Research
The Centre has a strong research focus, with an emphasis on rigorous theoretical and empirical work to inform teaching and learning practice.
The Centre`s research aims are to encourage excellence in pedagogic research through:
- Working in collaboration with others (locally, nationally and internationally) in developing research that will contribute to the transformation of the student learning experience
- Proactively encouraging student and service user involvement in our research
- Supporting the development of new researchers in the higher education and practice setting
- Funding innovative learning and teaching projects in placement or practice learning (link to Innovations Funding and Graduate Fellows)
- Providing advice and guidance on the conduct of pedagogic research
- Ensuring that research findings inform the development of policy and practice
- Assisting with the development of a research culture in disciplines that have necessarily been predominantly practice focused
- Fostering a climate of continuous reflection on and evaluation of teaching and learning
- Sharing research with relevant others via conferences, seminars, workshops etc (Link to events page)
In order to facilitate these aims, the Ceppl has a dedicated research team led by the Director (Professor Susan Lea). The experienced team comprises a postdoctoral research fellow (Dr Lynne Callaghan), a development officer (Melanie Parker) and two part-time research assistants (Emma Whittlesea and Frances Carpenter).
Currently the researchers are involved in a number of generic projects concerning subject areas such as interprofessional education, mobile learning, and library and resource access for students on placement. They have recently completed the two year evaluation report due by the Higher Education Funding Council (link to evaluation report)
The development officer has conducted an ethnographic study of the student placement learning experience at Student and Refugees Together (www.studentsandrefugeestogether.com), which has involved developing a post-structural framework for the data collection and analysis; and exploring the role of auto-ethnography as an appropriate methodology in this context. Post-structural approaches are also informing the research into interprofessional education (IPE), which is primarily focussed on the development of underpinning pedagogic principles for authentic IPE. The methods utilised in conducting this research have included unstructured focus groups, interviews, observation and case study.
The researchers also provide both consultative and operational support to Development Activity teams and guidance to Innovation Fund holders as required. Consultations can include advice concerning research design, gaining ethical approval, instrument development, data analysis and publication. The research team undertake a wide variety of research activities for teams such as literature searches, data collection and analysis. The research team also provide support beyond the immediate Ceppl community, on request where appropriate: running workshops on various facets of research from bid-writing to aspects of research design, providing one-to-one consultancy, holding open workshops (e.g. on podcasting to support placement learning).
Future plans include a research seminar series, involving external and internal speakers, which is planned to begin in January 2008 and a mobile learning special interest group.