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  • Centre for Research informed Teaching

    Research informed teaching

The Centre for Research-informed Teaching, established in 2007 is based in Academic Development and Employability and led by Professor Stuart Hampton-Reeves. The Centre manages a number of projects which explore, support and promote the teaching-research nexus at UCLan and beyond.

The broad aims of the Centre are: 

  • To support and encourage the link between research and teaching
  • To give undergraduate students experience of research 
  • To support pedagogic research

The Centre's definition of research includes traditional, discipline-based research, practice-as-research, applied research and pedagogic research. The Higher Education Academy has used the Centre and our work as a case study to demonstrate best practice in student engagement in their report here: Higher Education Academy Student Engagement Project.

Research-informed teaching enhances the student experience, improves student employability and enriches our research culture. We are committed to providing undergraduate research experiences for all students at UCLan. We believe that students benefit from learning in 'research mode', and that part of being at a university is the opportunity to make new discoveries and test orthodox theories.

The Centre also works with staff to integrate teaching, research and knowledge transfer into the curriculum and supports staff to further enhance their teaching practice and/or become research active in the area of researching learning and teaching.

Staff within the Centre actively research in the areas of research informed teaching, undergraduate research and student engagement and members of the team regularly present at conferences and workshops both in the UK and beyond. In addition to this the Centre coordinated the creation of BCUR, the British Conference of Undergraduate Research, and held the first BCUR conference at UCLan in 2011. The Centre also supports UCLan students to attend the highly regarded NCUR conference, the National Conference of Undergraduate Research which is held in America each year, and was the driving force behind the first Posters in Parliament event, where selected undergraduate students were invited to talk about their research in the Houses of Parliament.

In 2008, the Centre's work was commended as good practice by the Quality Assurance Agency in its audit report on the University. The QAA team praised the Centre for raising students' aspirations. This is important work for us and for the University and we are keen to develop partnerships both in the University and beyond, so please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Expertise and Subject Areas +

Expertise and Subject Areas

The Centre works with staff and students to explore, support and promote the teaching-research nexus at UCLan. The team work within different subject disciplines and have a deep understanding of how research-informed teaching can benefit the student, the teacher and the institution.

The team also actively research in the areas of student engagement, undergraduate research, research in the curriculum and teaching in Higher Education.

Impact +

Impact

The Centres work supports the UCLan Advantage, giving students opportunities that can give them an edge when entering the world of work.

  • UCLan has one of the best undergraduate research cultures in the UK
  • UCLan courses are underpinned by high quality research. Lectures and modules conducted by research-active staff and professors, who draw on their own work to bring the latest insights in their subject
  • Throughout their studies, students will have opportunities to research and contribute to UCLan’s research culture
  • The best undergraduate research is published in the academic journal, Diffusion
  • The undergraduate research intern scheme gives students the opportunity to work alongside our leading researchers
  • The Undergraduate Research Society is a student-run organisation which funds conference, visits and organises special events for students
  • Lecturers are supported by the Pedagogic Research Forum (PRF) which enables sharing of good practice, as well as promoting engaging and inspirational learning and teaching research

Publications and Outputs +

Publications

IMPACT Guides: Over the previous few academic years Schools have been involved in a project to examine the impact of their School’s research on its teaching. Each School has endeavoured to produce a short book of case studies which demonstrate the dynamic relationship between research and teaching at UCLan. Each book also articulates a vision of research-informed teaching which is unique to each participating School.

 

Pedagogic Research

To research into your learning and teaching practices and processes. The aim of the journal is to provide a focus for pedagogical research within UCLan and provide a support mechanism to enable research in this area to flourish. Papers should contribute to the development of professional knowledge about specific issues for HE learning and teaching.

 

Diffusion

A showcase of outstanding work by UCLan students, Diffusion provides an opportunity for undergraduates to publish their research in a high quality, peer-reviewed journal, edited by a dedicated Team of staff and students at the University of Central Lancashire.

Events and News +

April 2013

BCUR 2013
The Centre will be taking 12 undergraduate students to present at the 3rd British Conference of Undergraduate Research at Plymouth University.

NCUR 2013
 The Centre will be taking 7 undergraduate students to present at the 27th National Conference of Undergraduate Research at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the USA.

May 2013

Summer Research Academy 2013
 Aimed at second year undergraduates. Attendees will be able to choose from range of workshops offered to help to provide the skills and support needed in order for them to get the most out of their undergraduate dissertation or final year project.

June - September 2013

Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme
 Undergraduate students across the university will be engaged in research.

2nd July 2013

Sharing Practice Conference
Exploring How Practitioners Enhance Practice - A Research-informed Approach.

