This publication features some of LALT's staff development and student engagement initiatives, shares best practice and celebrates teaching, learning and evaluation news from across the institution.
News Update
New Online Resources for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Teaching and Learning
The Academic Development team have designed and developed a new CPD framework to support the ongoing professional development of staff at Lincoln who are teaching and supporting learning. Intended to complement LALT’s existing provision of opportunities for teaching qualification and recognition, the new resources provide online, bite-sized opportunities to learn more about a wide range of topics which are aligned with the Teaching, Learning and Student Experience delivery plan.
Staff are now able to access phase one of the self-study CPD resources in Blackboard to support their development, all accessible from the new CPD Opportunities webpage. There are curated collections for staff who are new to teaching and programme leaders, or you can browse topics that interest you, dip in and out to fit your schedule, and explore themes suited to your role.
As part of an early release and pilot, the New to Teaching pathway and resources for Programme Leaders are now available with more resources on the way, with the launch of the CPD Framework planned for the annual Teaching & Learning Showcase in September 2025.
We hope that you find them useful and would be grateful for your feedback.
Click the following link to access the CPD Opportunities webpage and get started with your new CPD journey: CPD Opportunities – Lincoln Academy of Learning & Teaching
University Teaching & Learning Showcase 2025: Securing Student Success
The University’s second annual Teaching & Learning Showcase event will take place on Wednesday, 17 September 2025.
The focus for the 2025/26 showcase, which will be held on the Brayford Campus, is ‘Securing Student Success’.
Higher education in the UK is undergoing a period of rapid change. Financial pressures, changes to the student body and new regulatory frameworks have meant that universities are having to think and act differently. This year's showcase will explore responses to these sector drivers and how the Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Delivery Plan supports the University’s strategic ambition and responds to the changing external environment.
Colleagues from academic and Professional Services areas can attend the showcase to explore how the wider context of higher education impacts on what we do, and how teaching and supporting learning at Lincoln is evolving in response.
More details to follow soon.
To register your interest, please complete this form: https://forms.office.com/e/jHKQpvm030
Survey Updates
National Student Survey 2025
This year, we are building on the success of the 2024 National Student Survey (NSS) campaign by engaging students at a local school level. This approach ensures that the NSS is introduced by staff who students know and who have insight into their student cohort identity, fostering connections and encouraging participation. This also makes the survey more relevant to students’ specific programmes.
The NSS launched on the January 27, 2025. Current response rates can be accessed on the Planning and Business Intelligence NSS dashboards. The survey will close on April 30, 2025, and results of the feedback will be published on the OfS website in summer 2025.
Student Experience Survey
31 March – 09 May 2025
The Student Experience Survey is now open for responses from all undergraduate students who are not eligible for the NSS. This survey provides students with an opportunity to give feedback on their university experience so far and to help to shape the future of their programme and university experiences.
The survey is being coordinated at the school level, so the timing and promotion of the survey will vary within the designated 6-week timeframe.
Survey data will be available on the Planning dashboard in July 2025, enabling staff to reflect on student feedback at all levels and implement changes that will positively impact the overall student experience.
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2025
The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2025 launched at the University of Lincoln on Monday 31 March and will run until Friday 13 June 2025.
PTES is a national online survey, co-ordinated by AdvanceHE and it provides an opportunity for postgraduate taught students to feedback on their experience in a range of topics including, but not limited to teaching and learning, engagement, resources and services and skills development.
Eligible students include all full-time and most part-time UK, EU and international PGT students who study a programme of at least 60 credits.
The data from the survey is used to develop our practice in all our programmes and enhance the university experience for our PGT students.
The PTES 2025 question set can be found here.
We would appreciate your support in sharing the details with your colleagues and PGT students.
IMPact E-Journal
IMPact is the University of Lincoln’s peer-reviewed, open access and multi-disciplinary journal of Higher Education. Established in 2018, IMPact invites colleagues from across the university, including postgraduate and undergraduate students, to submit their work for publication in the form of research papers in the conventional sense, as well as shorter reviews, research notices, accounts of work in progress and other forms of output of interest to the journal and its readership, with the express intention of informing, challenging and influencing.
'Learning Together' Teaching Showcase 2024
The showcase event offered an opportunity for colleagues to come together to share, learn and highlight practical teaching and learning applications through short talks, interactive workshops, demonstrations, and discussions.
