Open Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
The main reason for establishing this journal is that we feel too many journals inhibit submission due to their overly strict rules for submissions; where form prevents content from being shared. Our ethos is to ensure that your voice is heard. We want to capture the rich contexts, experiences, and voices from colleagues across the sector. We encourage all types of writing from more traditional educational inquiries, to working-out-loud papers and provocations.
Acknowledgements: oSoTL 4(2) Ukraine special issue
Acknowledgements for the Ukraine special issue, oSoTL 4(2): “Tempus fugit, Academia sempiternal”
Copyright (c) 2025 Nathalie Tasler, Vicki Dale, Matthew Barr https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper describes the immediate experiences of a lecturer who, with her family, was displaced during the war. After finding safety outside of Ukraine, teaching resumed via Zoom. The teacher created a purposefully ‘safe’ space online for students to participate.
Copyright (c) 2025 Oksana Kharchenko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper presents a literary journey through poetry, philosophy, literature, and one academic’s experience of losing colleagues and students in the war. Yet, the author finishes on a hopeful note.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ludmila Kiselova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper presents a chronological account of one academic and her family’s experiences of the war, and the importance of finding solace in books to create a sense of normality. The author also reflects on ‘push and pull’ factors in relation to migration and living outside of Ukraine during the ongoing conflict.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Prokhorova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper represents the autobiographical reflections of an individual academic, and how her career aspirations, Covid, and war impacted on her and her family’s evolving identity.
Copyright (c) 2025 Galyna Solovei https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Ukraine special issue part 3: Mixed narratives
This third section of the special edition presents ‘mixed narratives’; academics revealing their experiences of teaching and living during wartime. Authors are cited in relation to finding beauty in the darkest places, and liken themselves to the Japanese art of Kintsugi.
Copyright (c) 2025 Katharine Terrell https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper is a poetry submission.
Copyright (c) 2025 Viktoria Tretinichenko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Tooth Fairy and other words of love—reflections
This paper shows the juxtraposition between wartime realities and trying to maintain a sense of normality for the family.
Copyright (c) 2025 Larysa Bachynska https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper illustrates the author’s own personal grief at family loss and learning to adjust to wartime tragedy. It ends with hope for the future.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hanna Volkova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper shares ‘in time’ experiences as the war started in the Ukraine and finishes with a hopeful fairytale that the author has written.
Copyright (c) 2025 Khlobistov Ievgen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Ukraine special issue part 2: Autobiographical narratives
This second section showcases four academics whose writings can be thought of like diaries, describing their personal experiences of the war. Just as in the previous section, they are all struck by a sudden change – and yet also with life continuing.
Resilience through writing: How the ‘Along Came the War’ project emerged
This individual narrative reflects on the production and use of a website, ‘Along Came the War’, as a platform to support students’ creative writing for wellbeing and sense of community and connection.
Copyright (c) 2025 Natalia Badior https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Teaching Gender Studies during the Russo-Ukrainian War
Being a refugee scholar in 2022-2024, I wanted to make Ukrainian democratic society more known from a global perspective and Ukrainian studies more visible in broader area studies. Informed solidarity and understanding are needed in this situation. It’s a very challenging task to work on gender equality implementation in your country when the major issue is surviving during the war. This paper analyses the personal experience of teaching gender sociology to both Ukrainian and international students. It reflects upon the challenges and opportunities of conducting research in Ukrainian society during the war as part of teaching. Useful resources on gender and war in Ukraine that appeared after the full-scale invasion, are overviewed. The agency of Ukrainian women who participate in the resistance is underlined.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tamara Martsenyuk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Teaching environmental studies online during the war
This individual narrative focuses on the innovation of an environmental studies lecturer trying to teach in the field during air raids.
Copyright (c) 2025 Iryna Vyshenska https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This individual teachers’ narrative describes the advent of the Russia-Ukraine war, the emotional response at a time of displacement, and endeavouring to teach online.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alla Shuhai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
This paper describes the realities of wartime, teaching about literature online, and extending care to students.
