3rd UKCGE Conference on Postgraduate Taught Education

HEARD@ScHARR is a research project co-produced with PGT student researchers, exploring how are postgraduate taught students experience inclusivity during their academic journey. 

This presentation will report the initial findings from a series of ​‘world café’ workshops and individual interviews conducted at the University of Sheffield in 2022/23 with PGTs. The participants were asked to explore how they define inclusivity, the barriers and facilitators to inclusivity and the range of impacts that students experiences of inclusivity in higher education might have on them personally and collectively.

The results and recommendations presented here are focused on three key higher education areas i) digital learning environments, ii) physical learning environments and iii) academic culture.

As with many UK taught Masters programmes, there is a short window to engage students with careers activities, manage their expectations, encourage them to make the most of their time and bring them up to speed with labour market expectations – all of this alongside the transition to PGT level study, often in a new country and in a second language. 

At Nottingham University Business School, we have developed interventions throughout the MSc student journey to support students with their career learning, career development and career transition. In this session we will share:

• how we engage with students prior to their arrival and during induction to help them hit the ground running a little faster.

• an overview of our integrated MSc Accelerated Career Leader Programme (ACLP) and examples of the formative assessment within this.

• the opportunities that have been created to support the development of professional skills. 

• how we support career transitions as students graduate (and beyond)

The tailored and integrated careers support available to Master’s students before, during, and after their MSc, including one-to-one careers consultations, an integrated career development programme, regular talks and panel events from alumni and employers, and skills workshops, result in a number of positive outcomes, including: 

• Interactive elements built into the ACLP and other workshops enable students to experience the practical application of career management techniques. 
• MSc students are provided with opportunities to receive feedback and reflect on their career learning throughout their programme. 
• The ACLP includes all MSc courses. Students report that it’s an opportunity to build relationships with a diverse mix of students across courses and cultures. 
• Students gain confidence in networking with alumni, recruiters, and professionals. 
• Relationships are built with the NUBS Postgraduate Careers Team, contributing to creating a positive student experience and lasting alumni relationships. 
• Provide opportunities for students to develop and articulate professional competencies.
• Contribute to positive graduate outcomes and Business School rankings.

The recent significant expansion in international postgraduate recruitment brings with it many opportunities and challenges. The needs of these cohorts are different to UK students, as are their eventual graduate destinations. Evidence from our School of Science, Engineering and Environment postgraduate taught cohorts (>80% BAME students) highlight significant challenges for maintaining academic standards and good student experience due to poor engagement and integration. 

Recently, scaffolding has received considerable attention as an effective instructional strategy. At the University of Salford, we prepare our students to become independent learners by starting their studies with a mandatory Postgraduate Scholarship Skills (PSS) module. The module is focused on the critical evaluation of science, it provides skills such as selecting appropriate materials from scientific journals and guides students through how to evaluate the quality of sources and understand the impact of the work. The module further considers writing styles for science communication purposes and encompasses learning for scientific writing, avoiding plagiarism and referencing style. 

The aim is to enable all students irrespective of background to attain similar standards in academic writing. Following PSS, the student learning journey progresses to independent laboratory skills with data presentation and analysis in the module Research Design and Delivery (RDD). The student progress from these lab skills to the actual design of experiments and thus serves as a platform from which they can move into an individual research project. 

This scaffolded support running in parallel to subject-specific modules ensures that learners from diverse backgrounds are equally able to access MSc teaching and perform equally well irrespective of background prior to PGT study. 

The PGT programmes that offer this structure were co-created with students and we believe this will enable them to develop into a new generation of global practitioners in the fields of both environment and bioscience. 

This research explores the role and value of students’ participation in learning communities whilst undertaking post-experience education. The study focuses on the experiences of those engaging in a master’s level, professionally accredited management qualification. Viewed through the lens of a ​‘participation matrix framework’, findings demonstrate that participants chose to engage and continue with the learning activity because of a diverse range of influencing factors but were significantly influenced by their involvement in student-led learning communities. For this research, such communities are defined as groups of people within a formal learning environment that share experiences, thoughts, ideas, and arguments to find solutions to problems, quality improvement methods, a shared vision and mutual values (Merriam, 2010). 

