Search results for: “ai in education”

This higher level training series on conducting literature reviews is delivered by colleagues across and beyond the ESRC Southwest Doctoral Training Partnership. This series aims to benefit the development of all researchers, but is especially designed with postgraduate researchers in mind.

How do you search for articles in a systematic way?

Held online at 11:00 – 12:00, 13th February 2025

Speaker: Rosey Crow, Subject Librarian (School of Education and School of Policy Studies), University of Bristol

In this webinar, we will explore the difference between a “traditional” literature review and one that draws on systematic methodologies. We will examine what is meant by a “comprehensive” search and how to build a robust search strategy, delve into searching in various databases, and discuss how to manage the screening of our results.

Systematic literature reviews can be used in your doctoral dissertation. They are often commissioned by organisations that need background information to inform a budget decision, policy advocacy or to bid for funding, so it is a useful skill for anyone planning a career as a social science researcher.

This webinar is delivered by Rosey Crow who is Subject librarian for the School of Education and the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol.

Resources

How do you choose a reference manager?

Held online at 11:00 – 12:00, 27th February 2025

Speaker: Kerriane Orriss, Teaching and Learning Librarian, University of Bristol

With so many options available, choosing a reference manager can be overwhelming and confusing. In this 60-minute webinar, we will look at three of the most commonly-used reference managers: Endnote, Mendeley and Zotero. We will explore key considerations such as the learning curve of the software, their compatibility with word processors and how easily they import various file formats. There will be a demonstration of each reference manager, illustrating their main features and advantages, as well as a quick comparison of the software and their pros and cons.

Choosing a reference manager is essential in the early stages of doctoral research and when collaborating on a literature review within a research team.

This is the second webinar in the SWDTP literature review series and is presented by Kerrianne Orriss, who is a Teaching and Learning Librarian at the University of Bristol. Please note this session will be recorded. Some limited participation may be elicited in the session (no breakout groups).

Resources

Please note the slides are an extended version of those used in the presentation, and contain more information that you may find useful. Some materials may contain information that is specific to the University of Bristol.

Unlock the Power of Corpus-Based Techniques for systematic literature reviews

Held online at 15:00 – 16:00, 2nd April 2025

Speaker: Dr Reka Jablonkai, Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), the Department of Education, University of Bath; Research Group Convenor for the Language in and for Education Research Group, University of Bath

Advances in computer technology made it possible to create and use large language databases often referred to as corpora in language studies. A recent development in the field is to apply corpus-based approaches to a wide range of areas beyond linguistic analysis (Pérez-Paredes, 2021; Seale & Charteris-Black, 2010). This webinar will showcase how both quantitative and qualitative corpus analysis techniques—such as keyword analysis, analysis of collocation (frequently co-occurring words), keywords in context, and multi-word items—can be effectively utilized to identify and examine key themes for systematic literature reviews. Mastering corpus-based techniques is useful for researchers and PhD students as it allows for a more systematic and comprehensive analysis of existing literature. These skills enable participants to uncover patterns and themes that might be missed through traditional methods, thereby enhancing the depth and rigour of research.

Resources

Conducting a Systematic Scoping Review: Methods and Insights from a Study on the Indian Diaspora and Education

Held online at 11:00 – 12:00, 3rd April 2025

Speaker: Dr Rita Chawla-Duggan, Associate Professor and Deputy Head, Department of Education, University of Bath.

This webinar, part of our Conducting Literature Reviews webinar series, explores the process of conducting a systematic scoping review. Using a worked example on education in the post-independence Indian diaspora, the session will outline the five-stage framework of Arksey and O’Malley (2005), covering search strategies, inclusion criteria, and thematic analysis. It will also discuss challenges in refining search terms, identifying relevant literature, and synthesising findings. This presentation provides practical guidance for doctoral students on conducting rigorous scoping reviews and demonstrates their value in mapping research landscapes.

Resources

Making your literature review count

Held online, 11:00-12:00, Mon 12 May 2025

Speakers:

Dr Nasrul Ismail, Senior Lecturer in Criminology in the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol; co-editor of Justice, Power and Resistance (Bristol University Press); serves on the International Advisory Board for the International Journal of Prison Health; SWDTP alumnus.

Dr Freya Wise, SWDTP-awarded ESRC Research Fellow at UWE Bristol in the Centre for Advanced Built Environment Research (CABER); Visiting Fellow at The Open University.

