging for the students’ to put the knowledge into practice, prompting the exploration of immersive, simulation-based learning through video vignettes.

Implementation

The project was based on years of feedback from MPharm students on cultural competence education. One year prior, a research study on placement experiences highlighted specific challenges—such as interacting with LGBTQIA+ individuals, patients from the d/Deaf community, and those who underreport pain due to cultural norms. Dr. Naqvi proposed developing video vignettes as a simulation method to observe and reflect on these challenges. The School of Pharmacy collaborated with the FTT to develop four vignettes: a d/Deaf patient using an interpreter, a trans patient engaging in health consultation, a Southeast Asian woman downplaying pain, and a Western patient masking pain with a smile.

Dr. Naqvi wrote the scripts, which were reviewed by Dr. Bizley and Dr. Ghosh. Two FTT student teams undertook production planning, script refinement, shooting and editing via the Commercial and Community Filmmaking module through Semester 1 of 2024/25, with filming taking place at the JJT Clinical Suite between December 2024 and January 2025 (see Figures 1& 2). The vignettes were delivered as workshops in Years 3 and 4 of the MPharm programme during April–May 2025 and reached over 200 students.

Two people filming near a table with an old cash register, keyboard, and papers under studio lights.
Figure 1. Filming the learning videos. © Atta Naqvi
Pharmacy-style room with people working at a counter labeled 'Day Lewis'; camera setup for filming.
Figure 2. Filming on location. © Atta Naqvi

Impact

The workshop sessions using the vignettes received positive student feedback, with learners expressing increased confidence and awareness in interpreting cultural cues (see Figure 3). The activity enabled students to better understand the complexity of patient communication and to reflect critically on their own approaches.

A follow-up research study is currently collecting data to formally evaluate the educational impact. Early responses indicate that the use of realistic, context-rich simulations fostered deeper learning compared to traditional methods. The project demonstrated a successful interdisciplinary collaboration, fostered a student-centred learning approach, and set the groundwork for integrating film-based simulations into healthcare education more broadly.

Students in a classroom working in groups; a slide titled 'PRIVILEGE AND OPPRESSION' is displayed
Figure 3. A photograph of the workshop where the vignettes were used. © Atta Naqvi

Reflections

This project’s success lay in its deep grounding in student feedback and educational research. Unlike traditional lectures or workshops, the video vignettes enabled learners to visually and emotionally engage with complex scenarios. Students appreciated the diversity of the patients represented, including those with visible and invisible cultural differences. The collaboration with the Department of Film, Theatre & Television proved invaluable—not only for technical expertise but also for storytelling and visual representation.

One challenge was the logistics of coordinating actors, locations, and filming during term time. Another area for development is expanding the scenarios to include more intersectional and multi-lingual cases. Familiarity with the filmmaking process has equipped our team to undertake similar projects in the future more independently. Overall, this experience has encouraged new forms of pedagogical creativity and interdepartmental collaboration.

Follow up

A research study is currently underway to evaluate the impact of the vignettes on student learning. The team has acquired filmmaking equipment through the TLEP fund, enabling future projects. We aim to expand our vignette library and welcome collaborations with educators at Reading and beyond.

Links

Staff and student attitudes to educator self-disclosure in teaching

Staff and student attitudes to educator self-disclosure in teaching

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: Emma-Jayne Conway, Charlie Waller Institute, School of Psychology and Clinical Language) emma-jayne.conway@reading.ac.uk
Man holding a piece of broken glass revealing himself
Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash

Overview

Educator self-disclosure can serve as a useful approach to creating inclusive learning environments and challenging traditional academic power dynamics. Educator self-disclosure refers to personal remarks made in a learning setting that may or may not relate directly to the subject matter, but nonetheless share information about the educator that students would not typically access through other means (Henry & Thorsen, 2018). When used thoughtfully, lecturers sharing personal and professional experiences helped model authenticity, validate diverse experiences and reduce the power imbalance between staff and students. This research highlights the value of using this approach to foster more inclusive and reflective learning spaces.

Objectives

  • To explore the benefits and challenges of educator self-disclosure in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) training from both student and educator perspectives.
  • To examine the impact of educator self-disclosure on power dynamics in academic settings.
  • To assess its potential to support inclusive, reflective teaching.

Context

Many students bring lived experience into the classroom, including mental health struggles, and statistics suggest that every year one in four people will experience a mental health issue (McManus et al., 2009). This research was inspired by my experience of disclosing a needle phobia in teaching, which was positively received by students and helped support their learning of the diagnostic criteria, assessment, and formulation of specific phobia.

Implementation

To explore perceptions of educator self-disclosure, semi-structured interviews were conducted with both staff and students to examine its perceived benefits, challenges, and influence on power dynamics. The data was analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes (see Table 1 in the appendix and Figure 1 below).

Examples of self-disclosure from educators included their personal lived experiences with mental health and professional learnings from clinical practice. One educator commented “I think that it can sometimes support students who might also have lived experience as well, just to know that it’s normal and it’s OK”, a statement that reinforces the value of creating a supportive learning environment. Another noted how educators using their clinical experiences as a teaching tool can help students understand boundaries and appropriateness in therapeutic settings, “It can help us to model to our trainees what’s appropriate self-disclosure because obviously that’s something we want them to be considering of their own work.”

These insights were echoed by students, with one sharing, “I suppose you feel a bit more on par, especially when they tell you things they have not done so well, like mistakes they’ve made”. This participant described feeling more equal to lecturers when they disclosed professional mistakes, suggesting that such self-disclosure humanises educators and lessens the power imbalance in the room.

These examples demonstrate how educator self-disclosure can serve as a powerful pedagogical tool to foster academic relationships, normalise experiences, promote inclusivity, and reduce power dynamics.

Flowchart showing themes and sub-themes of teacher self-disclosure, with coloured boxes and connecting lines illustrating relationships.
Figure 1. Thematic map Flowchart showing themes and sub-themes of teacher self-disclosure.

Impact

This study achieved its objectives, with the key themes offering insights into how educator self-disclosure has implications for both pedagogy and CBT clinical practice. In the pedagogical context, the findings suggest that self-disclosure can humanise educators, reduce the power imbalance, and create more passionate teaching. The implications for CBT suggest that educator self-disclosure can increase student reflection, bridge the gap between theory and practice, and model appropriate self-disclosure as a therapeutic skill. However, the study also revealed that if disclosures felt irrelevant, they could alienate students and reinforce power imbalances, therefore highlighting the importance of context, intent, and boundaries.


