What Works? Students’ experiences and perceptions of belonging, confidence and engagement during the first year at the University of Brighton Jennifer Jones, Dr rachel Masika, rachel BowDen, Julie fowlie, Marilyn fyvie-GaulD, Dr elizaBeth Guy anD Professor Gina wisker Abstract As a participant in ‘What Works’ (2013-17), an HEA-led programme that aims to enhance student success and retention in higher education, the University of Brighton is conducting an ongoing evaluation to investigate students’ experiences of starting their degrees, including retention interventions in three disciplines: Business Management, Applied Social Science (Hastings) and Digital Media courses. This article presents indings of the 2013-14 University of Brighton qualitative study, which accompanied the UK wide What Works survey led by Mantz Yorke. Findings suggest that learning, teaching, assessment and interventions helped to enhance students’ engagement, conidence and sense of belonging to peer learning communities in each discipline. However, data also identiied transitional challenges that students faced and highlighted suggestions for positive change. This has helped inform further discipline related developments in teaching, curricula and interventions in 2014-15, contributing to the university’s commitment to providing an engaging and successful experience for irst year students. Background Jointly supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Higher Education Academy (HEA), ‘What Works’ aims to support student retention and success in UK higher education. The programme involves the University of Brighton and 15 other institutions (including Salford, Bournemouth, Staffordshire, Glasgow and Ulster) and varied disciplines. The ongoing project (2013–17) seeks to improve student engagement, belonging, retention and success during the irst year through to completion, by building on learning from the What Works programme, through the HEA change process. Our university is committed to delivering a transformational student learning experience, where students are active participants in learning communities, engaged in the co-production of knowledge across disciplines. We strive to develop and build on Student Retention and Success Framework successes. This aligns with other institu80 What Works? tional initiatives related to the student experience, within which effective school level practice can thrive, and lead to further improvements in student engagement and belonging evidenced through increased continuation and success. We are achieving this by reviewing current strategic strengths and challenges at institutional and discipline levels; continuing consideration of What Works research outcomes, implementing agreed interventions and evaluating their effectiveness on student engagement, belonging and success. What Works involves our staff and students across the institution and is facilitated by three schools, the Strategic Planning Ofice, the Centre for Learning and Teaching and the Senior Management Team. This supports a culture of institutional and individual responsibility for creating a sense of belonging for staff and students. In 2013-14, the National Student Survey (NSS), other evaluation results and the What Works team identiied courses which would beneit from change to improve student retention and success. Three courses in Brighton Business School (BBS), School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics (SCEM) and Hastings School of Applied Social Science (SASS) developed interventions focusing on induction, active learning and teaching and co-curricular activities. Course changes were implemented to aid irst year students’ early academic and social engagement, belonging and ownership. Our article focuses on the three university course related retention interventions, their evaluation through qualitative research, and ways in which the indings help inform good practice in teaching, learning, assessment, student support and further enhancement of the interventions. We will present literature that informed the research, followed by a background to the interventions, key indings, implications and discuss how these have helped inform intervention developments in 2014-15. Developing a conceptual framework for student retention and success Linked to student engagement and success, student retention refers to whether and how long learners remain within education to complete a programme within a set period (Jones 2008). Addressing irst year student non-continuation remains a key challenge across UK higher education. Reasons for irst year student non-continuation relate to issues including: inadequate prior information about the programme and institution; inance; choice of course; academic challenges; extra-curricular commitments; belonging to the university; and friendship (Yorke and Longden 2008; Quinn, Thomas, Slack, Casey, Thexton and Noble 2005). In this context, Thomas (2012) found that students’ development of a strong sense of belonging is crucial, and that belonging emphasises collectivism, collaboration and social participation as key motivators in students’ success and engagement (Thomas 2012). Yorke (2013) proposes three interlocking spheres (academic, social and professional services) to instil belonging, helping to enhance student retention and success. His model for evaluating belonging focuses on four concepts:   Motivation A sense of belonging 81 Jennifer Jones et al   Conidence Engagement (Yorke 2013) Wenger (2009) argues that learning should take place through active participation in the social world. His Social Theory of Learning (2009) conceives students’ learning as social participation involving: engagement in activities with people, playing an active part in social community practices, constructing identities within these Communities of Practice (CoPs) and relecting on and interpreting experience (See Figure 1). learning as belonging