The literature review is a key part of your doctoral thesis. It takes time to develop and builds an original argument. So, why not make it available to others by turning it into a peer-reviewed publication? In this session of our Conducting Literature Reviews webinar series, two early career researchers (ECRs) will talk about how they used their literature reviews in publications and gain recognition in their field.

Resources

Dr Freya Wise’s slides are not available for wider circulation

Workshop on Critical Interpretive Synthesis

Held online, 11:00-12:00, Tues 20 May 2025

Speaker: Dr Rafael Mitchell, Senior Lecturer, Department of Education, University of Bristol.

This session introduces critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) as a systematic approach to collating, reviewing and synthesising a diverse body of research evidence. CIS aims to produce fresh insights on an issue of concern, drawing on techniques that are common in qualitative inquiry, such as the ongoing refinement of research questions and an iterative process of data collection and analysis. I will share my own experiences of using CIS in solo and collaborative projects in the field of education (Mitchell, 2025). In this interactive session we will consider CIS in relation to other approaches to systematic review, comparing their logics and processes. We will consider the affordances and challenges of using CIS in a doctoral research project, and strategies for incorporating CIS within your own work.

Reference: Mitchell, R. (2025). Using critical interpretive synthesis (CIS) for theoretical development: Mobilising African education research. In Sage Research Methods Cases Part 1. SAGE Publications, Ltd., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781071984185

Resources

Funding opportunities for academic-led opportunities

Any academic colleague employed by one of our Partner Institutions can apply to our Researcher Development fund. The Fund is awarded to activities that demonstrate they support development in higher level training and “Research in Practice”.

• Higher level training: Training on methodologies or methodological approaches that is in addition to core training typically found in an individual study pathway
• Research in Practice: Explore ways in which social scientists and non-academic partners from private, business, public and civic society sectors can further knowledge exchange and increase research impact

Visit our Funding for Academics page to find out more.

Training for supervisors

The SWDTP occasionally coordinates training and development activities for supervisors, and we actively try to offer something that falls beyond locally required/available training. Look out for emails or check our events calendar for these opportunities, or contact our Collaboration Facilitator Jonathan Chow to request ideas. Click here to see resources from past events.

Other sources to explore include your own institution, the UK Graduate Council of Education (UKCGE) and Vitae.

Look out for our annual and regular events

Pathway Leads and Institutional Stakeholders Forum

An annual opportunity for all SWDTP-affiliated colleagues from our eight partner institutions to meet in person, hear about the latest processes, and exchange feedback and insights. The Forum usually takes place in November.

‘Open House’ institutional visits

The SWDTP team regularly visits our partner institutions. Sometimes we are available on campus all day for informal chats with staff and colleagues, while other times we may have more structured activities planned. Be sure to check our events calendar to see when we are next in town.

And finally…

You have reached the end of ‘Getting to know the SWDTP’. Thank you for spending the time to read through these pages, we hope you have found it useful. And thank you very much in advance for all the contributions you will make to the SWDTP.

Your Institutional Academic Lead (IAL), Pathway Lead (PL), and Institutional Coordinator (IC) are your first local points of contact for anything SWDTP-related. Their contact details can be found on our institutional contacts page.

Don’t forget, the SWDTP team are only an email away if you want to get in touch.

New supervisors, don’t forget to complete our short quiz to confirm you have completed your induction.

Research Topic Title: Addressing the climate crisis through empathetic ruptions in environmental education

My research argues for a reconceptualisation of empathy as affective and embodied that encompasses both human and more-than-human entities, essential for fostering ethical global responsibility. In the context of the Anthropocene, I assert that empathy is central to global responsibility acting as a catalyst for transformative change. By critiquing traditional notions of empathy that focus solely on human perspectives, I highlight the necessity of a relational understanding that recognises the interconnectedness of all life forms. I then argue that the way to do this is to attempt to move towards understanding empathy as affective rather than as a combination of cognition and affect to illustrate the need for a non-hierarchical approach to empathy that incorporates the more-than-human.

I then explore the implications of viewing empathy as affective and embodied, arguing that this perspective enables a deeper understanding of the ethical responsibilities we hold toward the planet. Practical applications are discussed, including the integration of relational empathy into environmental education and policy frameworks using transdisciplinary practice. Ultimately, I advocate for an expanded view of empathy that can create significant shifts in both educational practices and policy-making, contributing to a more ethical approach to addressing the climate crisis.