Unexpectedly, there was a general, though not exclusive, difference in how educators and students defined the term ‘self-disclosure.’ Students tended to associate it with professional examples, while educators more often referred to personal experiences. As a result, students responded particularly positively to disclosures involving professional mistakes or challenges as these disclosures helped reduce feelings of perfectionism and self-doubt.

Reflections

This study was made possible by undertaking it as part of my EDMAP3: Academic Research and Practice project, which gave me the dedicated time and structure to carry it out.

A key strength of this project was the dual perspective of students and educators, which enriched the findings and provided a more rounded view of how educator self-disclosure is experienced and understood in the classroom.

The study could have been strengthened by giving clearer distinctions between personal and professional disclosure in the interview questions, which may have helped explore the differing interpretations of self-disclosure more explicitly.

Follow up

Based on this research, I will be looking to develop guidelines for educator self-disclosure, specifically within CBT clinical courses, and will seek to do a follow-up study to assess the impact of such guidelines on the teaching experience for students and staff.

References

Appendix

Table 1 – revised themes

Research in clinical practice: Developing teaching alongside NHS practitioners

Research in clinical practice: Developing teaching alongside NHS practitioners

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: George Pontikas & Emma Pagnamenta, Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, g.pontikas@reading.ac.uk e.pagnamenta@reading.ac.uk
Two women using laptops sitting on a lounge
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Overview

This post outlines curriculum development undertaken as part of the MSci/MSc Speech and Language Therapy programmes to strengthen our students’ knowledge and understanding around research ethics, research governance, clinical audit, service evaluation and quality improvement and how these can be utilised alongside clinical practice. Activities were supported by external collaborators with leadership roles in the National Health Service (NHS) providing real-world experience of these processes.

Objectives

  • To support Speech and Language Therapy students to develop professional competences in research focusing on ethics & governance and adherence to relevant processes and policies.
  • To engage students in authentic activities assessing examples of audits, service evaluations and quality improvement projects which are common research-based activities in NHS services.

Context

Both the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health & Care Professions Council stipulate a requirement for evidence-based practice and engagement in (ethical) research or research-related activities such as service evaluation. This aims to continuously improve and offer the best service to users and stakeholders. However, developing research skills can be challenging on programmes that require many hours of teaching across disciplines while completing placements.

Implementation

We designed a series of materials and activities around obtaining information and/or assessing a particular provision in an NHS service (audit, service evaluation, quality improvement). We selected a series of real examples from NHS services involving audits, service evaluation and quality improvement projects. Subsequently, we created a number of activities where students were asked to consider:

  1. the motivation for these projects,
  2. their relevance and appropriateness given the challenges faced in the services,
  3. their implementation and effectiveness and
  4. avenues for further action aiming to deliver optimal service.

The activities involved group discussion around a series of structured questions with students’ contributions collated on PowerPoint slides. For students to engage with these activities, we ran four 2-hour workshops in Semester 1 (for Part 3 MSci or Part 1 MSc students).

Involvement of (external) experts: This project was supported by three NHS practitioners with leadership roles (Dr Sam Burr, Dr Colin Barnes & Ophelia Watson, Solent NHS Trust) who:

  1. provided us with the relevant case studies from their own Trusts
  2. recorded screencasts on how their Trusts engage with either evaluating their service or involving the patients and the public in research, or
  3. attended workshops and co-taught with a UoR lecturer (Emma Pagnamenta).

Impact

This project has been running for three years. Overall, it covered a gap in the teaching on the speech and language therapy programmes on evaluation and research, aligned with professional standards, while enriching the student experience in terms of diversity of opportunities and learning activities.

In the second year (2023–4) we obtained feedback from students specifically for this teaching this year. Responses were positive with over 80% students reporting that they were more interested in carrying out clinical research and/or service evaluation in their careers.

In 2023–4 and 2024–5, current students have been invited to showcase research projects from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) that have involved collaborative quality improvement initiatives between NHS services and UoR.

Reflections

We evaluated these activities this year informally. Students were generally positive about these activities with > 80% reporting that they have become more interested in clinical research/audit/evaluation. One student characteristically said that “[it] made research a lot more realistic to me”.

One challenge we faced was around the logistics of timetabling these sessions around external collaborators’ availability and fitting these sessions into an already loaded timetable. One way around this is to be flexible in terms of the contribution of our external experts – through using screencasts, joining teaching sessions remotely to present and answer questions, providing resources and examples. We hope this will enable a more long-term collaboration with external experts who have unique professional insights and experience given their roles.

We believe having activities which are digitally enabled in this way can facilitate learning integrated in professional settings in other contexts across programmes.

Decolonising assessment in a clinical training programme within the Charlie Waller Institute

Decolonising assessment in a clinical training programme within the Charlie Waller Institute

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: Natalie Meek, School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences, n.a.meek@reading.ac.uk
Four green leaves of varying sizes against a black background
Photo by Olia Bondarenko on Unsplash

Overview

Research within psychology has been largely conducted on a group that represent on 12% of the world’s population, those that are Western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic (WEIRD) populations (Henrich et al., 2010). This colonial legacy, the centralising of the WEIRD population as representative of the human species, indicates a need to decolonise (Winter et al., 2022). The British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) who accredit our High Intensity Child, and Adult Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) programmes centre decolonisation and inclusion within their updated curriculum. In response to this, and decolonisation efforts elsewhere in the higher education sector, the aim of the BABCP is to embed EDI within assessment. Assessment is also a focus of this case study as assessment drives learning in higher education (Boud, 1995).

Objectives

  • To change current assessment mark scheme to incorporate a section on EDI.
  • To ensure assessment is in line with BABCP EDI guidance.
  • To encourage student learning through assessment.

Context

The Charlie Waller Institute (CWI) offers graduate and post graduate clinical training courses. The training course discussed here is for High Intensity Adult CBT course, a  year-long post-graduate clinical training course run twice a year with intakes of up to 50 students. The ongoing effort of the University to decolonise is essential within training courses to ensure our trainees are equipped to deliver equitable psychological support to all.