Copyright (c) 2025 Roman Veretelynk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Ukraine special issue part 1: Teaching focused narratives
This paper introduces the first section of the special issue, focusing on teaching narratives. There is exploration of the move to online learning during wartime, which was partly enabled by the pivot to online during Covid. Drawing on the cited articles, there is also a focus on student wellbeing, and students as agents for change.
Guest editorial for the Ukraine special issue: ‘Tempus fugit, Academia sempiterna’
For many academics around the world, war is unimaginable. It happens to others, a brutal but distant reality that appears on our television screens, but not outside of our windows. For others, including (but not only) those in Ukraine, the reality of war is immediate, here and now, and yet, somehow, academic life persists. This very special issue of our journal came out of conversations with academic colleagues in Ukraine, who visited the University of Glasgow in August 2023 through an international collaboration grant.
Copyright (c) 2025 Julie Hulme https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy: A source of national education, culture, and Ukraine’s future
This article outlines the history and culture of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA). It sets the context for this special journal issue and culminates in the phrase “Tempus fugit, Academia sempiterna”; time passes, but the academy is eternal.
Copyright (c) 2025 Hanna Volkova, Alla Shuhai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
We wholeheartedly thank the following reviewers, who freely gave their time and expertise, supporting authors and adding value to the work of oSoTL.
Copyright (c) 2025 Matthew Barr, Mark Charters; Vicki Dale; Nathalie Tasler https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
We have 12 articles in this Spring issue, with contributions from across the UK, and Canada. We are also happy to welcome Dr Mark Charters from Glasgow School of Art who has joined our editorial board. As always, we are privileged to receive and read your valuable work, which makes a unique contribution to scholarship, enhancing learning, teaching and assessment practice across the higher education sector. The articles herein span the themes of scholarship, inclusivity, assessment and feedback, outdoor pedagogies, and the induction needs of international postgraduate learners to support their transition into programmes of study.
Copyright (c) 2025 Vicki Dale; Matthew Barr, Mark Charters, Nathalie Tasler https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Bimblecast: Using ecopedagogy in Business Education
In our playfully retitled ‘Bimblecast’, we explore practical ecopedagogy in business education. The podcast was recorded in October 2024 whilst walking from Bowling to Maryhill, 15 kilometres, in Central Scotland. The purpose of the discussion is to explore the practical application of ecopedagogy in a light-hearted and accessible way, and to capture the essence of outdoor pedagogies. After quickly, and superficially, exploring the philosophical roots of ecopedagogy, we argue that this approach, typically used in environmental education, is equally valuable in business education, and we outline our reasoning for this statement. The discussion moves on to explore practical strategies for embedding ecopedagogy in business education, making the point that it is simple to achieve through basic ‘campus field trips’. Because we are going further than exploring campus environments in our own teaching, we also describe how the lowland leader qualification, a UK wide qualification for taking groups on organised walks, is helping us to build an outdoor learning capability in our business school. Through this discussion, we outline the preparation and study required to become a wild pedagogue, but we also discuss more modest planning for simple, short excursions. In all cases, safety is important. During our discussion, the listener will hear of situations and wildlife we encounter, demonstrating the power and authenticity of this approach to learning.
Copyright (c) 2025 Matt Offord, Sebastien Marciak https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Developing an inclusivity audit for higher education
The delivery of inclusive education and the provision of content that is representative of a diverse student body is a key strategic aim of many higher education institutions. However, while there may be many checklists, design support documents, and benchmarking statements that suggest inclusive outputs for education practical options for updating existing content are rarely discussed. This paper offers an approach, based on the theories of inclusive education and learning design, to audit existing materials. This framework was developed as a collaboration between staff partners from a range of backgrounds and student interns to produce an output that is both pedagogically sound but relevant to, and informed by, student needs. This project does not seek to provide a score or make judgements, but to share good practice and find areas where targeted intervention could be made without the need for full scale curriculum review or a full redesign of teaching.
