Research

Research projects

Communities and Students Together (CaST)

Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union

Partners:

University of Exeter (lead partner), University of Ghent, University of Magdeburg, University of Parma, University of Malaga, University of Turku

Context:

Globally, there are growing calls for Higher Education Institutions to become more civically engaged and socially relevant and there is increased public interest in the impact of universities on their localities and regions. Engaged learning facilitates students to apply theory to real-world contexts outside of the University and to co-produce knowledge with and for the community. Engaged learning provides students with the skills which increase their employability, and improve their personal and professional development, while communities gain access to skills to help develop, evaluate or communicate their work.

Objectives:

The central aim of Communities and Students Together (CaST) will be to advance our knowledge and understanding of what constitutes a successful and sustainable engaged learning programme. We will explore existing initiatives and aim to incorporate successful elements in a series of new sustainable programmes in each partner university which enable community-based engaged learning for students to co-produce knowledge with and for the community.

Diversity and Inclusion in Capstone experiences

Supported by Elon University Center for Engaged Learning

Partners:

Sarah Dyer, University of Exeter, Trina Jorre de St Jorre, Deakin University, Moriah McSharry McGrath, Portland State University, Andrew Pearl, University of Alabama, Joanna Rankin, University of Calgary

Context:

Over the last 30 years, many undergraduate institutions have placed a greater emphasis on the development of the capstone experience as a high-impact practice. Although these experiences existed much earlier (Atchinson, 1993; Levine, 1975; Gardner, J., & Van der Veer, G. 1998; Wagenaar, 1993), a call by the Boyer Commission (1998) to reinforce the capstone experience as an integral component of a “new model of educating at the undergraduate research universities” was instrumental in clarifying the value and purpose of the capstone (p.16). Since then, universities have committed to this culminating concept and developed unique opportunities for their students to demonstrate learning. The capstone experience has taken on many forms, including internships, senior-level courses, service learning projects, undergraduate research, and portfolios. The capstone has also grown beyond discipline-specific majors (usually in the form of a senior-level course or experience within the major), to university supported, multi-discipline experiences used as the final piece of the general education requirement (NSSE, 2014). The successful implementation of these experiencesled the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to label the capstone as one of several “high impactpractices” that encourage transformative learning (Kuh, 2008). With the increase in the integration of various types of capstone experiences, a broad range of research has developed. The emphasis of much of this research has concentrated on the role of the capstone in curriculum (Brooks, Benton-Kupper, Slayton, 2004; Brown & Benson, 2005); the unique characteristics of the capstoneexperience (Dunlap, 2005; Henscheid, 2000; Kerrigan & Jhaj, 2007; Rhodes & Agre-Kippenhan, 2004); and the impact of the capstone experience on student learning (Bronwell, J. & Swaner, L., 2010; NSSE, 2007; Kuh, 2008). Although there is an ever-growing body of literature on the many successful strategies and outcomes of the capstone experience, valid concerns still remain (Kinzie, 2013). Concerns about the capstone experience have focused on the ability to execute a high-impact design and to provide this experience to all students(NSSE, 2014). Capstone experiences tend to be criticized when they are poorly planned or reflect low academic standards. In addition, concerns have been raised regarding the support faculty are receiving from the institution to provide the necessary mentoring for high quality experiences (Kuh, 2008). Finally, challenges exist on assessing the experiences, in particular an in-depth evaluation of the capstone across institutions (Padgett & Kilgo, 2012; Tinsley McGill, 2012).Appreciating that there are numerous facets to achieving a successful capstone experience, the CEL Research Seminar promotes multi-institutional collaborations to facilitate research approaches across institutions to address these ongoing concerns. The Center will support rigorous multi-institutional, multi-method investigations with the goals of enhancing the body of literature on, and providing best practices for the development of capstone experience.

Objectives:

A multi-site international study which investigates how power, positionality, and pedagogy play out for faculty and students in research, service, and professional practice capstones.

Publications

Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year

Refresh publications

External Engagement and Impact

Awards and distinctions

I was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2016. I won a Students' Guild Teaching Award in 2013 for my work supporting student engagment and was awarded a University of Exeter Teaching Fellowship Award in 2014.

I am a Principal Fellow of Adavance HE (Higher Education Academy).

External positions

I am on the editorial board member of the Journal of Geography in Higher Education and editor of the 'What works for teaching in HE GEES' blog.

I coordinate an education-focused network for Geography, Environmental and Earth Sciences academics. I am a member of the International Network for Learning and Teaching in Geography HE.

I was a member of the review panel for the QAA's most recent review of the Geography Subject Benchmark Statement (QAA 2014) and was chair of the Royal Geographical Society's Higher Education Research Group between 2015 and 2018.

Teaching

Modules

2020/21

• GEO3140 - Geographies of Education and Learning

Supervision / Group