Despite the prevailing societal and economic challenges, there remains strong demand for formal learning provision. Consideration must be given to the extent to which current student support practice enables participation in terms of access, the offering, and the necessary support mechanisms that consider the changing needs, motivation, and context of the learner (Wilson and Cervero, 2010; McQaid et al. 2010). This highlights a need for learning and education providers and facilitators to gain an accurate and up-to-date insight into the nature of participation in adult learning and the prevailing mechanisms that are most effective in supporting the act of participation. 

The importance of people as the principal enablers to participation cannot be underestimated and is clearly evidenced as a key enabler within this research setting. Managers, colleagues and learning peers (students) are found to be the main source for the development of communities of practice that support and influence the learning journey. The results of this study have revealed particular emphasis on the benefits of the social factors of the learning journey and particularly interaction with others. The development of communities of practice, within the learning environment and in an organisational setting allow for such relationships to form. 

During 2023, the authors are collecting and analysing data, from a diverse profile of national and international students across disciplines studying both in the UK and abroad, concerning their experiences of PGT study. The research forms part of the work towards How to Get a Master’s (Claydon and Johnson, Open University Press, 2025) and data will continue to be collected through to September 2023. This paper will present initial results, examine the themes and questions which arise. Key objectives for the research project include identifying:

What advice do students perceive as most important for future students applying and/​or studying for a postgraduate qualification and;

Which barriers do students find most challenging in their studies?

The survey also asks several questions about the inclusivity and accessibility of PGT. There are, we observe, a number of gaps between universities, different education systems, academics as individuals, and students, in terms of expectation. Often, this can be seen in achievement gaps for which an adequate solution is yet to be found. In this paper, some potential themes will be extrapolated from the initial data which may contribute to both a better understanding of student and universities’ needs and expectations as they (dys)function in already complicated educational paradigms.

Consequently, what is meant by inclusivity at PGT level needs to be reframed not only in terms of traditional EDI parameters (i.e. minorities, widening participation and so on) but also in terms of how all PGT is defined for both academic and professional purposes (and not compartmentalised into academic PGT versus professional PGT training qualifications). Thus, it should be asked if the assessment and learning models can be adapted to fit the purposes of the majority of PGT students, who study for employment outwith and not within higher education.

This workshop will follow on from a workshop at UKCGE Conference in Birmingham in July 2022 which addressed dilemmas in PGT assessment, and a subsequent online workshop (Sept 2022) gathering input on principles which ought to support PGT assessment. Since October 2022, the authors have been working on developing ​‘Good Practice Guidelines’ for assessment at PGT Level, drawing on these inputs. Ultimately, we intend to publish a short guide which will include: the policy context, principles, guidance and some brief case studies. This afternoon session will focus on the principles and guidance.

The principles which have been identified are:

• Authentic/​valid

• Equitable (making sure no individual is disadvantaged) 

• Supportive (of learning) 

• Transparent / Clarity 

• Flexible

• Efficient

• Robust (plagiarism proof, actually assessing meeting LOs) 

• Timely (assessing as close to possible to learning, discussion on concessions/​extensions)

We will also introduce draft guidance for steps which can be taken to support these principles in practice. 

Those attending the workshop will be invited to discuss this draft guidance. We will welcome all feedback, particularly in relation to the practicality of the suggestions, and the extent to which they are (or are not) inclusive. We are keen to learn whether any disciplines, programme structures, or institutions feel they are under-represented. This workshop will support the further development of the Good Practice Guidelines as we move to the final stage of identifying case studies to illustrate the principles.

It is well documented that developing an inclusive approach to effectively supporting students, particularly those from minoritized groups, must consider the ​‘lived experienced’ (English higher education 2019: The Office for Students annual review). Lived experience can be defined as ​‘The experience(s) of people on whom a social issue, or combination of issues, has a direct impact’ (Sandhu, 2017) 

In this session we will illustrate how, using the SPICED* methodology from authentic assessment development and design, we can utilise the lived experience of participants to actively shape collective objectives and reinforce their role as active and co-creative members of our learning community. Together we will explore specific approaches which bring the lived experience to life to embed it into our teaching practice. We will focus on the role of SPICED in relation to the following areas or stages: 

1. Effective approaches to developing inclusive and relevant PGT programmes from scratch 

2. Empowering agency to students and staff to embrace and shape design through the lived experience lens. 

3. Ensuring our actions are meaningful and impactful — strategies for continuous improvement, connection and review 

4. Authentic assessment development – granting an active role for students to enable co-creation of assessments that reflect them and work for us 

Through examples, case studies and practical exercises we will work through all four of these areas and there will be opportunities for discussion and deeper engagement with the role of lived experience to consider the benefits and challenges of this approach. 