Copyright (c) 2025 Katie Stripe https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
International postgraduate taught students’ perspectives on resources to support learning transitions: A preliminary case study
The importance of universities understanding the induction needs of international students to enable them to succeed is well documented in literature. This article focuses on a small-scale, exploratory study into an Induction Resource developed for international students to support them with the academic aspects of transition into Postgraduate Taught (PGT) programmes. The article gives some insights into the Induction Resource and discusses findings and analysis under three key themes: ‘A matter of timing and clarity’, ‘Great expectations – active and engaged learning’, and ‘Beyond classroom walls’. The article concludes with some recommendations for next steps in supporting the academic transitions of international PGT students that may be of interest to any higher education institution with international students on a PGT programme.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nicola Jones, Louise Sheridan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mapping curriculum in higher education: Unveiling alignment, complexity, and ideology
In this case study the authors explore how an investigation of curricular sources, curriculum mapping and foundational curriculum ideologies provided insights into teaching and learning and continuous improvement efforts in a university-based teacher education programme. The study is based on three reflective activities: identification of context-specific priorities, comparison with international practices as an external benchmark, and utilization of Schiro’s (2013) curriculum ideology inventory as an analytic tool. By investigating the planned, taught, and learned curricula, the study identifies gaps, redundancies, and areas for enhancement. Results from curriculum mapping and the adapted curriculum ideologies inventory underscore the complexity of aligning professional standards, accreditation requirements, and institutional visions. The reflective process fostered transparency, collaboration, and deeper understanding of ideological influences on curriculum design. Insights gained extend to higher education contexts, suggesting that curriculum mapping, coupled with ideological exploration, is a valuable tool for quality assurance and continuous improvement. The findings advocate for integrating student voices and fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration in curriculum development. The processes, results, and adapted ideologies inventory are shared for consideration and use for educators in higher education.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sarah Anderson, Evelyn McLaren, Cristina Mio https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Exploring content vs writer focus in written student feedback: Perceived impact on student emotional response, attention, and usefulness
Emotional reaction to negative academic feedback can be a barrier to students’ engagement with feedback. One factor that may impact students’ emotional response is whether feedback addresses the student (e.g., “Your writing”) or the content (e.g., “The writing”). This exploratory study investigated how form of address in feedback impacts emotional reaction. Student participants (N=106) read simulated feedback statements that varied according to reference type (pronominal “your”, neutral “the”) and feedback polarity (positive, negative) and provided ratings for emotional response, as well as attention paid to, and usefulness. An open response question queried participants’ perceptions regarding personal or neutral address in feedback. There was no significant effect of reference type on quantitative feedback ratings for emotion, attention, or usefulness, but qualitative content analysis revealed that half the sample preferred neutral address, largely to mitigate the emotional impact of negative feedback. Feedback polarity had a consistent significant effect where students perceived positive feedback as higher in happy emotion and usefulness compared to negative feedback. A more nuanced pattern for attention showed a small decrease in attention for positive compared to negative feedback for neutral references. Our results inform practice in terms of how written feedback can be framed to facilitate engagement.