community learning as doing practice identity Learning meaning learning as becoming learning as experience Figure 1: Components of a Social Theory of Learning (Source: Wenger 2009: 212) Wenger’s model (2009) aligns with Yorke’s conceptual themes (2013) by describing the community, practices, meaning and identity dimensions that are imperative for nurturing a sense of belonging, building conidence and engaging students. The combined conceptualisations offer a powerful framework for designing and evaluating the University of Brighton retention interventions. Student retention and success interventions 2013-14 Business Management All irst year University of Brighton Business Management students attend a Developing Academic and Employability Skills (DAES) module. In 2013-14, we introduced ‘My Uni Course’, a studentfolio blended learning resource introduced in DAES early in Semester One. Students used My Uni Course to relectively record ten milestones relating to key achievements, and create a inal webpage and Personal Development Goal plan. Milestones related to: Welcome Week, the Welcome Week Posters Competition, seminars, Team Skills Development Day, assignment feedback, their inal year presentation, their business idea in the Business Project, the Development Centre, and their Business Project presentation and achievements. This intervention aimed to enhance students’ belonging and engagement through supporting them to develop: emotional resilience, stronger links with their group and personal tutor, personal development planning skills, evidence of achievement, social knowledge construction and identiication of role models. 82 What Works? Applied Social Science Pre-university course A summer pre-university course, speciically open to non-traditional students, aimed to introduce students to higher education by providing them with academic assistance and available pastoral support, including the Disability Team. Each day of the course related to a theme involving subject speciic work including academic skills and an introduction to the library and databases. An important aspect was the involvement of other students continuing into Year 2, who would then become mentors to irst year students throughout the academic year. An additional two day postclearing transition event also took place in September. This included students from the pre-university course and clearing students. It was anticipated that providing students with a clear idea about the course prior to enrolment would help students focus on what they really wanted. Blended learning project This project, introduced within one module in Semester One, aimed to help students engage more fully in their degree. Competing claims upon students’ time including caring responsibilities and work, were making it dificult for students to fully integrate into university. The blended learning project allowed for an adaptable way of working as well as encouraging friendship, linked directly to retention (Wilcox et al 2005), providing students with the opportunity to engage with and own their degree. The aim was to create an integrated means for staff and students to perform elearning tasks built on a lexible platform that allowed for rapid development of dynamic web pages and site structures. Digital Media Courses It was decided that an extended induction would help address problems of engagement and retention, whilst supporting students to:     Make informed decisions about whether digital media is ‘the right course’ Engage in learning before they arrive and during the irst weeks, in order to successfully survive the learning curve of technical modules such as programming without becoming demotivated Prepare for personal changes in the irst year and be able to cope Form links with peer mentors who have befriended them before they arrive The Computing Division designed an engaging pre-entry online learning resource: Count Down to Uni Challenge. New students were invited to complete tasks, including creating their own online superhero identity, to familiarise them with digital media courses and university life. The incentive to engage with pre-entry learning during induction week required students to complete the tasks extending into the irst module in Semester One. Students were also asked to design a mobile app as a group assignment. Peer mentors, who were progressing into Year 2, supported new students in pre-entry learning and a social media space (Facebook) supported new student and mentor interaction. 83 Jennifer Jones et al Evaluation We conducted an evaluation of the retention interventions, which included quantitative research (Mantz Yorke surveys); and an additional qualitative study (whose indings form the main focus of this article) to complement the survey. The survey sought to measure students’ attitudes about involvement in higher education. The qualitative-based focus groups generated rich data from which we were able to gain a better understanding of students’ views on, and experiences of, starting their degrees including the retention interventions. Together they have helped contribute to identifying strategic factors that lead to positive change. Appreciative Inquiry approach We designed a two stage small-scale qualitative study adopting focus group discussions incorporating Appreciative Inquiry (AI). AI is a research approach, categorised as Action Research, using focus groups as a means for participants to relect on and discuss positive aspects of their experiences in relation to a topic, and build on these experiences in order to suggest future enhancements to practices and processes within organisations. In theory, such suggestions for change are then put into practice (Ludema et al 2006). The irst stage of our research in autumn 2013, consisted of two focus groups with nine irst year Business Studies students and seven irst year Applied Social Science students. The second stage, of three