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

Search results

98 results found

Strengthening the PhD Culture in the School of Psychology & Counselling

Project leader(s):  Eleni Andreouli Simon Clarke Julian Bond

A longstanding challenge faced by students and educators alike is the difficulty in maintaining an active PhD research culture, which, in turn, can have a negative impact on doctoral students’ progression and in the quality of their studies. The reasons of this are multiple.

Next Generation Paper for Geography Education

Project leader(s):  George Revill Benjamin Newman Sonja Rewhorn

Next Generation Paper (NGP) is a technology that blends paper-based and web-based materials using a freely downloadable phone app with page recognition that was developed as part of a 36-month ESRPC-funded project between the University of Surrey and OU.

Exploring the Role of Video Pod Usage in Online Sessions

Project leader(s):  Sinead Eccles Karen Twiselton

This two-stage project is aimed at mapping a period of change within the Open University (OU) where Associate Lecturers (ALs) are encouraged to activate their camera (or video-pod) whilst delivering online tutorials.

Evaluating the Impact of ‘Write Now’ Sessions: Adapting Approaches from Academic Writing Retreats to Create a Learning Community of Student Writers on A233

Project leader(s):  Debbie Parker Kinch Anactoria Clarke Jasmine Hunter Evans

The scholarship project will pilot and evaluate ‘write now’ sessions on the Open University English Literature module A233 ‘Telling Stories: the novel and beyond’.  These will be live online sessions aimed at helping students get writing, alongside other students who form a writing community

Diversifying End of Module Assessment project options on a Level 3 Classical Studies module - Benefits and Challenges for students and lecturers

Project leader(s):  Astrid Voigt Emma Bridges

This project investigates the benefits and challenges – for both students and educators – of an innovative assessment format which aims to make assessment more inclusive and authentic for Classical Studies students.

How does recording affect Creative Writing tutorials:-a first-year review

Project leader(s):  Natalie Lewis Donall MacCathmhaoill Emma Claire Sweeney Lania Knight

In the first year of presentation (October 2022), the OU Level 2 module Creative Writing will record designated online tutorials.

Assessing the effectiveness of targeted forum activities in relation to student retention

Project leader(s):  Emilie Rutledge Roberto Simonetti Julia Chukwuma

This project considers student retention rates in relation to forum activity participation. While an array of factors—individual and institutional—impact these rates in Higher Education, creating a strong sense of student community is one organisational level measure that can addressed.

Does peer interaction in online tutorials impact the student experience?

Project leader(s):  Eimear O'Connor Katie Rix

When studying distance learning, researchers often focus on improving the interaction between attendees (e.g. Bernard et al., 2009). However, this type of research is often based on the assumption that interaction is beneficial for all students.

Enhancing SiSE Student Experience

Project leader(s):  Jaime Waters

This project arises from tutor experiences in teaching SISE (Students in Secure Environments) and derives from reflections on the difficulties that SiSE students face beyond access to printed materials, and how we can provide the best possible materials and support for SISE students.

Who Watches the Watchers? Improving Teaching in FASS through the Monitoring Sign-Off Process

Project leader(s):  Kerry Somerset Emma Clarence

Much of the quality assurance of teaching and learning at the Open University is undertaken through the monitoring of marked student assignments.