Attendees will leave with an understanding of the SPICED* methodology and how it can work in practice to enhance their approach to supporting PGTs in an inclusive way in response to some of the sector wide challenges currently faced across many Higher Education Institutions. 

*SPICED objectives are Subjective, Participatory, Interpreted and communicable, Cross-checked and comparable, Empowering, Diverse and deliberate reflective space.**

References:

Lennie, J., Tacchi, J., Koirala, B., Wilmore, M., Skuse, A. (2011) Equal Access Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation toolkit.

Evaluating Gender Structural Change. Guidelines for Evaluating Gender Equality Action Plans (2O16). December 2016, Project: GENOVATE

**https://www.researchgate.net/p…

Feeling included starts with being able to see other people that have similar characteristics to you. Changing the demographic of a teaching team takes time but the shift towards online delivery provides an opportunity to manipulate the content that our PGT students see through case studies, images and external content to make it much more reflective of our ever diversifying student body. By modelling students and using ​‘avatars’ to present content and share exemplars, we have the ability to make our course content as diverse as our students. 

During the workshop we’ll introduce Attributes and Aspirations, an elective online short course, designed to help PGT students develop key transferable and careers related skills. One of the key elements to provide tailored support is the use of the ​‘AA Avatars’. These are a group of hypothetical students that aim to reflect the diversity of our cohort. Students are introduced to the avatars during pre-arrival content and these avatars then appear throughout the course as they share elements of their stories through their CVs, job applications and their experiences as new employees/​PhD students. 

The aim of this workshop will be for participants to design their own avatars. Participants will work in groups to explore the options that need to be considered to address inequality, design an avatar using a simple template and then share different ways they could use that avatar within their own curriculum. Their avatars can then be taken back to their institutions and used as a tool to start and advance conversations with colleagues to find ways to implement equity, diversity and inclusion into teaching in a practical way. 

The #WeAreInternational Student Ambassador Programme is UKCISA’s student network of global future leaders. This is an education policy and leadership development scheme for exceptional individuals from around the world who are currently studying in the UK. 

Drawing on the knowledge and first-hand experience of current student ambassadors studying PGT courses in the UK, this session will explore what has worked well for them, their challenges and achievements and their thoughts and practical ideas on how their experience could be improved. 

We will explore what motivates students to come to the UK in the first place, what information different students might need before coming to the UK, what makes them feel welcome, what community means in their diverse backgrounds and how it forms (or doesn’t) in the UK. We will also consider why some students seek support and others don’t.

We will share how students adjust to UK academic culture, their challenges with assessment and how they manage the condensed one-year PGT timeframe. In addition we will consider how to acknowledge and build on the array of different skills and experience students bring. 

The student voice is at the core of UKCISA’s work and is a key principle in our #WeAreInternational Student Charter. This session provides an opportunity to hear what students are saying, how we might maintain the dialogue and, critically, how we might respond. 

The changing nature of the higher education landscape has put the importance to support the employability research of students in the limelight. Whilst Higher Education institutes are facing burgeoning demands to produce well-rounded and ​‘work-ready’ graduates, limited attention is paid to tailoring the employability needs, cultural integration, and work readiness development of international students (See Huang & Turner, 2018), especially when it comes to assessing the employability and career preparedness of one-year international postgraduate taught student (PGTs) cohort.

The oversea study experience of international PGTs is intensive, relatively short, and cross-cultural. Thus, to support their employability should be a more integrated and mirrored discourse that further cooperation among university career services, international offices, industries, and faculties to help them to get work ready in the mutable labour market. However, it seems that scarce research focuses on one-year international postgraduate taught students in the UK, and the key terms such as international students, international graduates, student employability, graduate employability, and work readiness are often used interchangeably without a solid consensus. To date, factors influencing the employability of international PGTs are becoming more complex and it is urgent to develop a more validated approach to evaluate their employability and tailor their career needs not just from ​‘supply-side’ perspectives with listed employability attributes and skills.

My current research embarked on a critical review of synthesizing the construct of international student employability with the overarching focus on investigating the employability of one-year international postgraduate taught students and their responses & approaches to work readiness development. Based on the above, the main highlights of this session would involve an overview review of current international PGTs’ employability study, the existing gaps and discussions, and the future research trend and implications.