focus groups in February 2014 involved eight irst year Digital Media students, four irst year Business students and ive irst year Applied Social Science students. In the focus groups, we posed questions to group participants, focusing on beneicial aspects of retention interventions that they experienced. Participants built on positive experiences, as a means to explore possibilities related to the future development of interventions (Fitzgerald, Murrell and Newman 2002). AI allowed for opportunities for participants to talk about problems. When negative views emerged during discussions we explored these further, in order to elicit suggestions for positive change and solutions, following suggestions made by Bushe (2007). Findings Linking back to our conceptual framework for this study (Wenger 2009; Yorke 2013), overarching themes that recurred across focus groups included the following:      Belonging to the university: feeling welcome and developing a student identity Belonging to the course: Communities of Practice (COPs) Engagement: subject enjoyment and the lecturer’s teaching style Conidence: positive online experiences, building on previous learning and supportive staff and mentors Challenges: early transition and online issues The qualitative indings are supported by the University of Brighton’s (unpublished) What Works survey results (University of Brighton 2013-14), which show that at the time of the survey, University of Brighton students appear on average more conident 84 What Works? and engaged than in other universities. However, the survey also shows that University of Brighton students’ sense of belonging appears slightly lower on average than in other universities. See Figure 2: Belongingness scale Belongingness I feel at home in this university Being at this university is an enriching experience I wish I’d gone to a different university I have found this department to be welcoming I am shown respect by members of staff in this... Sometimes I feel I don’t belong in this university Engagement scale Engagement I am motivated towards my studies I try to make connections between what I learn I try to do a bit more on the programme than it asks I seek out academic staff in order to discuss topics I put a lot of effort into the work I do I use feedback on my work to help me improve Self-conidence Self-conidence scale I expect to do well on my programme I worry about the dificulty of my programme I doubt my ability to study at university level I’m conident of completing my programme... 0.00 University of Brighton N = 162 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 Other universities N = 2,463 Figure 2: University of Brighton Engagement and Belonging Survey (2013-14) The second stage of focus groups suggested that students continued to negotiate new academic identities linked to learning communities. Participants’ strengthened membership of CoPs supported their learning in different contexts, such as group activities in courses, and social networks such as Facebook. Participants appeared engaged by subjects they enjoyed most with disquiet over options they considered irrelevant. Participants’ conidence increased as they successfully completed coursework, assignments, exams, presentations and learned how to work as a team. There was an increasing focus on employability in group discussion, where students described activities that were relevant to future work as ‘exciting’. Some participants noted course improvements related to working online and overcoming transition challenges, but issues relating to some online platforms’ relevance and group work 85 Jennifer Jones et al issues were also mentioned. The following sections expand on the key themes of belonging, engagement, conidence and challenges. Belonging to the university: feeling welcome and developing a student identity Across focus groups participants described varied ways in which they felt that they belonged to the university. Supported by Thomas’ earlier work (2012), factors that enhanced student belonging and identity related to people, friendship and communication including:        The welcoming university environment Participating in extra-curricular activities Having and using a UniCard Identifying with other students Making friends Parents who valued education and sharing their values Regular emails and support from university support staff, academic staff and mentors University of Brighton student identity development linked to belonging was also evidenced by factors that helped students to self-identify with the university, including:      Countdown to Uni Challenge in Digital Media Living near or in the university Signing up as a student ambassador Visiting the library regularly Openness to starting an LBGT society in Hastings Belonging to the course: Communities of Practice (CoPs) Supported by Wenger (2009), belonging to a course peer learning community, both face to face and online, was a strong overarching theme. Participants described different aspects of belonging to a CoP they found beneicial:       86 Friendship Mutual respect Shared goals Working as a team Contributing individual strengths Helping each other What Works?    