This research will then inform a pedagogical design which will be used to set up transdisciplinary learning gardens. These will create a space for communities and students to gain a rich understanding of the environment whilst learning to think relationally with their world, whilst addressing climate issues relating to growth of food and plants.

Mentor:
Dr Kerry Chappell and Professor Stewart Barr of The University of Exeter

Publications:

Chappell, K; Turner, C & Wren, H (eds) (2024) Creative Ruptions for Emergent Educational Futures. Palgrave MacMillan: London.  

Wren, H., Chappell, K., Hetherington, L., Duca, E., O’Kane, E., Quacinella, D., Ribeiro, A., Sotiriou, M. and Van der Sanden, M(in review). Manifesting creative pedagogies in transdisciplinary HE courses.

Wren, H (2021): Review of: Placemaking: a new materialist theory of pedagogy, Environmental Education Research, DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2021.1951674

Chappell, K., Witt, S., Wren, H., Hampton, L., Woods, P., Swinford, L., & Hampton, M. (2023). Re‐Creating Higher Education Pedagogy by Making Materiality and Spatiality Matter. The Journal of Creative Behavior.

Chappell, K; Natanel, K and Wren, H (2021) Letting the ghosts in: re-designing HE teaching and learning through posthumanism. Teaching in Higher Education. https://doi-org.uoelibrary.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1952563 (OPEN ACCESS)

Chappell, K., Hetherington, L., Alexopoulos, A., Ben-Horin, O., Nikolopoulos, K., Ruck Keene, H., Wren, H., Robberstad, J., Bogner, F. and Sotiriou, S. (2019) Dialogue and materiality/ embodiment in science/arts creative pedagogy: their role and manifestation. Thinking Skills and Creativity Special Issue: Exploring Pedagogies of Dialogic Space. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2018.12.008 (OPEN ACCESS)

Chappell, K., Walsh, C., Wren, H., Kenny, K., Schmoelz, A., & Stouraitis, E. (2017). Wise Humanising Creativity: Changing How We Create in a Virtual Learning Environment. International Journal of Game-Based Learning (IJGBL), 7(4), 50-72. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJGBL.2017100103

Hetherington, L; Chappell, K; Ruck Keene, H; Wren, H; Cukurova, M; Hathaway, C; Sotiriou, S; & Bogner, F (2019): International educators’ perspectives on the purpose of science education and the relationship between school science and creativity, Research in Science & Technological Education, DOI:10.1080/02635143.2019.1575803

UEDIN: Scaltsas, T., Stenning, K., Alexopoulos K.; OU: Chappell, K., Walsh, C., Kenny, K., Wren, H., Craft, A. 1 ; EA: Dimaraki, E., Koulouris, P. ; BMUKK: Schmoelz, A., Weixelbaumer, T. (2014) Co-creativity assessment methodology.  C2learn project deliverable no. D2.32.  

Scaltsas, T., Stenning, K., Alexopoulos, K., Chappell, K., Walsh, C., Kenny, K., Wren, H., Craft, A. 1 , and Koulouris, P. (2014) Co-creativity evaluation analysis. C2learn projectdeliverable no. 5.4.1 

Stenning, K., Schmoelz, A., Wren, H., Stouraitis, E., Scaltsas, T., Alexopoulos, C., & Aichhorn, A. (2016). Socratic dialogue as a teaching and research method for co-creativity? Digital Culture & Education, 8(2), 154-68.

Contact Details:

Email: Hw474@exeter.ac.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-heather-wren-89593557

Website/Blog:https://affectiveembodiedempathy.blogspot.com/2024/11/introducing-my-fellowship-and-research.html

SWDTP policy and procedures are governed and stipulated by ESRC guidelines. Click here to read the ESRC postgraduate training and development guidelines.

We have 34 fully-funded PhD studentships from the ESRC available through 14 disciplinary and 4 interdisciplinary pathways spanning the social sciences for the support of full time or part-time postgraduate study (at a minimum of 50% part-time). Click here to see our full list of pathways and at which institution they are offered.

Funding length and additional training is determined through Development Needs Analysis at the point of application*

Further information: Applying for a studentship

*for studentships that began from Sep 2024 onwards

The standard funding offer for PhD studentships is typically 3 years and 3 months plus 3 months ‘Research in Practice’ placement (see below), although this will end sooner if the student completes and submits their thesis for examination well ahead of their funded period.