"The showcase was a testament to the collaborative spirit and innovative approaches in teaching and learning at the University, fostering a community of shared knowledge and support". Prof. Kate Strudwick, Dean of Teaching and Learning.
This edition, contains a selection of the journal papers submitted by presenters from the showcase, title of which included:
- Incorporating writing retreat principles and practices into higher education teaching: A reflective note. Author: Dr Nicola Chanamuto.
- Reframing Peer Observation: Establishing interdisciplinary friendships as the foundation of supportive practice. Author: Jon Rowlands.
- Exploring Groupwork for Authentic Assessment in Architectural Education, Author: Dr Rosi Fieldson.
- Enhancing Practical Laboratory Education in Biomedical Science through Student Partnerships. Authors: Dr Claire Walker, et al.
- Strategic Analytics in Accounting Education: How Digitization of Accounting Impacts Industry. Author: Dr Anna Vysotskaya.
To view all the academic submissions in this edition, please click on the button below:
Research at a Distance: A Showcase of Research from the Online and Work-Based Learning Programmes
Guest Editor: Dr Charlotte Smith, Senior Lecturer, Lincoln International Business School
Welcome to this special edition of the IMPact journal, dedicated to showcasing the innovative research conducted by students enrolled in the online and work-based learning programmes at Lincoln International Business School (LIBS). This edition embodies the principles of Student as Producer, highlighting the significant contributions of our students as practitioner researchers. The edition demonstrates the collaborative research environment within LIBS whereby students engage with each other's work, enhancing their academic and professional development.
The purpose of the Special Edition was to provide a digital platform for students to disseminate their research findings, reflecting the diverse and dynamic nature of their studies. By sharing their work, students not only contribute to the academic community but also gain valuable experience in the research process, from conception to publication. This edition highlights the importance of student-led research in driving innovation and addressing real-world challenges.
To view all the student submissions in this edition, please click on the button below:
Call for IMPact Journal Papers
The journal invites colleagues from across the university, including postgraduate and undergraduate students, to share their work with the express intention of informing, challenging and influencing.
We encourage colleagues to submit to the journal through conventional manuscripts (5000 words in length accompanied by an abstract of up to 250 words). Submissions can also take the form of a scholarly research notices, which are more suited to submissions which are shorter, smaller scale written pieces of work, notably small interim reports, or evaluations of small scale projects. This format also allows authors to submit some focused reflective pedagogical discussions/narratives.
All submissions are peer reviewed and are required to follow the standardised journal template as indicated on the website.
If you are interested in discussing further please contact the IMPact email impact@lincoln.ac.uk.
Reviewers Needed for Journal Papers
We are looking for expressions of interest from the academic community to join the IMPact reviewing team to support LALT with reviewing research for various projects. This includes the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Scheme (UROS) applications, and IMPact paper reviews and feedback.
This opportunity provides a flexible commitment level, and you can volunteer for as much or as little as your workload permits. Full guidance and support will be provided.
If you are interested in volunteering and would like to find out more, please contact impact@lincoln.ac.uk.
Collaborative Research
Feeling at Home in the Classroom? Pedagogy, Community and the Social Class Background of Teachers in Rural Schools
Joss Winn (School of Education and Communication), Rebecca Sanderson (School of Education and Communication) and Lucy Mallinson (LALT) published an article with the results of their recent research aimed at understanding the extent to which staff of six schools in rural England, share, recognise and draw upon their pupils’ experience within the household and community.
The research sought to counter ‘deficit thinking’ within the classroom, the school and the community by adopting an ‘asset-based’ perspective, which recognises that although there may be material deprivation, all children have access to funds of knowledge in their household and community which can be drawn on in the classroom through culturally relevant pedagogies.
Please click below to read the article.
Academic Development Update
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PgCertHE)
Recruitment will be opening in early May for the September 2025 cohort of PgCert HE. If you are interested in gaining a HE teaching qualification, and would like to find out more about our programme please see the website or contact pgcerthe@lincoln.ac.uk. The website will be updated over the coming weeks to include a further details on eligibility criteria, personal statement and how to apply.
Educator Development
Our second cohort of Educator development learners is concluding as teaching on our “supporting learning for all” module ended several weeks ago and the team are in the final stages of assessment. This Semester saw a multi-campus approach as Helen Gascoyne and Anna Cutting travelled to HMS Collingwood in Fareham, Rachael Addy to HMS Clyde in Scotland, and Graham Price to HMS Raleigh.