Implementation

The extended case report (ERP) is an assessment used across two modules, a 5,000-word report which is set as part of paired assessment, was explored as a potential vehicle of change. There were some references to the identity of the client within the original mark scheme, however, little exploration of the client’s identity was required to pass the assessment. The High CBT Curriculum 4th Edition (NHS, 2022) states that trainees should be equipped with an understanding of EDI, and that we should support students to understand the needs of their clients in the context of protected characteristics. The curriculum (NHS, 2022) outlines the need for CBT therapists to achieve cultural competence, to be committed to anti-discriminatory clinical practice, and to have knowledge of research on CBT with minoritised groups. As assessment is an opportunity for learning (Sambell, et al., 2013), so this was a key opportunity to meet the BABCP curriculum.

Historically assessment has been neglected in the process of decolonisation within higher education (Godsell, 2021) and this was the case within our course. Changes had been made to lectures, but no changes had been made in assessment. To ensure assessment was aligned with BABCP curriculum (NHS, 2022) and Minimum Training Standards (BABCP, 2022) the method of assessment was not able to be changed, so changes to the original mark scheme were made in two ways. The first was to change what constituted a passing mark for each section of the mark scheme, so that a lack of considerations of power relations in the literature, or protected characteristics would equate to a failing mark (Figure 1). The second change was to redefine item 6, originally Reflection, to Diversity & Inclusion, which is worth 10% of marks (Figure 2). To pass this section students must demonstrate a satisfactory account of protected characteristics (such as age, disability, gender, race, sex and religion) through an exploration of aspects of their client’s identity in CBT literature, and a reflection of their own identity. To support the students in this new aspect of assessment a lecture on “Identity & Values” so the topic was introduced prior to the assessment.

Comparison table of a mark scheme with two columns titled "Original Mark Scheme" and "New Mark Scheme."Transcribed Text: Original Mark Scheme Relating case to relevant literature, displaying knowledge, and understanding of theories and concepts relevant to the case study. New Mark Scheme Relating case to relevant literature, displaying knowledge, and understanding of theories and concepts relevant to the case study, critically evaluating psychology literature. Consider power relationship in psychology literature, such as the colonial history of the subject. Explore existing literature regarding protected characteristics, or comment on the lack thereof. Explore how mental health may present differently in different groups e.g. culture, age, sexuality, gender, and whether interventions or theories are effective for the group that relates to your client.
Figure 1. A comparison between the ‘new’ and ‘old’ marking scheme
Alt-text:Table outlining assessment criteria for diversity and inclusion in clinical settings. Transcribed Text: Diversity & Inclusion – 10% Reflection on protected characteristics and differences between the client and clinician and how the client’s protected characteristics (e.g., session times discussed to be respectful of daily prayers, consideration of relevance of video feedback questions e.g., “redness” for Black clients). Inclusion of relevant literature relating to the protected characteristics of your client. Discussion around any differences in presentation within the client group you are working with, and therefore any adaptations to your treatment, or considerations going forward. Considerations to the colonial history of psychology and psychology literature. Distinction 70 – 100 Excellent account of the client which is comprehensive and provides clear information regarding their protected characteristics and how these have been considered with regards to difference in the therapy space and in terms of potential adaptations to assessment and/or treatment. Excellent reference to relevant literature around protected characteristics of the client. Merit 60 - 69 Good account of the client which is comprehensive and provides clear information regarding most of their protected characteristics and how these have been considered with regards to difference in the therapy space and in terms of potential adaptations to assessment and/or treatment. Good reference to relevant literature around protected characteristics of the client. Pass 50 – 59 Satisfactory account of the client which is comprehensive and provides some information regarding some of their protected characteristics and how these have been considered with regards to difference in the therapy space and in terms of potential adaptations to assessment and/or treatment. Some reference to relevant literature around protected characteristics of the client. Fail 0 - 49 Weak presentation of the client which is not comprehensive and provides little or no information regarding some of their protected characteristics and how these have been considered with regards to the difference in the therapy space and in terms of potential adaptations to assessment and/or treatment. Few reference to relevant literature around protected characteristics of the client.
Figure 2. New diversity and inclusion section in the marking scheme.

Impact

Student and marker feedback indicates the three objectives of this project have been met: the assessment and mark scheme incorporates EDI,  the changes are in line with BABCP guidance for EDI, and these changes have facilitated student learning. The changes to the mark scheme were rolled out for two modules of the HI CBT Adult course and adopted by the HI CBT Childrens course also. Feedback from markers indicate a noticeable increase in the student’s consideration of the client’s identity, and a diversification of CBT literature utilised for reports. In the Theory and Practice for Depression (PYMDEP) module evaluation, students’ ratings of “course content/examples/case studies selected (or used) offer a diversity perspective” has increased from an average of 3.5 to 4.4, where 5 means definitely agree. Although this feedback is not solely regarding changes to assessment, it does indicate change has been recognised and is having a positive impact.

Reflections

Decolonisation, and developing cultural competence are both ongoing processes, which require lifelong learning. This change in assessment has been one step in meeting BABCP curriculum guidance (NHS, 2022) and in training our therapy workforce to deliver anti-discriminatory, and effective therapy for diverse groups of people. This change has happened in line with lecture content changes, such as the introduction of teaching day on working with neurodivergence, gender & sexuality, and religion & spirituality.

Follow up

One change within an assessment does not end the ongoing process of decolonisation and of the integration of EDI within higher education. Going forward it would be good to get more feedback directly from students’ assessment, and any further work we can do to continue to decolonise the course and ensure all peoples can access equitable psychological support.

References

Blending problem-based learning (PBL) and real-world scenarios on foundation economics: IFP

Blending problem-based learning (PBL) and real-world scenarios on foundation economics: IFP

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: Dr Veundjua Muruko-Jaezuruka, ISLI (International Study and Language Institute), v.muruko-jaezuruka@reading.ac.uk
stack of jigsaw puzzle pieces
Photo by Hans-Peter Gauster on Unsplash

Overview

This case study explores blending problem-based learning (PBL) and real-world scenarios on foundation economics. By embracing PBL, encourages deep learning, real-world application, and fosters a global perspective in students. In addition to enhancing academic achievement, it prepares students for further academic studies and future professional challenges in a globalised world.

Objectives

  • To build a deep understanding of foundational economic theories and concepts, while engaging students in practical applications that stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • The aim is to bridge the knowledge gap for international students who may face challenges transitioning into higher education systems.