As part of their application form, an applicant completes a self-assessment of research skills and knowledge. The SWDTP uses this information to conduct Development Needs Analysis (DNA) to determine ‘top up’ training conditions, for which additional funding and time are awarded. This can include a Masters year, specific methods units, self-directed learning and so on.

These ‘top up’ requirements can be found in the offer letter sent to successful applicants.

IMPORTANT: The ESRC expects that, for students from the 2024 intake onwards, every PhD thesis will be submitted within the funded period and requires that nearly everyone is. Institutions are at risk of sanction by the UKRI if students do not routinely submit within their funding period. Medical and other periods of leave are also not funded by the SWDTP after the funding of the scholarship has ended.

We therefore ask all applicants to think carefully about what is viable in the time available, to make sure that this is agreed and understood with the proposed supervisor, and to make every effort to submit within the funding period. Critically, these should not be conceived as four-year projects but as projects to be completed within 3 years and 3 months (or the part-time equivalent).

Mandatory component: Continuous engagement with Training/Development Needs Analysis

Further information: Training and development

All students must continue to engage with either Training Needs Analysis (TNA) or Development Needs Analysis (DNA) throughout their funded period, depending on when their funding began. This is required by the ESRC, and is crucial for documenting and informing each student’s individual training and development needs.

Training Needs Analysis (TNA): studentship commenced before Sep 2024

Engagement with Training Needs Analysis is primarily based on local progress review procedures.

Development Needs Analysis (DNA): studentship commenced from Sep 2024 onwards

Students are provided with a DNA log in the form of a OneNote document, which contains a number of objective setting, planning and logging activities that they should engage with on a regular basis. The OneNote document is shared between the SWDTP hub and the student only, and parts of it will be monitored for engagement.

Engaging with DNA is separate from any training and development components required locally by institutions, and students are expected to engage with both.

Mandatory component: Placements

Further information: Student placements

The Placement Scheme is an opportunity to get up to three months’ work experience in a relevant UK-based partner organisation.

The ESRC views the placement as a major and mandatory component* of a student’s access to ‘Research in Practice’ training – practical opportunities for students to apply their theoretical knowledge and methodological skills in contexts in and beyond academia, and to further develop a host of transferrable skills.

*For SWDTP-funded students who began their studies in or after September 2024, this is an integral part of their studies, for which 3 months’ ringfenced funding has been built into their original funding offer. Funded students who started their study before September 2024 are still eligible to apply.

Full-time placements usually last three months although part-time placements are also possible. Subject to agreement with their supervisor, placements can start at any point during a student’s studies, but not during the Masters year nor within the first three months of the PhD, and must be completed, at the very latest, before the last three months of a studentship.

The SWDTP and ESRC work throughout the year to broker exciting placement opportunities, which are advertised on the Placements page of our website. Many students will also source their own placement hosts, utilising their own networks and those of their supervisory teams. The SWDTP Collaboration Facilitator will help students develop their application, as well as approach external organisations and develop a formal placement agreement on their behalf.

Allowances and grants

Further information: Student allowances and grants

The SWDTP has a number of funding pots available to further support students in their academic development, research and placement activities throughout their funded period. Below is a summary of each. Please visit the students’ Allowances and Funding page for further information and guidance documents.

Funding for student-led activities

Further information: Collaboration and impact

Three types of funding pots are available to current SWDTP students to run impact, collaboration or cohort building activities respectively.

Absences, leaves, changes to supervision, changes to study

Key policies in relation to absences, leaves, and changes to study are covered in the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide and UKRI Training Grant Terms and Conditions.

Contact your institutional coordinators in the first instance to discuss arrangements pertaining to the above.

This event was partly funded through the SWDTP‘s academic-led collaboration fund. Click here to learn about funding opportunities for colleagues at our partner institutions.

Aims

The inaugural 4M conference took place on the 20^th and 21^st of June 2024 at the University of Exeter. The conference aimed to provide a platform for researchers and non-researchers to share their work relevant to the 4Ms, and provided an opportunity to form and build connections that will help ensure research on the 4Ms is innovative, high quality, aligned with needs and priorities, and impactful.

Attendees

There were 150 attendees, from 13 countries and five continents. Academic attendees represented 37 universities, and 28 non-academic organisations were also represented. Over one third of attendees were students.