Feedback from the module has been very positive, and the team have been working with Capita to ensure the smoothest possible experience for the Navy learners, who are a mixture of serving Royal Navy staff, and civilians employed by Capita.
We look forward to a new cohort starting in May, and then the introduction of a new module called Learning Environments in September.
HEAR Scheme Update
All staff who teach and/or support learning at Lincoln can achieve formal recognition of their practice through the University’s internal Higher Education Academy Recognition (HEAR) scheme, which is accredited by Advance HE.
The next submission deadlines are 19th May 2025 and 22nd September 2025.
Key dates and information can be found on the HEAR web pages.
Applicants are advised to attend a support workshop and submit a draft before applying. Support workshops are bookable via the HEAR web pages.
There is also guidance for referees who are providing a supporting statement for a colleague, which can be found on the HEAR web pages.
Queries can be directed to HEAR@lincoln.ac.uk.
Case Studies
LALT continue to curate and host case studies submitted by academic and professional service colleagues across the University, which can be found here.
While individual topics are increasingly diverse, these are categorised into sub-sections to support navigation of core delivery areas including: access and participation, academic experience, student engagement, digital literacy and AI, international students, learning gain and employability.
These case studies showcase new ideas and successful teaching and learning practices representing the diverse experiences and approaches being adopted to support student engagement and experience, across the student lifecycle.
Guidance and submissions for case studies can be made via the Teaching & Learning Case Study MS Forms below:
One Community News
Digital Education
Digital Training Week - June 2025
Digital Education will be running a Digital Training Week in June 2025 to support staff in preparing for their AY 25-26 modules. This includes a range of online and in-person sessions. This two-week training series offers a variety of sessions designed to enhance your digital skills, with many interactive activities and opportunities for hands-on support.
All sessions listed below are available to book. You can make your booking and view a full description of each session via the MyView system. We encourage you to book as soon as possible for in-person sessions where room capacity may be limited.
The following weblink contains guidance for making bookings: https://lncn.ac/DTW-BOOKINGS. Please share this information with staff within your school/department to encourage participation.
Monday 16 June: 9am – 10.30am – Blackboard Ultra: Module Content (incl. Blackboard Ally) (In-Person) // NEW: 10.30am – 12pm – Blackboard AI: Design and Simulations (In-Person)
Tuesday 17 June: 10am – 11am – Blackboard for School Administrators (Online) // 11am – 12pm - Project Organisation with Microsoft Planner (In-Person)
Wednesday 18 June: 9am – 10am – MS Forms for Academics (Online) // 11am – 12pm - Making Effective Teams Meetings (In-Person) // 1pm – 2.30pm – AI for Teaching and Learning (In-Person)
Friday 20 June: 10am – 11am – Panopto: Managing your Videos (Online) // 1pm – 2pm – Blackboard for School Administrators (Online)
Monday 23 June: 10am – 11am – Turnitin: Academic Integrity (In-Person) // NEW: 1pm – 2pm – Turnitin: Draft Coach (Online)
Tuesday 24 June: 9am – 10am – Effective Use of Outlook for Organisation (In-Person) // 10.30am – 12pm – Digital Accessibility (In-Person)
Wednesday 25 June: 11am – 12pm - Getting started with Copilot (In-Person) // 1pm – 2.30pm – AI for Assessment (In-Person)
Friday 27 June: 10am – 11am – Blackboard Ultra: Module Content (incl. Blackboard Ally) (Online) // 1pm – 2pm – MS Forms for Professional Services (Online)
Libraries and Learning Skills
Library Support Survey Pilot: Maths and Stats Help (MASH) and Writing Development (WD)
In preparation for the start of the new Access and Participation Plan in September 2025, Laura Pearson (MASH) and Cheryl Cliffe (WD) liaised with Lucy Mallinson (LALT) about the best ways to capture the impact of our services on students’ attainment. Lucy prepared and sent out surveys to students who had attended either one-to-one appointments or bookable workshops. A survey with a reduced question set was also sent to students who had attended timetabled sessions. The results were split by students with a PASS plan and those without one.
