Editorial: oSoTL 3(2)

Vicki Dale¹, Matthew Barr¹ and Nathalie Tasler¹

¹ University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

Corresponding Author:
Vicki Dale, Academic and Digital Development, University of Glasgow, 64 Southpark House, Southpark Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8LB, UK.
Email: Vicki.Dale@glasgow.ac.uk

Following on from our previous issue of oSoTL (a special bilingual edition on a Learning Design for Education for Sustainable Development Bootcamp), Thompson and Herriges discuss how they have embedded environmentally sustainable practices in a postgraduate taught course on textile conservation. The authors present a framework for learning and teaching in this context, based on the results of a qualitative study focus group study with students who participated in extra-curricular activities.

Two papers follow on the theme of the hidden curriculum. Birtill et al. describe their production of a ‘Student guide to the hidden curriculum’ in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Agency. Information for the guide was widely crowd-sourced, and the first iteration of the guide shared with students for feedback, before being evaluated by staff. The guide provides a helpful introduction to university life, academic life, teaching and learning, assessment and feedback, and good study behaviours.

The hidden curriculum is also the focus of the paper by Heim et al., who present a flexible model for exposing and mitigating the hidden curriculum in the transition to higher education. The framework consists of three phases: Plan, Investigate, and Analyse and target, and can be applied in any subject context.

Two papers follow from McDonald et al. The first presents the outcomes of a qualitative survey with psychology students about their experiences of active learning. The study concludes that students do engage with and benefit from active learning; however, thought needs to be given as to how this is presented to students and integrated into the curriculum.

The second paper by McDonald et al. focuses on statistics anxiety in a research methods and statistics course, again in psychology. The outcomes of a multi-stage qualitative study highlight first what students struggle with in terms of learning statistics, and the second stage evaluation of curriculum changes highlight the importance of active learning and teaching approaches underpinned by principles of authentic assessment and assessment for learning.

A qualitative study by James et al. comprising semi-structured interviews with students who had taken a Leave of Absence (LOA) during their undergraduate degree reveals that despite positive experiences in terms of student support, significant challenges include difficulties navigating LOA procedures, and preparedness for returning to studies. Recommendations for practice to enhance students’ experiences of LOA are provided.

Memes are the focus of the paper by Zidenberg and Sparks, who present the benefits of memes as an arts-based pedagogy, which they have used to engage students to understand complex psychological concepts in a voluntary assignment. They present instructions for students and staff in implementing a similar intervention and align their ‘study guide’ with APA learning goals.

Active learning in the undergraduate laboratory is the focus of the next paper by Edmunds and Leggett. Situated against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and increasing concern for student mental health, the study used action research to investigate formative assessment as a safe space for failure. The study revealed that despite fear of failure, students felt comfortable to engage in the experiments.

We close with a paper by Kim et al. on the influence of retrieval practice (formative quizzes) on students’ course grade in an online general education course at a large university in Canada. The study revealed that the quantity of quiz attempts, and the accuracy of quiz attempts – as reflected on the highest practice quiz grades – were both predictive of students’ final course grades.

Once again, it has been a privilege to edit this collection of scholarship from the UK and United States and Canada, and we are as ever indebted to our contributors for their sterling work, and our reviewers for their selfless contribution in providing a helpful steer to our authors.