Activities

Activities included: three keynote talks from leaders in menstrual health (Prof Hilary Critchley, University of Edinburgh; Dr Mandi Tembo, LSHTM; Prof Martha Hickey, University of Melbourne); 27 short talks from abstracts; themed panel discussions with academics and non-academic organisations; 30+ posters; stalls; a zine to incorporate the participant/public voice into the conference in a creative way; glossary of terms to aid interdisciplinary understanding; a small art exhibition; an evening event with comedy; prizes for the best poster and oral presentation by an ECR.

Materials and outputs

All sessions were live scribed by an illustrator and the visual summaries are available on our website, along with the conference book, which contains all oral and poster abstracts, and the zine. We also commissioned a short conference film, which is currently still in production and will be uploaded to our website when ready.

External attention

We had some press coverage of the conference, including an interview on BBC Radio Devon’s Breakfast Show on the 20/6 and a live interview on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour on 21/6. It was also covered on BBC online. On LinkedIn and X, several attendees posted from the conference and/or wrote excellent reviews. Some attendees also wrote reviews in blogs on their websites: South West International Development Network; Poppy Taylor (PhD student); Charlotte (MSc student – not yet online). Some of us (academics and GPs) were also invited to write an editorial for the British Journal of General Practice, which will be published as part of a special issue on women’s health in September 2024.

Attendee feedback and impact

Fifty-seven attendees responded to a feedback survey, with 100% rating their enjoyment of the conference as either 4 or 5 out of 5 (average rating 4.8; 82% 5/5 rating). According to free text responses, attendees particularly liked the diversity of the audience, in terms of sector, demographic, geography, and career stage. The conference significantly impacted attendees by deepening their understanding of complexities in menstrual health, encouraging collaboration, and inspiring new ideas in research and advocacy. Many participants left motivated to address gaps in menstrual health, particularly around education, and to include diverse voices in their work. The event helped build valuable connections and provided practical insights into better communicating and applying research in real-world contexts. Multiple attendees said that they would follow up on connections made at the conference, and that they had already discussed plans for multidisciplinary collaborations. This collective enthusiasm and commitment to advancing the field underscored the conference’s significance as a catalyst for positive change in menstrual health awareness and advocacy. The participants overwhelmingly praised the conference, expressing their gratitude and enthusiasm for the event. Many highlighted their enjoyment and the value they found in both the content and the social aspects, noting how well-organised and impactful it was. There were several requests for the conference to be held regularly, reflecting its importance to their professional and personal growth.

The SWDTP hub team is supported by colleagues across our eight partner institutions. Use the directory below to find contact details for our Institutional Academic Leads (IALs), Pathway Leads (PLs), Institutional Coordinators, and Board members.

Search by pathway

None of our institutions offer all study pathways. Click here to see an overview of where pathways are offered.

Advanced Quantitative Methods

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Global Challenges and Transformations: Geopolitics Inequalities and Mobilities

Health Wellbeing and Society

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Bournemouth University

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Name

Dr Alison Legood

University of Exeter

Pathway Lead

A.Legood@exeter.ac.uk

Pathway: Management and Business Studies

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Dr Amber Lamonby-Pennie

Bath Spa University

Pathway Lead

a.lamonby-pennie@bathspa.ac.uk

Pathway: Sociotechnical Futures and Digital Methods

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Ana Bullock

University of Bath

Academic Advisory Board Member, Institutional Coordinator

a.p.r.bullock@bath.ac.uk

Dr Andrea Purdekova

University of Bath

Pathway Lead

A.Purdekova@bath.ac.uk

Pathway: Political Science and International Studies

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Dr Andreas Walmsley

Plymouth Marjon University

Institutional Academic Lead

awalmsley@marjon.ac.uk

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Anna Dolman

University of Exeter

Academic Advisory Board Member

A.E.Dolman@exeter.ac.uk

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Dr Anne Parfitt

Bath Spa University

Academic Advisory Board Member, Institutional Academic Lead

a.parfitt@bathspa.ac.uk

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Dr Bernhard Gross

UWE Bristol

Academic Advisory Board Member, Institutional Academic Lead

bernhard.gross@uwe.ac.uk

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Dr Catherine Owen

University of Exeter

Pathway Lead

C.A.M.Owen@exeter.ac.uk

Pathway: Global Challenges and Transformations: Geopolitics, Inequalities and Mobilities

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Dr Ce Zhang

University of Bristol

Pathway Lead

ce.zhang@bristol.ac.uk

Pathway: Advanced Quantitative Methods

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