Addressing gender imbalance in STEM graduate apprenticeships
Presentation / Conference
Cecil, M., & Taylor Smith, E. (2023, December)
Addressing gender imbalance in STEM graduate apprenticeships. Paper presented at Society for Research in Higher Education Conference 2023, Birmingham
There is currently significant gender imbalance within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduate apprenticeship (GA) programmes in Scotland. This is a c...
Mobilising more women into computing
Presentation / Conference
Taylor-Smith, E., Shankland, C., Smith, S., & Barr, M. (2022, December)
Mobilising more women into computing. Paper presented at Mobilities in Higher Education: SRHE International Conference 2022, Online
According to HESA data, UK universities' computing departments continue to suffer from a gender imbalance, where at present only 21% of students are female. This imbalance can...
Apprentices' longitudinal perspectives of the tripartite collaboration at the heart of degree apprenticeships
Presentation / Conference
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Fabian, K. (2022, September)
Apprentices' longitudinal perspectives of the tripartite collaboration at the heart of degree apprenticeships. Paper presented at Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities, OLKC 2022, Trollhättan, Sweden
Purpose: In degree apprenticeships, the tripartite collaboration between the apprentice, the employer, and the university is key to success. As the apprentices are at the cent...
Transactional distance in the context of online and blended learning
Presentation / Conference
Fabian, K., Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., & Meharg, D. (2022, September)
Transactional distance in the context of online and blended learning. Paper presented at Association for Learning Technology Annual Conference, Manchester
Moore’s (1993) transactional distance theory recognises that communications and psychological distance between learner and teacher are affected by course structure, dialogue b...
Earn as you learn: Widening participation through apprenticeships as debt-free degrees
Presentation / Conference
Meharg, D., Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., & Khristin, F. (2021, March)
Earn as you learn: Widening participation through apprenticeships as debt-free degrees. Presented at Advance HE Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Conference 2021, Online
Apprenticeship Degrees provide opportunities to study for a degree without incurring debt. Collaborations between employers and HEIs enable new or established employees to ear...
Associate Student Project: Facilitating computing students’ transition to higher education
Presentation / Conference
Taylor-Smith, E., Meharg, D., Fabian, K., & Varey, A. (2021, March)
Associate Student Project: Facilitating computing students’ transition to higher education. Presented at Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Conference 2021, Online
The Associate Student (ASP) project supports Computing students who study two years at a Further Education college (achieving an HND) then transfer directly into third year, s...
Graduate apprenticeships are great opportunities for individuals, but are they inclusive?
Presentation / Conference
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Varey, A. (2018, December)
Graduate apprenticeships are great opportunities for individuals, but are they inclusive?. Paper presented at Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Annual Conference
Higher education-level apprenticeships can provide routes to university degrees for people without the financial resources for traditional degrees. In Scotland, the first coho...
Enhancing learning confidence for direct entry computing students
Presentation / Conference
Fabian, K., Taylor-Smith, E., Meharg, D., & Varey, A. (2018, December)
Enhancing learning confidence for direct entry computing students. Paper presented at The Changing Shape of Higher Education: Can excellence and inclusion cohabit?, Newport, UK
Previous studies have shown that students who transfer into university from college (direct entrants) face several challenges when they enter university. In response, the Asso...
STEM Apprenticeship Degrees: Motivations and aspirations of apprentices
Presentation / Conference
Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., Meharg, D., Smith, C., & Varey, A. (2018, June)
STEM Apprenticeship Degrees: Motivations and aspirations of apprentices. Paper presented at Horizons in STEM Higher Education, Hull
Using the Apprenticeship Levy, England piloted Degree Apprenticeships in 2014 and Scotland followed with Graduate Apprenticeships in 2017. In Scotland, the apprenticeships are...
Placement or practicalities? Barriers and disincentives to work experience, as reported by computing students
Presentation / Conference
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Smith, C. (2017, December)
Placement or practicalities? Barriers and disincentives to work experience, as reported by computing students. Paper presented at Society for Research Into Higher Education (SRHE) Annual Conference, Newport, Wales
Having relevant work experience, such as a placement or internship, is valued by employers in the technology sector and can improve employment outcomes for computing graduates...