Context

On the International Foundation Programme (IFP), we are committed to enhancing the student experience through creative and effective teaching strategies. An innovative approach I introduced on the Foundation Economics modules was the integration of Problem-Based Learning (PBL), in response to student feedback. With an average cohort size of 28, the module offers a supportive and interactive learning environment. Previously, students engaged mainly through quizzes, short-answer tasks, calculations, and textbook-based case studies, with limited real-world application. The shift to PBL marked a significant change, as students tackled real economic issues—such as market failures and government intervention in Microeconomics—through collaborative group work. They researched and critically analysed real-world problems, then proposed possible government intervention/solutions. This approach not only deepened engagement and critical thinking but also developed transferable academic and professional skills aligned with the expectations of higher education and future employment.

Implementation

  1. PBL: Each week, students were presented with real-world economic challenges, such as analysing global trade disputes, inflation crises, or the impact of taxation on different economies. This PBL approach moves beyond traditional lectures, prompting students to work in small groups to research, analyse, and propose solutions using core economic principles.
  2. To encourage more active participation, we adopted the flipped classroom approach. Students access lectures online at home and come to class prepared to engage in discussions, debates, and hands-on activities based on the theoretical content they’ve already absorbed. By shifting lower-order learning to independent study, resulted in more engagement, through interactive tasks. This change enhanced retention of complex economic concepts, and students reported feeling more confident in applying theory to practice.
  3. Cross-cultural perspectives: Given the international nature of the IFP, the module includes case studies from different countries, fostering discussions on how economic principles apply across diverse global contexts. Students were encouraged to draw on their own countries’ economic policies, enhancing relatability and relevance adding unique insights and enriching the learning experience.
  4. Interactive database technologies: Students were introduced to economic databases to analyse trends in GDP, inflation, and unemployment rates. These not only support the application of economic theory but also equip students with skills required in the modern data-driven world.

Impact

– Critical thinking and collaboration: Students developed critical thinking skills by working through ambiguous economic problems in teams -such as the impact of recent inflation on living standards and how this affects students’ daily lives, or the externalities of production and their environmental consequences, encouraging students to propose relevant policy solutions – learning to debate and defend their solutions. Student feedback indicated higher confidence in tackling complex economic problems, a skill crucial for their success in undergraduate studies.

– Global awareness: Students gained a global perspective on economics, appreciating the nuances of economic policies and their impacts in various regions around the world. By creating a learning community where students’ diverse experiences are valued (see Lave and Wenger’s Social Learning Theory, 1991), we fostered a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.

Reflections

Integrating PBL with digital tools (query interface built-in databases – like Statista, ONS and the World Bank Data Portal – transformed the classroom from a space for passive content delivery to a dynamic environment for exploration. One significant benefit was how it catered to different learning styles; students who excelled in independent research complemented those who thrived in group discussions, creating a holistic learning experience. These impacts were evident through classroom observations, where diverse strengths emerged during group tasks, as well as through end-of-seminar student surveys.

While the flipped classroom model was largely successful, there were some challenges, particularly in ensuring all students completed the pre-class materials. To address this going forward, short accountability measures, such as online quizzes, to track progress will be implemented. Some students also required more support transitioning to this self-directed learning model, so additional tutorials will be provided for those who need extra guidance.

I aim to develop a stronger feedback loop, where students regularly reflect on the flipped classroom model’s effectiveness, ensuring that the approach evolves in line with their learning needs.

Follow up

  • Expanding the use of PBL to cover all major topics in the curriculum
  • Introducing additional digital tools and simulations to further enrich the learning experience.
  • Providing continuous professional development for staff to adapt and refine these innovative teaching strategies.

Feedback on the effectiveness of PBL has been collected, and this approach will be incorporated (in seminars) into curriculum areas that students find challenging – identified through their own feedback.

References

  • Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.
Introducing self-practice/self-reflection sessions on the high-intensity training course in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Introducing self-practice/self-reflection sessions on the high-intensity training course in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: Julia Limper, Charlie Waller Institute, j.limper@reading.ac.uk
Pink flamingo on water during daytime
Photo by Chris Stenger on Unsplash

Overview

This article discusses the integration of Self-Practice and Self-Reflection (SP/SR) into our as part of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) programs. SP/SR is designed to enhance therapists’ practical skills and emotional resilience by addressing gaps in traditional training methods and helping trainees manage the emotional demands of their learning.

Objectives

The primary goal of introducing SP/SR was to deepen trainees’ understanding of CBT through reflective practices, by supporting trainees to move from rigid adherence to more flexible and competent use of CBT techniques. Additionally, the program sought to provide emotional support during the intensive training process by incorporating opportunities for reflection and normalisation of course challenges smaller groups.

Context

Self-Practice/Self-Reflection (SP/SR) is recognised as a valuable tool for acquiring and refining CBT skills, enhancing both competence and emotional resilience (Bennett-Levy et al., 2009). This approach involves practicing CBT techniques on oneself (self-practice) and then reflecting on both personal benefits and challenges, as well as potential implications for patient work (self-reflection).The approach aligns with the NHS England Curriculum for HI (high intensity) trainees, which emphasises experiential learning and self-reflection (NHS England, 2022). While longer SP/SR formats exist and offer more extensive evidence of their benefits, the shorter format used here was designed to meet the course structure’s time constraints and to lay the groundwork for trainees to continue the practice independently.

In practice, many trainees acknowledged the importance of SP/SR but found it difficult to engage with SP/SR as a solely self-directed element due to the demanding nature of their course. This reflects the broader challenges faced by trainees in intensive programs (Boud & Walker, 1998).

The course involves intensive clinical training, provided through a mixture of lectures which include practicing clinical skills through role-plays, and supervision, provided in smaller groups of a maximum of four students. The lectures allow trainees to learn core skills, whilst supervision supports refining these skills and applying them to specific patient challenges.

Implementation

To address these challenges, SP/SR was integrated into four structured supervision sessions The format included:

  • Initial lecture: Introducing goals, ground rules, and safeguarding strategies.
  • Four SP/SR sessions (scheduled for 1 hour and 45 minutes)
      1. Setting and discussing personal goals.
      2. Evaluating techniques and maintenance cycles (maps that show how the trainees beliefs and behaviours could be maintaining a challenge).
      3. Open discussion on selected topics related to personal or professional challenges.
      4. Reflecting on endings and future use of SP/SR in professional practice.

To support trainees, a handbook, screencasts, and ongoing supervision guidance were provided, encouraging engagement and accountability in the reflective process.