MASH results
All students who responded to the MASH survey felt more confident about completing their coursework or assessments after attending their session. The number of responses was insufficient to compare the experience and impact for students with a PASS plan to those without. Student feedback comments included:
“Their [MASH advisor] help was fantastic, I got 88% in my first maths exam!” (Level 0 Foundation Year)
“I was unsure about how to conduct a power analysis and I began the MASH appointment with very little understanding of G*Power but finished the session a lot more confident.” (Level 3 undergraduate)
WD results
In terms of the WD results, most students felt that the support had improved their confidence in academic writing to an extent (95.0%); almost half felt that it had improved to a large extent (46.2%). Similarly, 94.9% felt more prepared for future academic challenges, with 38.5% reporting that the increase was to a large extent. The level of confidence around completing coursework and assessments was slightly lower for students with a PASS plan, with 69.3% feeling confident or very confident compared with 88.5% for those without a plan. Student feedback comments included:
“The support was individual and in-depth, I was shown ways of improving on my submitted work and given guidance I had not considered allowing me to improve my overall grades for the remainder of the academic year in following assessments. I was very grateful for the advice and intend to utilise the service again in the future.” (Level 0 Foundation Year)
“He helped me read it back and help me identify where it doesn't make sense and as I’m dyslexic it was very helpful and make me more confident in my work." (Level 4 undergraduate)
Next steps: More work will be done to increase the response rate prior to next year’s survey, to further evidence the impact for target students under our Access and Participation.
Studiosity feedback drop-ins
The Library and International College are running a Studiosity feedback drop-in on Tuesday 29th April from 11am-1pm in UL110. Students will be able to ask questions about their feedback and get advice on how to apply it. Students need to book a slot via the Library events page and bring their Studiosity feedback with them: Library Events.
Careers and Employability
“Great opportunities for your students to get involved with”.
Employer Summer Project!
Apply by Wednesday, 30th April 2025
The Employer Projects scheme, run by Careers & Employability, offers students real-world project experience with employers, organisations, or academic institutions. Participants work in interdisciplinary teams, gaining valuable skills in research, analysis, teamwork, and communication. The project includes structured support, training, and a final client presentation with feedback.
Final Year Checklist – Graduate Career Planning
To prepare for post-graduation opportunities, Careers & Employability provides continued support for up to two years. Students should:
- Book a Careers Appointment – Get personalised guidance.
- Attend Networking Events – Connect with industry professionals.
- Explore Jobs & Graduate Schemes – Use CareerLinc for job searches.
More Resources
Postgraduate Networking Club
A supportive community helping postgraduate students navigate the UK job market. The club offers networking opportunities, career workshops, and industry connections.
Lincoln Connect – Professional Networking Platform
Lincoln Connect links students, alumni, and employers, providing mentorship, industry-specific groups, and career development resources. It supports students in making meaningful professional connections.
Education for Sustainable Development Conference
We hope you can join us for ‘Sustainability in Education: Inspiring and Transforming Together’ on Wednesday 4th June. We hope it will be an exciting day, with a keynote speaker, a showcase event for students and staff and an opportunity to contribute to the future of Education for Sustainable Development at Lincoln as we develop our ESD strategy. Our keynote will be Andrew Reeves from DMU, where ESD is firmly embedded as a concept, with Andrew giving us the benefit of his experience.
We welcome contributions from students or staff on any aspect of sustainability education, whether based on the UN SDGs or otherwise, as posters, 5-minute flash presentations or longer 10-minute presentations. Please contact Libby John, Dean of Sustainability (ljohn@lincoln.ac.uk) if you would like to make a contribution.
Alternatively, please just come along to learn and discuss – the more voices we can hear from and engage the better. We will provide tea, coffee and biscuits, but please bring your own mug and lunch. You do not need to stay for the whole day (9.30-3.30 approx).
Please sign up via Eventbrite to get on the mailing list for the full agenda and further updates.
From the Education for Sustainable Development Leaders Group
International College News
Supporting international students
In January 2025, the International College piloted the Online Welcome to Lincoln (OWL) initiative to the new cohort of international students who were embarking on their academic journeys through various Master’s programmes at the University of Lincoln. To ensure a smooth transition and provide a warm welcome, the International College organized a series of live and recorded webinars. These webinars were available to all new international students ahead of arriving in Lincoln. The sessions aimed to introduce students to the UK, the city of Lincoln, and the university itself. Each of the five webinars were designed to offer essential information and support, helping students feel prepared and confident as they start their studies. Each session lasted for one hour, featuring 45 minutes of practical and informative content followed by a 15-minute Q&A segment. The sessions were hosted and presented by members of the International College with support from the International Office.
- Session 1: UK Culture (Holly Nelson) - Discover the rich history and diverse culture of the UK // Learn about British customs, traditions, and social norms // Tips for adapting to life in the UK, including staying secure.
