FASSTEST

FASS Centre for Scholarship and Innovation logo

FASSTEST brings together colleagues from across the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, providing a mechanism for professional development through practice-based scholarship within a mentored community.

Much of our work is organised on a project basis with project management aimed at the delivery of new educational outcomes and scholarship outcomes. FASSTEST supports a rolling portfolio of approximately 40 active scholarship projects under a number of themes which include:

  • Online and blended tuition
  • Assessment
  • Employability/careers
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Mental health and wellbeing
  • Multisensory/multimodal learning

If you are interested in learning more about a particular project or connecting with a project team, please contact us at FASS-Scholarship@open.ac.uk. 

Projects

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20 results found

SMART Feedback: Exploring the impact of action-focused student feedback on the student experience of learning

Project leader(s):  Charlotte Lattin-Rawstrone

The proposed study intends to investigate the application of aspects of the research and framework through an intervention that builds on this framework with a specific focus on the reciprocal process and enactment of outcomes of feedback components by using SMART goals in the feedback process.

The Experience of BAME Students on DE300

Project leader(s):  Sharon Xuereb

It is well documented that Black and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E.) students are awarded lower grades at university than their White counterparts. In the UK, a first class and second upper class degree classifications are considered ‘good degrees’.

Embedding Accessibility into the Curriculum: An Accessibility Tool as a Checklist

Project leader(s):  Rhiannon Edwards Shazna Muzammil Vanessa Moore

The Accessibility Tool is currently being piloted on modules presenting in 22B and 22J with the goal of disseminating the final version across OU by 23J.

Evaluating the Impact of ‘You Can Do It!’ Catch-up Sessions

Project leader(s):  Zoe Doye Ieman Hassan Joanna Robson Judith Wilson-Hughes

We have been trialling tutor-led module-wide ‘you can do it’ catch-up sessions on three modules within SSGS (DD102 – 20J and 21B, DD206 – 20J and DD308 – 20J).  DD206 and DD308 ran these sessions initially, with DD102, co

Developing Academic Integrity in Postgraduate Students

Project leader(s):  Sue Nieland Paige Cuffe

This project will explore the development of postgraduate students’ understanding and practice of academic integrity, that is of good academic conduct, focusing particularly on the module Principles of Social and Psychological Inquiry.

‘The Project Game: Is My Topic EMA Material?’

Project leader(s):  Renate Dohmen Georgina Holden Pamela Bracewell-Homer Georgina Holden

This project aimed at first year students on the MA in Art History (A843) supporting them in their preparation for their assignment, the 3,000-word final assignment for A843, with a focus on helping them identify a suitable topic that allows for a successful discussion.

Understanding How Social Anxiety Affects Participation in Online Tutorials

Project leader(s):  Janet Hunter

Anyone who has taught via online platforms will be aware that some students find it hard to engage with this medium of learning. Many students sign up to such sessions but do not join on the day, whilst others do not sign up at all.

An Enquiry into the Impact of TMA Extensions: Stage 1

Project leader(s):  Zoe Doye Ieman Hassan

This project aims to explore whether the granting of extensions to TMA cut off dates has any impact on student retention and whether there is a relationship between TMAs and extensions in relation to different student groups at Level 1. 

Improving the Collaborative TMA on DE200 and Assessing the Impact of these Improvements on AL Satisfaction

Project leader(s):  Tracey Elder

The aim of this project was to solve the issues related to TMA15, which is a collaborative TMA in DE200. This module has around 3000 students and forms one of three core modules on the psychology degree programme.

Making the Most of Monitoring

Project leader(s):  Sue Nieland

As one of the largest universities in Europe, and the largest in the UK, the quantity of assessment that has to be carried out by tutors at the Open University is far greater than in most institutions. The Open University routinely processes over 600,000 assignments in a year.