Results and impact

The feedback from trainees, gathered through an online questionnaire showed positive reception to SP/SR in terms of its impact on skill development, wellbeing, and group cohesion. The whole cohort (N=28) was asked for feedback, with 17 responses received (61% response rate).

  • Around 70% agreed that SP/SR sessions contributed significantly to their growth as CBT therapists, with most others somewhat agreeing.
  • 64% found the sessions beneficial for their overall wellbeing.
  • 76% felt SP/SR improved their connection with peers and supervisors, fostering a greater sense of group cohesion.

In terms of session frequency, just over half of the cohort felt the number of sessions was ideal, with some wanting more opportunities to engage in the practice.

Qualitative feedback revealed that the dedicated time for SP/SR in supervision sessions was particularly appreciated. One trainee noted the value of having structured time for reflection on CBT practices, which might otherwise be neglected. Supervisors also observed that discussing SP/SR in small groups led to a deeper understanding among students and highlighted its potential to improve clinical practice.

Discussion and limitations

While SP/SR was well received by trainees, the evaluation had certain limitations, most importantly the reliance on self-reporting. The lack of objective measures of SP/SR’s direct impact on clinical practice or wellbeing leaves room for further investigation. Moreover, focusing primarily on professional self-reflection may limit its effectiveness. Expanding the approach to include reflections on both personal and professional challenges could enhance its utility (Chaddock et al., 2014).

Reflections

The introduction of SP/SR demonstrated its value in supporting both the professional development and emotional resilience of HI trainees. However, refining the programme, incorporating objective outcome measures, and addressing both personal and professional reflections may enhance its impact. Ongoing adjustments will be needed to further align SP/SR with the evolving needs of trainees.

Follow up and future directions

Future evaluations should focus on the long-term impact of SP/SR on trainees’ clinical practice and emotional well-being. Additionally, exploring how trainees continue to use SP/SR after formal training and how services can support this practice is essential. For future cohorts, a more formalised assessment process, combining both quantitative and qualitative feedback, will provide clearer insights into SP/SR’s effectiveness.

References

  • Bennett-Levy, J., McManus, F., Westling, B. E., & Fennell, M. (2009). Acquiring and refining CBT skills and competencies: which training methods are perceived to be most effective? Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 37(5), 571–583.
  • Boud, D., & Walker, D. (1998). Promoting reflection in professional courses: The challenge of context. Studies in higher education, 23(2), 191–206.
  • Chaddock, A., Thwaites, R., Bennett-Levy, J., & Freeston, M. H. (2014). Understanding individual differences in response to Self-Practice and Self-Reflection (SP/SR) during CBT training. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 7, e14.
  • NHS England (2022). Curriculum for High-Intensity CBT Trainees.
  • Thwaites, R., & Bennett-Levy, J. (2014). Using Self-Practice and Self-Reflection (SP/SR) to Enhance CBT Competence and Metacompetence. How to become a more effective CBT therapist: Mastering metacompetence in clinical practice, 239–254.

Taking ownership over our success: Empowering postgraduate trainee teachers

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: Scarlett Murphy, Institute of Education (IoE), s.l.e.murphy@reading.ac.uk
Decorative image
© University of Reading

Context

Throughout my experience working with postgraduate trainee teachers, I have observed how important it is for trainees to feel empowered to advocate for themselves, particularly those who are parents or carers, those managing anxiety and depression, and those with additional needs like autism or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Balancing the demands of placement with personal responsibilities can be overwhelming, but I believe that taking ownership of our own success and finding ways to do this once qualified is critical, especially considering the recent guidance surrounding an increase in students with disabilities.

One of the key challenges I have seen is the pressure that comes with meeting the Teachers’ Standards, while managing additional personal or learning needs. To address this, I worked closely with a group of trainee teachers who identified themselves as needing extra support. I collaborated with these students to develop additional resources to help them manage their time and workload, communicate effectively with their mentors, and build the confidence to advocate for themselves during their placements.

Implementation

The group I worked with included trainees from diverse backgrounds, many of whom were balancing the demands of their training with caregiving responsibilities, mental health challenges, or neurodiverse conditions like autism and ADHD. Together, we created practical resources such as letter templates, draft timetables, and guidance on how to initiate open discussions with mentors about their needs. I found that giving them tools to better communicate with their mentors had a huge impact, helping them establish stronger working relationships and ultimately supporting their ability to meet the required standards without feeling overwhelmed.

Beyond developing communication tools, I also encouraged these trainees to review the University’s placement preparation materials. Their feedback was eye-opening, and they helped me see how we could adjust the content to be more relevant to their needs. They also suggested adding new sessions to the program that would address specific barriers to their learning, such as managing workload when living with ADHD or balancing placement duties with family care. This collaboration not only supported the individual trainees but also created a richer learning environment for everyone involved. It was a clear example of how working collaboratively and sharing best practices can benefit the entire group.

Reflections

One of the most rewarding aspects of this work was seeing how it gave these students a voice. Their ideas and experiences were crucial in shaping the resources we created. They were not just recipients of support—they were active contributors to the process, and this empowered them further. My next step is to share these resources with their mentors, helping to bridge the gap between trainees and schools. This step will be essential in creating a more supportive and inclusive placement experience.

In addition to supporting the students directly, these resources also have the potential to reduce the workload of academic tutors by providing consistent, ready-made tools that can be easily adapted to different trainees’ needs. Working closely with our Disability Advisory Service, the goal is to ensure that these resources complement the existing support provided, making placements more manageable and successful for trainees with additional needs. The ongoing aim is not only to support trainee teachers in their training year but give them the skills to use in their career after graduation.

Through this process, I have also come to realise that far more students have additional needs or unique circumstances than I initially thought. This aligns with current guidance on academic tutoring, which emphasises the importance of making adjustments to support all students and those who have not yet received a formal diagnosis.

Next steps

The next steps to the project are to create a booklet with all the resources and university support links for all trainee teachers and share them more broadly with all schools where our students are on placement.

By empowering postgraduate trainee teachers to advocate for themselves and by creating a supportive framework, I am confident that we can ensure more trainees thrive during their placements and beyond. This work is about fostering a culture of self-advocacy, collaboration, and inclusion—values that are essential for the success of all future teachers.