Discussion and debate Online communication through social media Employability Students reported that with time they got to know each other, grew more relaxed with peers and lecturers, and realised that other students experienced mutual challenges and shared interests. Participating in group activities developed students’ sense of belonging to the course and interpretations of what was being learned (Wenger 2009). Participants described their changing abilities aided by collaboration, group conigurations, and teamwork to achieve learning outcomes. The Applied Social Science web-resource, Kura, and Count Down to Uni Challenge in Digital Media, exemplify how belonging to course learning communities was facilitated through online communication. Creating a mobile app as a group assignment in Digital Media was another means of enhancing participants’ sense of belonging to a peer community. Business Management participants often spoke of seminars, group activities and assignments as strengthening their peer community membership, and were conscious of the need to work effectively as a team in terms of future employability. Student engagement in learning Yorke and Longden (2008) emphasised the importance of institutional commitments to learning and engagement, incorporating academic and social components in curriculum design. Exciting aspects of starting degrees were often described by participants in this study as:         Intellectual challenge of working and thinking at a higher level Freedom to work independently and creatively Love of subject Being in a new place and meeting new people Working collaboratively both face to face and online Inspirational teaching Lecturers’ enthusiasm, warmth and encouragement Connecting online resources and activities (e.g. Kura, Basecamp and My Uni Course) to learning Course structures that reinforced learning, satisfaction, performance in exams and course work, and stronger relationships with staff and peers, were factors that participants emphasised in the second stage of focus groups as aiding their motivation. In Digital Media, students appeared engaged by the practical nature of the course, work experience, networking opportunities, and designing a website. In Applied Social Science, students were engaged by a passion for their subject, learning relevant to their own lives and inspired teaching. In addition, students appeared increasingly 87 Jennifer Jones et al engaged by course experiences that were linked to employability, particularly in Business Management and Digital Media. Students’ developing confidence Yorke (2013) and Thomas (2012) describe conidence as a main building block for student engagement and retention. Conidence building aspects of students’ early experiences of starting degrees often mentioned in our study included:           Building on previous learning Achieving academic success Positive constructive feedback from lecturers Approachability of academic and support staff, and mentors Leadership opportunities Employment related experiences Working as a team Developing effective time management Experiences of living independently The safety net of course online environments The second stage of focus groups provided rich descriptions of students’ increased conidence related to learning to learn, teamwork and overcoming challenges. These changing abilities were evidenced by students’ descriptions of achievements and how these related to learning activities, processes and outcomes. In Business Management, conidence building beneits of My Uni Course that were often cited, included its provision for:    Opportunities to relect A record of learning development A means to receive feedback In Digital Media, participants mentioned how designing a mobile app and website helped to enhance their sense of achievement and conidence. In Applied Social Science, students found that the pre entry activities helped them to form links with peers and staff, increasing their conidence. Students’ first year challenges Aspects of students’ experiences that were less engaging included some induction activities that aimed to help students settle in, but which were considered irrelevant to students’ learning. Additional early challenges often mentioned across focus groups included: the overwhelming amount of information, pace of study and technical issues when working online. The second stage of focus groups highlighted fewer 88 What Works? technical challenges, but revealed heightened questioning of the relevance of some online platforms. Group work emerged both as a challenge and an achievement for many participants across disciplines, where students were learning how to work together, and recognising how to rely on each other’s strengths to achieve learning outcomes. Discussion and conclusion Most participants across focus groups were engaged with learning and being at university. The data suggests that the key dimensions of Wenger’s (2009) Social Learning Theory (meaning, identity, community and practice) were in place for some learners. Many participants felt they belonged to their university and course, and were developing a strong discipline identity, which Thomas (2012) suggests supports retention. An overarching theme related to students’ belonging to their course, was their membership of peer CoPs where face to face and online collaboration and discussion enhanced student engagement, conidence and belonging. Positive experiences of learning, teaching, assessment and pastoral support when starting degrees and settling in to university, were evident across the dataset. These enhanced student motivation, belonging, conidence and engagement, Yorke’s (2013) conceptual thematic categories. Participants’ sense of belonging, regarding academic and social engagement was high. Their sense of being accepted, valued, included and encouraged by teachers and peers, and feeling an important part of the life and activity of the classroom (Thomas 2012) were demonstrated. However, participants expressed mixed feelings regarding interventions designed to help support their transition into university, where positive experiences generally related to activities which were directly relevant to academic content, such as sample lectures; and less positive experiences related to activities considered irrelevant to their course. Many participants across groups talked about being overwhelmed by information, the pace of work and life when starting university. Some participants across groups talked about frustrating online dificulties early in the irst semester. The following ways in which discipline speciic challenges could be overcome through development were suggested by participants: In