- Session 2: Living in Lincoln (Dr Matthew Bayly) - Explore the beautiful city of Lincoln // Find out about shopping options, transportation, and local amenities // Get practical advice on daily living and settling in.
- Session 3: Studying at Lincoln (Dr Andrew Rowcroft) - Understand the academic structure and expectations at the University of Lincoln // Learn about available resources, libraries, and study spaces // Tips for effective study habits and time management.
- Session 4: Communication at Lincoln (Dr Chokri Ghezal) - Become familiar with some of the communication channels at the University of Lincoln // Learn about communication styles and etiquette in the UK // Tips for effective communication in academic and social settings.
- Session 5: Success at Lincoln (Stephen Gildersleve) - Discover strategies for academic and personal success // Learn about support services available, including career guidance // Tips for maintaining well-being and balancing studies and personal life.
These sessions were well attended and received positive feedback from students reflecting the effectiveness of OWL in helping new students acclimate to their new environment and academic life. After the success of the pilot, the International College plans to run a similar programme for September 2025 applicants.
For more information, please contact the International College on internationalcollege@lincoln.ac.uk.
Sector News
Advance HE
(All colleagues are members of Advance HE through our institutional membership).
"In Partnership" Newsletter
The March edition of the In Partnership newsletter can be viewed here. This month's edition features:
- Framework for Leading in HE – Advance HE showcased the recent launch of the “Framework for Leading in HE”, which provides a joined-up approach for individuals and organisations to recognise and develop attributes for effective leadership and to understand how these connect to the impacts the organisation aspires to achieve. Advance HE is inviting all members and leaders across the global higher education sector to experiment with the framework to understand how it is best applied and where it makes the most impact. Between March and June, Advance HE will be hosting a series of free engagement workshops where you can learn more about the Framework.
- Member Benefits – Advance HE shared the publication of another project from the 2023-24 round of the Collaborative Development Fund, “A Guide to Design Thinking for Higher Education”, produced by the University of Manchester, Lancaster University Management School and the University of Leeds. Members can also utilise the podcast series “The Future of Higher Education Today”, produced by Universities UK and Advance HE.
- Get Involved – There is a call for papers for forthcoming symposia, and members are encouraged to share their fellowship achievements as part of the Festival of Fellowship.
- Other news – A new report explores how HEIs reward teaching excellence through promotion and career progression; and a joint bid from Advance HE, the University of East London and Jisc has secured OfS funding for a new UG and PG pre-arrival survey.
We would love to hear about events and successful teaching and learning practice from across the university.
If you are interested in having content included in the next edition, please contact Nguyen Grace on ngrace@lincoln.ac.uk.
Please disseminate this within your teams to those who may be interested.
Credits:
Created with images by Tida - "Conversation and Communication Illustration - Colorful illustration of four people communicating, symbolizing conversation and interaction. Bright colors and abstract design create a dynamic and energ" • takasu - "ニュースのロゴ" • Zerbor - "Save the Date written on a calendar - September 17" • Lustre Art Group - "White megaphone sitting on top of old open book with yellow pages. Power of word." • Kiattisak - "HRM or Human Resource Management, Magnifier glass focus to manager business icon which is among staff icons for human development recruitment leadership and customer target group concept." • Parradee - "Human resource training and development concept.Business, personal development improving and enhancing competency, performance..Putting wooden cubes training with brainstorm, coaching, learning icons." • Fauzi - "certification. qualifications, certificates and graduate icons. the concept of academic qualifications. the concept of required skills." • thodonal - "Concept of knowledge sharing" • Tierney - "E-learning concept with a man on blurred city background" • Hound - "A stack of books with a wooden ladder on top of them. The books are arranged in a way that they look like they are on a table" • btiger - "3D Steps Illustration: Business Success Path with Educational and Career Icons" • Kartika - "Three wooden blocks with a check mark on them" • Irene - "Cyber, personal data and information security. Internet and networking security system concept. Banner. Copy space." • Zerbor - "Wall calendar with a red pin - June 04" • SensSai/peopleimages.com - "Library, university student and group work with laptop for research, teamwork and collaboration on campus. People, classmates and college learner with document or notes for test, study and exams" • Artur - "Word writing text Share Your Story. Business concept for Tell personal experiences talk about yourself Storytelling written on Plain Green background Pens next to it."