Reflections of an additional research assistant on a UROP project

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By: Hannah Raheja, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, Bc007055@student.reading.ac.uk
Decorative image
© Photo by Nick Morrison

Overview

The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) consists of different projects students can apply to gain research experience. Each project attracts significant numbers of student applicants, but only one is selected. This year, UROP had a project examining the impact of staff racial representation on students’ sense of belonging. I applied to this due to my interest in the topic and despite not being selected as the leading researcher, I was asked to be a research assistant, something that is not typical during UROP projects. This blog will explore my experience as a research assistant and the positive implications this has had on both my personal and professional development. To view the aims and findings of this project, please see Denethri Gamagedara’s blog.

Context

The interest in this study regarding students’ sense of belonging transpired from the Race Equality Review (UoR, 2021) findings, which suggested that staff racial representation directly impacted the sense of belonging, engagement, and attainment within the class.

Denethri Gamagedara conducted this project during her UROP placement over the summer. I (Hannah Raheja) worked as a research assistant, helping with thematic analysis and research dissemination (alongside being a UROP student on another project). This project had two supervisors: Anjali Mehta Chandar, a Lecturer within the Charlie Waller Institute (CWI) and Allán Laville, the Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Equity in Psychology. Having a research assistant is not usual practice for UROP studies due to the typical focus of one student obtaining one-to-one research experience with supervisors.

My experience as a research assistant

At first, I worried about working with Denethri as I assumed there would be challenges with power dynamics since I was the research assistant and she was the leading researcher. Furthermore, as I had interviewed for the position and had been unsuccessful, I felt that perhaps my ideas were less beneficial than the other team members. Moreover, as Denethri, Anjali and Allan had been working with each other for 4 weeks before I joined their team (they had conducted interviews and a survey with students), I was also apprehensive about how my presence would affect the team dynamic.

However, once I joined the group, I found my worries unwarranted. Denethri and I had regular Microsoft Teams meetings where we built upon each other’s ideas, collaboratively generated themes for reflexive thematic analysis (e.g. diversity in education), and asked each other for feedback. In addition, when meeting with Anjali, Allan and Denethri to discuss the codes Denethri and I had established (e.g. for the theme diversity and education, we had codes such as lecturers and teaching material address diversity), both supervisors frequently asked me for my input, affirming that my ideas were beneficial and helping me to feel like an essential member of the project.  Likewise, Anjali emailed and provided me with feedback throughout my time on the team, helping nurture my research skills. I also later discovered that the research assistant position was made for myself and was funded by the Lecturer’s SDA account because I had impressed the supervisors during the interview.

Furthermore, in response to the survey and interview answers, Denethri and I collaboratively agreed upon different recommendations to foster student belonging, which we then presented to Anjali and Allán, who provided us with guidance. To begin with, I struggled to generate recommendations since I had not been present during the interviews and so I did not have an accurate grasp of the problem. Appreciatively, Denethri patiently answered my queries, helping me understand the situation and from this, we both came up with six different ways to foster a sense of belonging within the teaching environment. Denethri and I then created a screencast for lecturers within CWI explaining each of the recommendations. The recommendations include:

  • sharing your protected characteristics with new cohorts (as much as you feel comfortable),
  • acknowledging cultural events (e.g. Diwali) during lectures,
  • creating a diversity discussion blog where minority lecturers can share their teaching journeys and how their protected characteristics have impacted their profession,
  • continuing to implement diverse teaching resources by referencing decolonising the curriculum,
  • incorporating discussions about sense of belonging with all students during academic tutorial meetings and creating safe spaces for minority students to discuss their sense of belonging –whether in academic tutorial, online forums or other settings.

Being a part of this process has been an incredible experience as I have developed competencies as an undergraduate researcher while also having the broader implications of developing beneficial recommendations to foster inclusion within the university further. As a student within CWI, I hope these recommendations will be implemented so that all students will feel a sense of belonging within their lectures and throughout their wider university experience.

Summary

To summarise, I was asked to join this project as a research assistant and due to joining this study partway through, I experienced some initial anxiety. However, a successful student-staff partnership was formed between Denethri, supervisors, and myself, with Anjali allowing Denethri and I to express our opinions openly and Allán supporting us to engage with a project with pedagogic implications. This role has helped to develop my analytical, data, and research proficiencies further – all of which would not have been possible without my experience as a research assistant. These positive outcomes will hopefully encourage other supervisors to consider hiring an extra student to help analyse findings and disseminate their UROP project. To best utilise this additional research assistance, regular meetings between all parties should occur, supervisors should actively engage and include the research assistant in the discussions and provide them with constructive feedback on their work.

Acknowledgements

This article would not have been possible without the support and advice of Denethri Gamagedara, Anjali Mehta Chandar, and Allán Laville.

References

The Hidden Curriculum Glossary – supporting transitions with student-created resources

The Hidden Curriculum Glossary – supporting transitions with student-created resources

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

By: Amanda Millmore, The School of Law, a.millmore@reading.ac.uk

Overview

As a way of helping new students to transition to university, our student-staff partnership co-created a “Hidden Curriculum Glossary.” The original glossary has been shared with students in the School of Law, used as the basis for a guide for first generation students at the University of Reading and has been adopted and adapted by universities across the sector, both in Law and other disciplines.

Objectives

The “hidden curriculum” has varied definitions but relates to the lack of connection between academics’ assumptions about students and how they should behave and what happens in reality. This includes implicit aspects of the taught curriculum as well as the academic expectations. The project aimed to get first generation Law students to help new entrants to understand some of the terminology and behavioural expectations of university by co-creating supportive resources.

Context

The adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students’ sense of belonging has been challenging. This partnership project worked with first generation Law students to brainstorm ideas to improve a sense of community and belonging within the Law School. The project led to positive ideas to benefit our community, as well as the creation of resources to support transition for all students.

Implementation

We recruited 8 paid student-partners; we pay them for their time to ensure a diverse group of students and as always, we are adopting the University’s Principles of Partnership.

Together we shared ideas to improve the sense of community and belonging which were taken forwards by the School’s Student Experience Committee and we identified suggestions to help incoming students.

One important output of our partnership was our quick guide to terminology and expectations – the Hidden Curriculum Glossary. Students shared what they wished they had known before starting and in their first year of university, and we co-created a helpful and colourful document demystifying key terms and concepts, written in plain English and tailored for what new students need to know.

The glossary was printed and shared with incoming undergraduate and postgraduate students as part of their transition materials in Welcome Week. Students also created “Top Tips” videos for new students and a video guide to our building. All of the resources are also shared electronically via Blackboard.