Business Management/My Uni Course:        Improved accessibility and user friendliness of the online platform Incorporated hyperlinks to the external business world Publicity relating to student events Milestones relevant to academic learning Greater student online collaboration, discussion and debate Articulating goals and ways in which to achieve these Recording achievements and looking back on stages of progress 89 Jennifer Jones et al In Applied Social Science    Printed hand-outs and reading materials should be provided for all lectures Academic writing support should be provided early in the irst semester Bursaries should be more fairly allocated In Digital Media   Interactive group activities, such as designing an app, would be well placed in the irst semester in order to encourage the formation of a peer CoP More local media industry trips/placements would help to motivate students The indings suggest that enhancing student engagement and success involves learning, teaching and support provision, including retention interventions that promote student face to face and online learning communities. Such provision should address the needs of students from diverse backgrounds, disciplines and schools. This research also identiies three signiicant foci related to enhancing learning, teaching, assessment, support and discipline related interventions: i Building student engagement means enhancing processes that support learning such as learning communities, in ways that cater for student diversity. ii c H n t e Varied institutional provisions, both academic and extracurricular, can help convey the message to students from diverse backgrounds that they belong. However, current university learning, teaching and support practices that inluence students’ identity development might still be enhanced, in order to better cater for students’ individual needs related to: housing, transport, inance and work life balance. c i iii Greater attention might be paid to different types of irst year student learning communities (such as social media), and how these can be integrated in teaching and retention activities aimed at fostering engagement and belonging. s What Works programme: moving ahead In 2014-15, the University of Brighton What Works programme focuses on implementing change informed by the indings from last year’s research (quantitative and qualitative); and evaluating the impact of developed course activities and retention interventions again this academic year. We are continuing with quantitative and qualitative evaluation along the lines of last year. However, this year, the qualitative research is exploring staff as well as student perceptions of learning, teaching, assessment, support and retention interventions. Retention Interventions have been developed as follows. In Business Management, My Uni Course: studentfolio is simpler, requiring students to make three learning journal entries rather than 10 milestones; relates more fully to academic course content and rewards students’ engagement through success by their production of a publishable webpage. There is greater emphasis on students’ employability, since the webpage can be made available to potential employers. In Digital Media courses, 90 What Works? pre-entry activities are more relevant to the course. Welcome Week included an app design workshop to help foster the building of a peer-learning community, and help increase students’ conidence by being prepared from the beginning of Semester One. Potential group work issues are being monitored closely and team skills are being promoted by tutors. There is a greater focus on students’ understanding of future employability. In Applied Social Science there is increased support for students’ academic skills development, including academic writing. This is being facilitated by a more effective and formal mentoring scheme. In addition, resource provision have been improved, including pre-printed readers and hand-outs for all modules. Lessons learned and ongoing challenges Although improvements in student retention rates across the university have been recently evident, enhancing student engagement and retention still remains a key focus for our university. The work of the project team, and the related Success, Retention and Improvement Team (SRIT) to which it reports, will contribute through its range of activities across the year to continually maintain the institution’s focus on the strategically important issue of student retention and success. Added to the beneits of an increased focus of attention on the three What Works discipline areas, there has been the perhaps less intended, but equally welcomed beneit of bringing a cross-institutional team of interested colleagues together to share experiences, knowledge and support. The longitudinal nature of the project means that indings are still emerging and the available data including: the focus group outcomes, the Engagement and Belonging Survey results and institutional course level progression data, need further triangulation. It will then be critical that the institution carefully reviews outcomes and themes, and identiies other areas with challenges in these areas that could beneit from lessons learned. Ensuring the continued dissemination and discussion of themes and outcomes as they emerge will be key in assisting this process. One of the challenges going forward will be to continue to keep this issue at the top of the institutional agenda, alongside other key and potentially competing areas of institutional priority. Bibliography Boyd NM and DS Bright (2007) ‘Appreciative Inquiry As A Mode Of Action Research For A Community Psychology’, Journal of Community Psychology, vol 35, no 8. Bushe GR (2007) ‘Appreciative Inquiry Is Not (Just) About The Positive’, OD Practitioner, vol 39, no 4, pp 30-35. Gun V and Fisk A (2013) ‘Considering teaching excellence in higher education 2007-13’, HEA Report. Jones R (2008) ‘Student retention and success: A synthesis of research’, HEA Evidence Net at: www.heacademy.ac.uk/evidencenet [Accessed January 2014]. Ludema JD, Cooperrider DLC and Barrett FJ (2006) ‘Appreciative Inquiry: the Power of the Unconditional Positive Question’, in Peter Reason and Hilary Bradbury (eds) The Handbook of Action Research, Sage Publications, p 192. 