This case study details the experiences of two researchers at a large university in the UK, in carrying out a series of cognitive interviews with students, to examine their interpretations of and responses to items on an institution-wide questionnaire. Cognitive interviewing refers to a set of techniques used to assess the ways in which…

The higher education sector has been slow to respond to charges of institutional racism, which is reflected in what research is regarded as valid and what is funded. Further, many areas of student provision fall outside of the direct control of higher education institutions, for example, accommodation which may be operated by private landlords.…

This case study discusses how autoethnographic approaches can be used as a qualitative research tool. Based in a U.K. university Faculty of Education, it outlines a collaborative project designed to investigate barriers to engagement with academic writing development for early career researchers. After a brief overview of the project and its…

Interviews are one of the most common research methods used by students and academics. However, they can be criticized or misunderstood. In this research project, 50 online semi-structured interviews were conducted in the summer of 2020 with participants from around the UK. The project explored LGBTQ+ teachers and their experiences of being in and…

This research took place in a U.K. higher education institution. It was concerned with the professional learning of academic staff and examined what enables and encumbers work-based professional learning. A two-stage photovoice methodology was chosen because it presented two advantages. First, it was the best way of including participants in the…

This case study describes a Q methodology study which captured and analyzed the viewpoints of 45 UK teachers online. The teachers might liken their participation in the study to a "card sort" activity: their relative placement of statement cards revealed their opinions of mastery in mathematics. Factor analysis of the completed sorts…

This case study shares the lessons learned from the data collection phase of my research project, specifically the use of online interviews with stimulus material. My research explores secondary school teachers' perceptions of and experiences with moral education in the United Kingdom and uses current government policies regarding the moral…

This case study discusses how theory and deductive analysis can be used to better understand work-based learning (WBL). Based in a U.K. teacher education setting, it discusses a project which examined how novice teachers in English Further Education develop their professional knowledge and how their experiences might help understand WBL more…

This case study discusses how participatory research methods can be used to develop understanding of learning environments in higher education contexts. It focuses on how participatory methods can be enhanced by digital technology which can inform us about the relationships between learning and the higher education environment. Based on a research…

This case study reflects on the lessons learned during a 15-month "insider research" project on the management of international branch campuses. The research project was a qualitative investigation into the "lived experience" of senior managers running international branch campuses of UK universities. The UK universities…

Since 2010, I have acted as the full-time researcher on a longitudinal qualitative study which has been following the transition experiences of more than 80 young people in the United Kingdom who have a visual impairment. When I first started working with these participants, they were aged 14-16 years, and I have now been working with them for 6…

This case study describes a method of collecting data on students' experiences of developing digital literacy (information and communications technology) skills as part of their course at the United Kingdom's Open University. An online reflective quiz was integrated into three health and social care modules, offering students the opportunity both…

My PhD research asks why UK high school mathematics teachers who probably love mathematics do not always fully share this with their students. Currently, I am completing my data collection at the end of my second PhD year. I think that researching this might inform new teachers and classroom practice. There is research in mathematics education…

This case study describes how the method of thematic analysis was used in a research project examining the phenomenon of cyberbullying in the United Kingdom, from the perspectives of students between 13 and 16 years of age and their teachers. In this case study, we focus on the methodological steps underlying the data collection (sampling, ethical…

In 2007, I embarked on a PhD study to explore diverse students' experiences, representations and understandings of personal development and personal development planning at one British university. The timing of this project was critical because universities were charged with a responsibility to provide opportunities for students to engage with…