This year’s conference draws together four very topical strands that will give educators and students alike an opportunity to showcase their innovative approaches to learning and teaching over the past year.
Our annual conference of Learning and Teaching is now into its 16th year. As ever, the title of our conference series – SHIFT – reflects the changing HE landscape.
Register to attend SHIFT 2023.
The Conference Programme is now available.
Our Keynote Speakers
Keynote Day 1: Supporting student employability for graduate success
Prof Denise Jackson
Abstract
Developing student employability is a strategic focus for universities worldwide yet is often oversimplified to the development of certain skills and securing a job upon graduation. This presentation will consider the complexities of employability and how it can be influenced by individual characteristics and personal capital resources. It will explore different ways to enhance student employability to support positive transitions to work and longer-term career outcomes. In particular, it will discuss the role of work-integrated learning (WIL), the formal embedding of industry engagement in learning and assessment, and how it can help to prepare different groups of students for future work and career.
About Denise
Professor Denise Jackson is the Director of Work-Integrated Learning in the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia. Denise is focused on preparing students for future work and career through embedding meaningful industry and community engagement into the curriculum. Denise’s work has been recognised by several research and learning and teaching awards, most recently an Award for Teaching Excellence (Australian Awards for University Teaching) and the James W Wilson Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research in the Field of Cooperative Education. Denise is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Elected President for the Australian Collaborative Education Network, the professional association for work-integrated learning in Australia.
Keynote Day 2: What works for underrepresented students in higher education? Supporting academic success through inclusive practices
Dr Billy Wong and Dr Tiffany Chiu
Abstract
In this keynote we discuss the academic success of underrepresented students in higher education, with a focus and reflection on the inclusive practices we developed through research projects aimed to better understand and support student experiences. We share our research on the educational strategies of high-achieving students from underrepresented backgrounds, especially their negotiations of pride and fear. We introduce the concept of the ideal student as a way to promote a more transparent conversation about the implicit, explicit and idealistic expectations of students in higher education. In doing so, expectations of students are made more visible, which is important for openness and equality since occluded and assumed expectations have long disadvantaged those who struggle to ‘play’ the higher education game. We conclude with a discussion of the resources we developed from our research, inviting you to explore how these materials and practices may be applicable in your context to foster a diverse and inclusive learning community, and strengthen students’ experiences of transition and belonging at university.
About Billy and Tiffany
Dr Billy Wong is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Education, University of Reading, where he is also the university’s Director of Research and Evaluation (Access & Participation). His areas of research are educational identities and inequalities, especially in the context of higher education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. He has published in sociology of education, higher education and science education journals. Billy is the author of The Ideal Student: Deconstructing Expectations in Higher Education (2021, Open University Press) and Science Education, Career Aspirations and Minority Ethnic Students (2016, Palgrave).
Dr Tiffany Chiu is a Senior Teaching Fellow in Educational Development at the Centre for Higher Education Research and Scholarship (CHERS), Imperial College London. She is Programme Director for the PG Cert in University Learning and Teaching and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Tiffany has led multiple projects in partnership with students and staff across the university on inclusion and diversity. Her teaching and research interests include student transition and progression, learning and teaching in higher education, assessment and feedback practice, and identity development.
Our themes
This year's conference themes have been carefully selected by our organising committee and reflect the current innovation and challenges in learning and teaching.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Inclusivity in learning and teaching centralises respect for our diversity and recognises that all students can engage in different ways which are equally valid. This theme encourages contributions that emphasise embedding approaches of equality, diversity and inclusion into all aspects of learning and teaching.
Example topics may include… decolonisation of the curriculum, critical engagement with EDI as a topic, accessible teaching/resources, Universal Design for Learning, changing mindsets
Feedback
Providing feedback on assessments is a pivotal part of the learning process and the development of students. But despite decades of research into the topic, ensuring feedback is effective remains a significant challenge. This theme invites explorations of effective practices in feedback, including practical examples and key principles.
Example topics may include… feedforward, self-efficacy, use of technology for feedback, student engagement in feedback, personalisation.
Practice-based learning
Universities have been engaging in work-related learning since their inception, but a hands-on, work-orientated, or ‘real world’ type of learning has had a renewed focus in recent years. In this theme, we invite delegates to share examples of ways in which an authentic sense of practice is embedded into their teaching and learning.
Example topics may include… simulations, service learning, field trips, workplace learning, authentic assessment, communities of practice, theory into practice
Relational pedagogy
As we emerge from the pandemic, empathy and community are more important than ever to learning. This theme explores how we build and sustain positive relationships between teachers and students that cognitively and emotionally support students through their journeys together. Relational pedagogy glues together many key student outcomes, such as student satisfaction, well-being, retention, and academic performance.
Example topics may include… community building, co-creation with students, pedagogies of care, pastoral approaches, mindful pedagogies
Conference Programme
The SHIFT2023 Conference Programme is now available.
Proposal Formats
We invite scholars and practitioners to submit proposals aligned to the conference sub-themes and in the following formats:
Presentation (15 minutes with 5 minutes of questions)
A traditional conference presentation for sharing ideas with the audience. This can be about a research project (whether complete or in progress) or an example of teaching practice that you want to share. We encourage staff presenting about their practice to consider co-presentation with students.
Workshops (40 minutes)
Interactive sessions based around engaging the audience with a key idea, practice, tool or research outcome. Workshop facilitators may utilise their own practice, research or scholarship as a basis for the workshop. Your proposal must outline how you intend to encourage participation in your session (e.g. through specific activities).
Showcase (20 minutes)
Discussion sessions featuring a group of colleagues (around 2-5) from the same programme or school. These informal sessions will share a variety of practices with an emphasis on how they connect. We encourage staff presenting about their practice to consider co-presentation with students.
Lightning talks (7 minutes)
A very short presentation on a topic of your choice. This can be about some research (particularly in progress), new ideas or sharing expertise in a quick, insightful and easily digestible format.
Review process and dissemination routes
All submissions will be blind peer-reviewed, and authors will receive feedback and be provided the opportunity to resubmit if required. All proposals will be made available to delegates and selected ones will be encouraged to contribute a full paper to Compass: Journal of Learning and Teaching. All accepted proposals are invited to be submitted as a blog (1000-1500 words) (For an example, see the L&T Festival blogs). More information on the blog submissions will follow after the proposal review process.
Key Dates for SHIFT 2023
| Submissions open | Thursday 29 September 2022 | |
| Delegate registration opens | Monday 10 October 2022 | |
| Proposal submission deadline | Friday 4 November 2022 | |
| Authors receive feedback on proposals | Friday 25 November 2022 | |
| Re-submissions deadline | Friday 2 December 2022 | |
Publication of full conference programme | Wednesday 7 December 2022 | |
| Delegate registration closes | Friday 16 December 2022 | |
| Submission of presentations | Wednesday 4 January 2023 | |
| Conference | Wednesday 11 January 2023 (online) Thursday 12 January 2023 (Greenwich campus) | |
Further Information.
Contact: shift@gre.ac.uk
Privacy Notice
When you book this conference we process information about who you are and your contact details; information that you provide on adjustments that may need to be made to enable you to attend and your dietary requirements. This information will be used by relevant University of Greenwich employees to manage your attendance and participation at SHIFT 2023 and enable you to provide your feedback afterwards. The data that you provide will be held for a period of 5 years and will not be shared with third parties. General information about the university's approach to data protection and to your rights can be found here.