We have updated the glossary each year to incorporate student feedback and to include any changes. So for example, in its second year we added in more information about the Careers team and how they can help students.

What it all means - studying Law at the University of Reading! This is a guide created by students for students, to help you understand what some of the words we use while studying mean. We hope you find it helpful! STUDYING LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF READING Co-curricular activities: Things you do along with your Law degree. They can be law related like mooting, negotiation skills, client interviewing and mediation or they may be clubs, societies and hobbies you get involved with. Foxhill House: Home to the School of Law - we have some classrooms here, lots of offices and a student common room. All Law students are welcome. We also have some offices in Edith Morley building. LLB: Bachelor of Laws - this is your degree programme and is the qualification you are awarded at the end of the course. Module: A module is a subject with a set number of credits assigned to it. You can find a number of compulsory and optional modules to complete each year.

The glossary is designed to support student transition and retention. It received very positive feedback from Law students via a questionnaire to all who received it, for example here is some of the qualitative feedback we received:

Screenshot of a PowerPoint slide. It reads: Evaluating the Glossary: How specifically did it help you? “How and who to contact for help if need be.” “The key websites that I’d be visiting frequently and who to ask for help in different circumstances. Assessment and marking section was really helpful.” "Familiarity with all the new terms I had never come across regarding my learning." “It gave me more of an understanding of the structure of the law school and what everything means. It had also clarified the definitions of the assessment terms as I had been struggling with understanding them.” “How the assessments work, how teaching works here, who to contact, what everything means."

Impact

 

Student partners disseminated the work at a Teaching & Learning Showcase and the Change Agents’ Network Conference 2023.

We created a Criminology version of the glossary for the new programme which was launched in 2023/24 and are now getting ready for the 3rd iteration of the glossary to incorporate the new language of semesters for 24/25.

The glossary is also a useful introduction to new colleagues joining the university, to get to grips with the language and terminology we use in Reading.

Reflections

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. The glossary has been a really useful exercise in co-creation with students, ensuring that we meet their needs and by making something of real value to them.

I would recommend that anyone looking to devise this kind of resource, looks to do so with student partners. Partnership working in this way ensures that the materials you produce are appropriate. As always with this kind of work, the students are fantastic at getting their teeth stuck into a project and make a real difference. Co-creation leads to sharing of different perspectives and is always eye-opening, unsurprisingly students know best as to what will resonate with their peers.

One of the biggest challenges was the timing of the project. Our funding did not kick in until August, but we needed to start work before then in order to achieve something useful in time for the start of the next academic year. Juggling student availability, when they have so many calls upon their time is always tricky, but keeping a flexible approach and realising that things do not need to be perfect, is crucial to a successful project.

Full credit to my colleague Dr. Başak Bak who worked on the community-building side of the project, and our fantastic student partners: Laura Carroll, Ambreen Azeem, Ryan Gibbard, Aina Binti Mohammad Abu Sofian, Srijanani Viswanathan, Saydee Brown, Lewis James, Hasti Houshyari and Kartiga Moganan.

Follow up

Having presented this work and its evolutions within Legal Education streams at Law-specific conferences (Society of Legal Scholars, 2023, Socio-Legal Studies Association, 2024) and at the Advance HE Teaching & Learning Conference (2023 & 2024), our glossary has been adopted and adapted by 8 other institutions (to date), many working to co-produce resources with their students:

2023

  • University of York (Law)
  • King’s College, London (Law)
  • University of Lancaster (Law & Student Success Team)
  • University of Salford (School of Science, Engineering & Environment)

Screenshot of the glossary at the Lancaster University Law SchoolScreenshot of the glossary at the University of York Law School

2024

  • University of Cardiff (Law)
  • University of Nottingham (Law)
  • University of Portsmouth (Law)
  • University of Manchester (Law)

I am currently working with colleagues at these institutions to gather feedback and the impact of this work. With cohorts of several hundred (and in one case over 1000) our work has already supported several thousand students nationwide. They are all explicitly acknowledging that their versions were inspired by the work of our student staff partnership.

In 2024 students asked, through course representatives on the Student Staff Partnership Group, whether we could create a Careers-focused Glossary. Jeff Anderson (our Careers Consultant) is working with student representatives and me to produce something suitable.

If you are interested in adopting and adapting the glossary for your students, please get in touch with Amanda as she is very happy to share the materials, advice and wants to gather more evidence of impact of this work.

Links

Exploring students’ sense of belonging in the Charlie Waller Institute

Exploring students’ sense of belonging in the Charlie Waller Institute

By michaelkilmister Comment Closed

 

By:
1. Denethri Gamagedara, Psychology Undergraduate and UROP student, d.gamagedara@reading.ac.uk;
2. Anjali Mehta Chandar, Lecturer, Charlie Waller Institute, a.m.chandar@reading.ac.uk;
3. Professor Allán Laville, Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, allan.laville@reading.ac.uk;
4. Hannah Raheja, Research Assistant, h.raheja@student.reading.ac.uk
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
Overview

Following the University of Reading’s (UoR) Race Equality Review (UoR, 2021), this Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) project took place, consisting of a student survey and two student interviews conducted in the Charlie Waller Institute (CWI), a department within the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences. The aim was to investigate students’ perception of staff racial representation and its impact on students’ sense of belonging. Students felt that diversity explicitly needed to be integrated into the teaching and learning environment. A range of recommendations are provided.

Objectives

The objectives of this pilot study were:

  • To understand how staff racial representation impacts CWI students’ sense of belonging.
  • To explore student sense of belonging in CWI, a department that consciously integrates diversity and inclusion into teaching.
  • To contribute towards diversifying teaching and learning material and maximising student-staff interactions.

Context

The Race Equality Review (UoR, 2021) underlined racial representation as a salient factor for fostering sense of in its students. As Strayhorn (2018) outlines, sense of belonging is broadly defined as “students’ perceived social support on campus, a feeling or sensation of connectedness, the experience of mattering or feeling cared about, accepted, respected, valued by, and important to the group (e.g., campus community) or others on campus (e.g., faculty, peers).” Focus groups within the review highlighted that a lack of staff from minor ethnicities reinforced students’ isolation and lack of belonging within the university. When present, sense of belonging promotes successful learning by improving student engagement, encouraging students to seek campus resources and acting as a buffer from mental health issues (Gopalan & Brady, 2019). This was consistent with comments made in focus groups, where inclusion and sense of belonging were seen as important to the student experience.

