2020 – 2021
Architecture Design Studios: Re-framing with the Empathic Imagination in Mind
Provoking conversation and support transformative, inclusive learning and teaching practices as part of the architecture design studio.
The Feedback Journey – Accessibility and Engagement
Addressing students’ understanding and engagement with feedback on their formative and summative assessments.
The Future of Live-streaming Post COVID-19
Discovering if students find laboratory live-streamed sessions useful. Additionally, the research team hoped to identify areas for improvement as well as possible solutions that could be implemented to improve practical teaching and live-streaming post-COVID-19.
Imaginative Empathy: Towards Inclusive Pedagogies
A broader application of an ‘empathic approach’ in HE dialogues between students and educators; considering the ways in which modules are delivered, assessments are conceived of, and processes realised.
STAR-GATE
Investigating students’ appreciation of on-line learning and classifying/comparing available learning platforms, mapping their functionalities to the identified students’ expectations and identifying new functionalities not already offered by these platforms.
SMART-bridge-to-WEB
Developing a web-based application which will target an additional functionality to the already developed knowledge and learning platform SMARTEST.
Climate Studio
Increasing student engagement in conversations surrounding the climate emergency so that sustainability is more integrated in design studio work.
Understanding Genetics to Counter Racial Discrimination
Development of new learning material aimed at challenging widespread misconceptions about the role of Genetics as a provider of theoretical frameworks underpinning racial discrimination.
Optimising Student Skills for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Determining student entry skills in relation to the use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, skills development through use in the degree programmes, and the most appropriate and suitable mechanisms for student support for the use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Creative Technologies – Printmaking
Exploring different methods of remote working as alternative methods of technical support for students working in the printmaking studio.
2019 – 2020
Online Studio
Creating a structure/space/platform within which all students feel empowered, able to engage and learn proactively. Design tutors are already finding ways to carry on with the teaching of design skills through online tutorials in response to the pandemic. However, the other, softer qualities of studio teaching still need to be considered.
Mental Health, Design and Wellbeing: A Co-Design Workshop
This cross-disciplinary collaboration between the Medical School at Imperial College London and the School of Architecture and Cities at the University of Westminster explored the relationship between design, mental health, and wellbeing.
Co-Production for Mental Health Workshop
Surveying of two sites in order to gain deeper insight into CAMHS therapy and adult mental health/dementia therapy resulting in the production of technical drawings.
Decolonial approaches to the legal curriculum
Understanding what it means to decolonise the legal curriculum, and what students might want and need from a decolonised core legal curriculum. Find out more: https://youtu.be/C5XhzTsfIY4
2018 – 2019
Learning and Teaching Research Collaborations
Designing a virtual representation of course activities to enhance the student experience of managing assessment.
Online Mental Health Interventions
Exploring the acceptability of mobile applications to improve mental health of university students.
Student Mental Health and Wellbeing
Investigating what Social Sciences students at the University of Westminster feel about mental wellbeing and their university experience.
Evaluating the experience of first year students in the School of Life Sciences feel about Blackboard and email communications.
Preference of study methods and influence of timing, content and lecturer on lecture attendance in the School of Life Sciences.
Student Tool for Reinforcing the Intake of Valuable Experience (STRIVE)
Improving the existing education interactive software EnAbled to link modules and enhance assessment.
Feasibility of an online platform to showcase game projects on the Computer Development course.
Designing a virtual view of Westminster has to offer, to easily discover useful information about the classrooms or laboratories and to get the full usability of the on-site services.
A prototype VR simulation to allow remote access to university campus facilities via a mobile headset.
Providing universities with information on what students are actually looking for from their timetables.
The staff perspective on the role of student-staff partnerships in higher education.
Factors that influence in-class interactions between students and lecturers.
How does the Engage platform help Media students improve their academic skills?
Disciplinary Research Collaborations
Heuristics for Natural Deduction Layout (HANDEL)
To investigate how changing the basic set of Booleans affects natural deduction proof.
Scent and Literature
Building a health index test based on extracellular vesicles (EV) & key microRNA EV-Markers from plasma.
Growing new marine bacteria cultures from New Quay, Wales to stop the growth of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Correlating CD180 expression and TP53 deletion in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia using a computational model.
YouTube and Mental Health
Studying the effects of video blogging on the mental health of content creators.
Testing sediment from the rivers in England for the presence and degree of microplastic pollution.
A Case Study in how Translations are used in Creating National Narratives
Comparing articles in the Financial Times and their translations in a Cankao Xiaoxi.
Increasing our understanding of factors influencing BME student attainment.
Curriculum Design Collaborations
Increasing student understanding by encouraging debate, use of digital quizzes and question-asking platforms.
Reviewing the module assessments to create meaningful and engaging assignments, and improve the learning experience of foundation students.
English Literature Curriculum Review
Reflecting on the level four and five core modules of the BA English Literature programme.
Involving learners in a structured review of two core modules led by Professor Graham Meikle in the School of Media and Communication.
BA Radio & Digital Production Curriculum Review
2017 – 2018
Investigating how accessible extra-curricular resources are in the department of Psychology.
Introducing a library application that captures the needs of students
Exploring student’s perceptions, awareness and attitudes to mindfulness.
Exploring student’s attitude to Brexit, education and their tendency to begin, continue or leave their higher education in the UK.
Examining the effectiveness of FANS (Friends of Arriving New Students) initiative and ways to improve it.
How can we make the university more comfortable for international students?
Improving the postgraduate experience by expanding the availability of or awareness for the various forms of digital communication made available to Masters students.
Establishing how students within the construction studies programme perceive the relationship between full-time and part-time students and whether the mix hinders student engagement.
Learning, Training and Networking Opportunities in Application and Gaming Software Localisation
Are more learning opportunities in application and gaming software localisation needed by students at the University of Westminster?
Providing universities with information on what students are actually looking for from their timetables.
The Introduction of a Nomadic Studio as part of the MArch Programme at the University of Westminster.
Exploring how exposure to international experiences can impact employability
Assessing racial and queer diversity on the Visual Culture MA programmes.
Understanding the barriers that prevent MA students of design using active making, as a method of learning.
How does the Engage platform help Media students improve their academic skills?
2016 – 2017
Exploring how students in the Faculty of Science and Technology are using Blackboard to support their studies.
Exploring student and staff perspectives of group work in the department of Biomedical Sciences and Life Sciences.
A comparison of student satisfaction and feedback from the SES and NSS between the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Designing a library application that will enhance the student experience and support academic performance.
How are students being prepared at Westminster for life beyond graduation?
Investigating the personal tutoring experience of students in the Westminster Business School
Using non-academic activities to develop a student community at Westminster Business School.
A student platform for sharing artwork in the Faculty of Media Arts and Design.
Exploring the effects of music on students’ concentration while solving intellectually stimulating exercises.
2015 – 2016
Could training and exposure to technologies before online studies boost the academic performance of the student?
Departmental differences in student engagement with iPads via use of smart applications during teaching sessions.
Exploring the usefulness of Youtube videos in enhancing student learning and integration into university.
Reviewing assessment briefing processes to increase the transparency of assessment criteria for students in Westminster Business School.