Copyright (c) 2025 Judith Stevenson, Kalliopi Mavromati, James E. Bartlett, Lorna I. Morrow, Linda M. Moxey, Eugene J. Dawydiak https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Developing a community of student engagement practitioners: Evidence of value from a postgraduate professional development course at a UK university
Student engagement practitioners, who work within and beyond higher education (HE) providers, have vital roles in contributing to students’ learning and experiences and they collaborate with various staff and student groups across organisational boundaries to initiate change. It is essential that organisations and the HE sector support these staff to achieve their potential, for example, by addressing the lack of relevant professional development opportunities available. This paper presents evidence of an effective pathway of development that enables a community of student engagement practitioners, conceptualised as ‘integrated practitioners’ (McIntosh & Nutt, 2022), to have impact in diverse HE settings. The findings of an impact and process evaluation of the UK's first accredited professional development course for student engagement practitioners, the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) and Master’s (MA) in Student Engagement in Higher Education at the University of Winchester, are presented. Co-constructed with an advisory group of practitioners who were studying on the course and graduates, the evaluation was planned and structured using Theory of Change. A total of 22 practitioners provided evidence of the value of the course by taking part in peer-led interviews, online reflective activities and meetings, while seven staff members from the programme team participated. The paper outlines how the evaluation generated understanding about: the purposes and design of the course; the effectiveness of its blended delivery model and processes; and how the course contributed to the formation of a community and equipped practitioners to enact changes in their practice and within their organisations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alan Donnelly, Professor Liz Austen, Tom Lowe, Maria Moxey https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Critical pedagogy and digital liberation: A Freirean debate for SoTL
This article examines digital inequality through the lens of critical pedagogy, as defined by Paulo Freire, and as articulated by bell hooks. It posits that digital inequality is an extension of broader socio-cultural disparities and scrutinises the implications for lecturers and students in a digital-centric academic environment. The discussion extends beyond the mere availability of digital tools and addresses the need for institutional paradigm shifts fostering creative practice that empowers all participants in the educational process to engage with digital tools effectively. The critique of ‘Technology Enhanced Learning’ (TEL) focuses on its role in Higher Education and employability, advocating for a reevaluation that centres on the individuals most impacted by digital educational policies.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sandra Abegglen, Tom Burns, Sandra Sinfield https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Open scholars: Putting their heads above the parapet or transitioning from Grimms’ Rapunzel to Disney’s Tangled
This paper is a collective exploration into the terms ‘scholarship of teaching and learning’ and ‘open scholarship’ and the implications to academic engagement, identity and practice. The authors are using the metaphors of Rapunzel from Grimms’ fairytale and the Disney adaptation Tangled to uncover parallels and insights that seem to be of relevance to how open scholarship and open scholars are perceived, and the relationship to scholarship of teaching and learning and pedagogical research. They explore open scholars’ journeys from a voiceless, socially isolated existence to one that is emancipated and empowered-to-share through collaboration making a difference to others, communities and society. The inquiry surfaces thoughts, dilemmas and contradictions that question the term ‘scholarship of teaching and learning’. It explores how open scholarship and open scholars wish to be valued, recognised and celebrated for their commitment and contributions to the enhancement and transformation in higher education. This exploration is applicable to higher education more generally through academic experience and practice, curriculum and learning design, and scholarship that enables pedagogic experimentations and innovations to flow freely across sectors.
Copyright (c) 2025 Chrissi Nerantzi, Yasmin Kader, Margaret Korosec https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Integrated Programme Assessment: 10 years on
This paper explores the implementation and impact of Integrated Programme Assessment (IPA) across diverse disciplines in English higher education institutions. IPA is advocated as a framework that focuses on programme outcomes, aligns learning outcomes with assessment practices, and enhances the authenticity and relevance of assessments, thereby reducing over-assessment and improving student learning experiences and outcomes. Drawing on case studies from four institutions—University of Nottingham, University of Surrey, Brunel University London, and Sheffield University—the paper examines how IPA has been integrated into various undergraduate programmes to foster interdisciplinary learning, promote student engagement, and prepare graduates for professional challenges. Key to the success of IPA initiatives is institutional support that accommodates disciplinary identities and addresses operational challenges, ensuring sustainable and meaningful curriculum change. The study discusses the difficulty of balancing pedagogical innovation against operational realities, emphasising the need for a collective institutional approach to enhance educational quality while accommodating disciplinary diversity. This research contributes insights into the transformative potential of programme-level assessment approaches, informing discussions on enhancing educational practices in universities.
Copyright (c) 2025 David Tree, Amanda Harvey, Mariann Rand-Weaver https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0