The primary reason for conducting this study within CWI was because of the institute’s particular interest in ensuring diversity and inclusion (D+I), and it has an award-winning D+I working group. An institute in the School of Psychology, CWI specialises in postgraduate, vocational training for mental health practitioners. Within the teaching material, students are taught to think about a therapy client’s protected characteristics and engage in conversations about their diverse cultural backgrounds. It was deemed interesting to see how students at an institute that overtly discusses diversity felt about their sense of belonging to the university (potentially based on their racial identity).

Denethri Gamagedara conducted this study as part of UROP. This study was particularly important to her because of the possible implications of institutional improvement for students similar to herself. The project had two supervisors: Anjali Mehta Chandar, a Lecturer in CWI with a keen interest in D+I, and Allán Laville, both a Professor in the department and the University’s Dean of Diversity and Inclusion. Hannah Raheja, a CWI undergraduate student, aided in the project in the role of a research assistant, particularly supporting with the thematic analysis and dissemination.

Implementation

The study involved conducting a survey and two individual participant interviews with the students of CWI. The questions were co-designed by Denethri and Anjali. Sixteen students responded to this survey while three students volunteered for the interview, however only two proceeded to be interviewed due to availability.  Responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and discussed with Anjali and Allan. Coding and clustering were completed by Denethri and Hannah, with inter-coder agreement scores of 95.5% and 85.3%. Figure 1 and Figure 2 below outline the themes and sub-themes that emerged from the data.

Figure 1

Themes from the survey

PowerPoint slide with the following text: Themes from survey 1. Uncertainty & neutrality 2. Diversity and improvements 3. Majority 4. Connecting with staff 5. Benefits of having representation and sense of belonging Themes from the question: Please write 10 words which come to mind when thinking about ‘sense of belonging’ 1.Group sense of belonging 2. Individual sense of belonging 3. Positive feelings from sense of belonging

Figure 2

Themes (dark green) and sub-themes (light green) from the interviews

PowerPoint slide with the following text: Themes in the interviews 1. Belonging and its facets 2. Diversity and representation Holistic Diversity Characteristics Racial Majority 3. Teaching and learning environment Conversations on diversity Diversity in education 4.Feedback 5.Interactions with staff 6.Student experience Professional Practice Mental Health Barriers 7.Institutional awareness

Impact

The research team devised the following recommendations for teaching staff to foster a sense of belonging for students and address diversity.  

1 Openness in introductions: Lecturers to mention their own protected characteristics and routes to becoming an academic can be beneficial, particularly during their initial introduction to the cohort e.g. first teaching session. Students had perceptions that only individuals who fit certain criterion could become lecturers (e.g., majority ethnicity and higher socioeconomic status).

2 Showing cultural awareness: Acknowledging cultural events in lectures, Blackboard announcements or emails helps students feel accepted and valued. This allows for better student-staff connection.

3 A discussion blog: Implementing a blog where lecturers can talk about being a professional from a minoritised background is helpful. For example, departments might like to host this on Blackboard, with a new blog each month, or in the student newsletter which is sent out once a term. Students recognised the importance of holistic diversity and wished for more openness about this.

4 Teaching resources: Representation extends to teaching material. has conducted work into decolonising the curriculum, with a more recent publication in September about steps on how to achieve this.

5 Discussing belonging with academic tutees explicitly: Students reported that openness was crucial and belonging involved feeling comfortable and valued. Figure 3 (below) provides examples on how to address sense of belonging.

6 Discussing diversity, notably race, with tutees: Students mentioned that acceptance contributed to belonging. Creating a safe space for students may improve student-staff relationships. Figure 3 (below) has potential questions related to race.

Figure 3

Questions related to sense of belonging and diversity to ask tutees

PowerPoint slide displaying the following text: Discussing sense of belonging “Do you feel valued within the university? Do you feel valued within the department?” “Are you comfortable during lectures? Do you feel comfortable approaching lecturers after?” “Do you feel included and part of a group at university?” Discussing diversity and race “Do you feel we do enough as lecturers and/or as a university to ensure equal opportunities for everyone, especially from various ethnic backgrounds?” “Do you feel we do enough as lecturers and/or as a university to build cultural awareness where everyone can learn and be themselves?” “Do you feel the university is doing enough to acknowledge and ensure diversity?” “What would you like to see us do more of to further inclusion in the university and/or department?” “Has your identity characteristics affected your university experience?”

Reflections

Conducting the study was extremely beneficial as it created the opportunity to think about recommendations to improve student sense of belonging. The results showed that only 31% of students agreed to the statement “I feel a sense of belonging within CWI”, with 25% neither agreeing nor disagreeing, 18.8% disagreeing and 25% strongly disagreeing – this suggests that there is room for improvement.

The study was successful because of the efficient pedagogical partnerships that were formed. Anjali, who was the main supervisor during the project, created a creative space where Denethri and Hannah, as undergraduates, could openly express their opinions. Whilst having Allan’s perspective and expertise helped Denethri and Hannah cluster themes effectively and think about tangible recommendations that lecturers can implement. The positive outcomes, particularly the opportunity to conduct more thorough analysis with a variety of researchers, will hopefully encourage more students and lecturers to apply for the UROP scheme in subsequent years too.

The study may have been better implemented if there was an opportunity to hear from a group of students, such as in a focus group setting. This was part of the original methodology, however, only one student volunteered for this, which therefore had to become an individual interview instead. Focus groups and/or creative styles of evaluation and student voice (such as zine-making) could be incorporated into future replications of this study.

Follow up

The recommendations have been included in a screencast for dissemination to staff groups within CWI, which is viewable here for other UoR colleagues to also view. A reflective paper about the impact of pedagogical partnerships formed from the study is in the process of being published. A pre-print in the style of a lab report is also hoping to be published. It is likely that future projects will look into the effectiveness of the recommendations, perhaps in the form of student or staff feedback.

References

  • Gopalan, M., & Brady, S. T. (2020). College students’ sense of belonging: A national perspective. Educational Researcher, 49(2), 134-137.
  • Strayhorn, T. L. (2018). College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A Key to Educational Success for All Students. Routledge.
  • University of Reading (UoR). (2021). Race equality review. University of Reading. https://static.reading.ac.uk/content/PDFs/files/race-equality-review-report-2021.pdf

Links

Questions in Figure 1 are adapted from CIPD (2013)