Course and Postgraduate study +

Teaching

Staff development workshops

Teaching Toolkit

Members +

Members

Director of the Centre: Professor Stuart Hampton-Reeves
Professor Stuart Hampton-Reeves is the first Professor of Research-informed Teaching. Stuart gained a first-class degree in English and Theatre Studies at the University of Warwick in 1992, and stayed at Warwick to take an MA (Distinction) in English Literature in 1993 and a PhD on 'Henry VI in Performance' in 1997.

Stuart became Professor of Research-informed Teaching in 2007 and established the Centre for Research-informed Teaching. Stuart's research interests include Shakespeare in Performance and Undergraduate Research. He was the Performance Editor of the journal Shakespeare and the General Editor (with Bridget Escolme) of Palgrave's Shakespeare in Practice series. He is also Chair of the British Shakespeare Association and currently chairs the steering group of the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (www.bcur.org). He is the author of several books on Shakespeare in performance and Shakespeare's History Plays.

Stuart is also a trustee and director of the British Shakespeare Association and the Blackpool Grand Theatre. He regularly gives keynotes lectures and workshops on undergraduate research, research-informed teaching and Shakespeare in performance. Stuart' full academic profile can be accessed at http://uclan.academia.edu/StuartHamptonReeves

Research Associate: Dr Mandy Dillon
Mandy Dillon completed her PhD in December 2008 at Lancaster University in the field of aquatic microbiology. She is a Research Associate in the Centre for Research-informed Teaching and has a particular focus on research in the curriculum and the students experience of research, both from exposure to cutting edge research and as researchers themselves. Dr Dillon runs a number of the Centre projects which are centred around students as researchers including the Research Internship Scheme, Research Academy, Research Conferences and the Undergraduate Research Society.

Dr Dillon regularly attends academic conferences and presents work on research-informed teaching. She actively researches in the areas of undergraduate research, research-informed teaching as well as retaining an interest in microbiology. She is currently working in collaboration with colleagues in The Oral Dental Sciences Research Group (ODSRG) in the School of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education. Dr Dillon has published in the area of aquatic microbiology but more recently in the field of undergraduate research and has co-edited several of the IMPACT guides produced by the Centre. Additionally, Dr Dillon worked in the Pharmaceutical Industry for three years, is a fully qualified teacher and has a PRINCE2 project management qualification.

Research Assistant: Helen Hewertson
Helen graduated from Liverpool Hope University in 2007 after completing an MSc in Applied Psychology specialising in Education and research methods, during which time she worked with a team on a published study concerning metalearning and students perceptions of what makes a really good learner. She has also been involved with the Ganzfeld project as an experimenter and presented findings of a study into the biological basis of learning to the Pedagogical Action Research symposium. She has a background working with learners with disabilities, is a fully qualified Post Compulsory teacher and has taught on Psychology and IT programmes at Liverpool Community College to students of varying ages and abilities. She is responsible for the Pedagogic Research Forum (PRF) organisation, mailing lists and online resources and community. She has published with other members of the PRF, The Uclan Guide to Pedagogic Research and Impact Guide to Pedagogic Research. She has published at international conferences on Education research and Anthrozoology. Her research interests are quite varied but include work within the areas of Pedagogy, Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, mental health and disability, and Anthrozoology.

Consultant Editor: Dr Carol Banks
Carol Banks is the consultant editor of UCLan's undergraduate journal Diffusion. Carol brings to the post several years of editing experience, having previously worked as Editor for the peer-reviewed literary journal Critical Survey. From an interdisciplinary background in the Humanities, her research has focused on Shakespeare’s plays with a special interest in verbal and visual imagery. She is the author and co-author of numerous articles published in international journals and literary anthologies.

Links +
Additional Information +

Additional information

For Further information about the Centre please do not hesitate to contact us:

Stuart Hampton-Reeves Shampton-reeves@uclan.ac.uk 
Mandy Dillon Adillon@uclan.ac.uk
Helen Hewertson Hhewertson@uclan.ac.uk

Centre for Research-informed Teaching
Fylde Building
FY105
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
+44 (0)1772 892370

Related Research Groups +

Related research groups

The Centre is committed to creating research experiences across all disciplines so that all students can experience research at first-hand. To achieve this, we promote teaching practices which involve students actively in the processes of research.

Related Projects +

Related projects

  • Diffusion: The UCLan Journal of Undergraduate Research
  • Impact: Linking Teaching and Research at UCLan
  • Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme
  • Undergraduate Conferences
  • Research Academy
  • The UCLan Journal of Pedagogic Research
  • Pedagogic Research Forum
  • Teaching Exchange
  • Undergraduate Research Society