91 Jennifer Jones et al Quinn J, Thomas L, Slack K, Casey L, Thexton W and Noble J (2005) ‘From Life Crisis to Lifelong Learning: Rethinking Working Class ‘Drop out’ from higher education’, Joseph Rowntree Foundation Report: York. Thomas L (2012) ‘Building student engagement and belonging in higher education at a time of change’, Final Report, What Works? Student Retention and Success programme, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Higher Education Funding Council for England, The Higher Education Academy and Action on Access. Tinto V (2003) ‘Learning better together: The impact of learning communities on student success’, Higher Education Monograph Series, vol 1, no 8. Trowler V (2010) ‘Student Engagement Literature Review’, HEA Report: London. Wenger E (2009) ‘A Social Theory of Learning’ in Illeris K (ed), Contemporary Theories of Learning: Learning Theorists ... In Their Own Words, Routledge: Abingdon and New York. Wilcox P, Winn S and Fyvie-Gauld M (2005) ‘'It was nothing to do with the university, it was just the people': the role of social support in the irst-year experience of higher education’, Studies in Higher Education, vol 30 , no 6. University of Brighton (2014) ‘HEA What Works? Project: Pre-entry expectations and Engagement and Belonging Survey’, Survey Analysis, March 2014. Yorke M (2013) ‘Your involvement in higher education: a short survey’, HEA ‘What Works’ survey. Yorke M and Longden B (2008) ‘The First Year Experience of Higher Education in the UK’, Higher Education Academy Report: York. Biographies Jennifer Jones is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Learning and Teaching, University of Brighton. Her recent research interests focus on the experiences of irst year students, international students, student transitions, engagement and retention. She is currently studying for an EdD exploring PhD students’ experience of participating in learning communities, and ways in which this inluences their academic identity development, engagement and success. Dr Rachel Masika is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Learning and Teaching, University of Brighton, researching higher education. Rachel has an MSc (Econ) and PhD in Development Studies, and is currently investigating social justice and critical professionalism in higher education institutions as well as the meso-level dynamics of teaching, learning and curriculum change. Rachel Bowden is Head of Institutional Research and Deputy Director of the Strategic Planning Ofice at the University of Brighton. Prior to this she was a research fellow in the university's Education Research Centre, working for the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir David Watson. Her research interests lie in the area of higher education research, in particular; aspects of the student experience that relate to retention and success; higher education policy and management; the development of professional doctorates in the UK; university league tables; and the postgraduate taught student experience. Rachel is currently project managing the university’s par92 What Works? ticipation in the HEA’s What Works? Student Retention and Success Programme and is the joint Institutional Representative for the university in the HEFCE-funded collaborative Postgraduate Experience Project (PEP). Julie Fowlie’s professional background is in management development within the inancial services sector. She is a Principal Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour at Brighton Business School. Her main academic interests are exploring the role of HEIs, and speciically business curriculum, in developing employability behaviours; seeing the distinction between behaviours as opposed to skills and knowledge as important. She has co-authored a book designed to help students develop good personal, academic and employability skills which was irst published in 2009, and the second edition is due to be published in 2015. Marylynn Fyvie-Gauld is a Principal Lecturer at the University of Brighton and has had an interest in education of non-traditional students since 1995, when her research on undergraduate student experience was published. Marylynn is the Course Leader for Applied Social Science delivered at the Hastings campus of the University of Brighton, a degree that appeals to the local and often mature non-traditional students. The course has been involved in the HEA ‘What Works’ since 2012, and has developed a number of initiatives speciically involving non-traditional, mature students. Dr Elizabeth Guy is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Computing, University of Brighton and Course Leader for the undergraduate degrees in Digital Media and Digital Media Development. Her PhD thesis was in the area of Computer supported collaborative work and she maintains a strong interest in social and cultural aspects of software design, development and use. Gina Wisker is Professor of Higher Education and Contemporary Literature, and the Head of the Centre for Learning and Teaching at the University of Brighton. Her role is leading educational development for the university, working with others towards the achievement of the learning and teaching strategy, and engaging with and leading higher education research across the university and partner colleges. Gina is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a National Teaching Fellow. Gina researches and publishes in both learning and teaching, specialising in postgraduate student learning and supervisory practices, and in her discipline. 93