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All Outputs (81)

Job-seeking narratives: in search of graduate capitals acquired during student placements (2024)
Journal Article
Smith, S., & Smith, C. (in press). Job-seeking narratives: in search of graduate capitals acquired during student placements. British Journal of Sociology of Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2024.2328125

Being a graduate is no longer sufficient to secure a fulfilling and rewarding graduate role. This paper drew on Tomlinson’s Graduate Capital Model to analyse the job-seeking narratives of recent computing graduates searching for a graduate job. Parti... Read More about Job-seeking narratives: in search of graduate capitals acquired during student placements.

Disparities in work-integrated learning experiences for students who present as women: an international study of biases, barriers, and challenges (2023)
Journal Article
Bowen, T., Drysdale, M. T., Callaghan, S., Smith, S., Johansson, K., Smith, C., …Berg, T. (2024). Disparities in work-integrated learning experiences for students who present as women: an international study of biases, barriers, and challenges. Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning, 14(2), 313-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-05-2023-0115

Purpose This study identifies gendered disparities among women students participating in work-integrated learning and explores the effects of the disparities on their perceptions on perceived opportunities, competencies, sense of belonging, and prof... Read More about Disparities in work-integrated learning experiences for students who present as women: an international study of biases, barriers, and challenges.

Investigating cognitive adaptability in new workplace cultures with the Imitation Game (2021)
Presentation / Conference
Stephen, K., Hall, H., Brazier, D., & Smith, C. (2021, August). Investigating cognitive adaptability in new workplace cultures with the Imitation Game. Paper presented at BSA Work, Employment and Society Conference 2021, Online

This paper discusses a new methodology in investigating cognitive adaptability, defined as “the ability to effectively and appropriately evolve or adapt decision policies given feedback from the environmental context in which cognitive processing is... Read More about Investigating cognitive adaptability in new workplace cultures with the Imitation Game.

Agile Implementation and Expansive Learning: Identifying Contradictions and Their Resolution Using an Activity Theory Perspective (2020)
Conference Proceeding
Chita, P., Cruickshank, P., Smith, C., & Richards, K. (2020). Agile Implementation and Expansive Learning: Identifying Contradictions and Their Resolution Using an Activity Theory Perspective. In Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming (3-19). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49392-9_1

A key challenge organisations face when transitioning to agile delivery methods is that of quickly and effectively learning new ways of working. This study posits that fundamental historical, cultural and behavioural aspects affect the transition and... Read More about Agile Implementation and Expansive Learning: Identifying Contradictions and Their Resolution Using an Activity Theory Perspective.

An Exploration of the Professional and Leader Identity of IT Professionals Transitioning to a Permanent Hybrid Role: A Longitudinal Investigation (2020)
Journal Article
Smith, S., Garavan, T., Munro, A., Ramsay, E., Smith, C., & Varey, A. (2021). An Exploration of the Professional and Leader Identity of IT Professionals Transitioning to a Permanent Hybrid Role: A Longitudinal Investigation. Information Technology and People, 34(2), 789-811. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-02-2019-0084

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the role of professional and leader identity and the maintenance of identity, through identity work as IT professionals transitioned to a permanent hybrid role. This study therefore contributes to the... Read More about An Exploration of the Professional and Leader Identity of IT Professionals Transitioning to a Permanent Hybrid Role: A Longitudinal Investigation.

Degree apprenticeships - a win-win model? A comparison of policy aims with the expectations and experiences of apprentices (2020)
Journal Article
Smith, S., Caddell, M., Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, C., & Varey, A. (2022). Degree apprenticeships - a win-win model? A comparison of policy aims with the expectations and experiences of apprentices. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 73(4), 505-525. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2020.1744690

This article compares policy aims with experiences following the introduction of a new model for STEM apprenticeships in the UK. Degree apprentices work while studying for a degree, undertaking work-based learning and attending on-campus classes. Spe... Read More about Degree apprenticeships - a win-win model? A comparison of policy aims with the expectations and experiences of apprentices.

Identity and belonging for graduate apprenticeships in computing: the experience of first cohort degree apprentices in Scotland (2019)
Conference Proceeding
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Smith, C. (2019). Identity and belonging for graduate apprenticeships in computing: the experience of first cohort degree apprentices in Scotland. In Proceedings of the 24th Annual Conference on Innovation & Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE’19) (2-8). https://doi.org/10.1145/3304221.3319753

In September 2017, our university’s first graduate apprentices began degrees in Software Development, Cybersecurity, and Information Technology Management for Business. This study explores how apprentices experience their association with the univers... Read More about Identity and belonging for graduate apprenticeships in computing: the experience of first cohort degree apprentices in Scotland.

The Social Impact of Digital Youth Work: What Are We Looking For? (2019)
Journal Article
Pawluczuk, A., Webster, G., Smith, C., & Hall, H. (2019). The Social Impact of Digital Youth Work: What Are We Looking For?. Media and Communication, 7(2), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v7i2.1907

Digital youth work is an emerging field of research and practice which seeks to investigate and support youth-centred digital literacy initiatives. Whilst digital youth work projects have become prominent in Europe in recent years, it has also become... Read More about The Social Impact of Digital Youth Work: What Are We Looking For?.

'Digital youth work: youth workers' balancing act between digital innovation and digital literacy insecurity. (2019)
Journal Article
Pawluczuk, A., Hall, H., Webster, G., & Smith, C. (2019). 'Digital youth work: youth workers' balancing act between digital innovation and digital literacy insecurity. Information Research, 24(1),

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to present empirical research which examines the ways youth workers in the United Kingdom perceive their work in the context of digital literacy project facilitation. There is currently limited research focusing on d... Read More about 'Digital youth work: youth workers' balancing act between digital innovation and digital literacy insecurity..

The impact of work placement on graduate employment in computing: outcomes from a UK-based study (2018)
Journal Article
Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, C., & Webster, G. (2018). The impact of work placement on graduate employment in computing: outcomes from a UK-based study. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 19(4), 359-369

This study followed recent computing graduates into the workplace and explored their undergraduate experiences of work placements and subsequent impact on graduate employment. Whilst studying at one of 14 Scottish universities, participants (n=99) ha... Read More about The impact of work placement on graduate employment in computing: outcomes from a UK-based study.

Democratic Participation through Crocheted Memes. (2018)
Conference Proceeding
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, C. F., & Smyth, M. (2018). Democratic Participation through Crocheted Memes. In SMSociety '18 Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Social Media and Society (178-186). https://doi.org/10.1145/3217804.3217910

In a UK city, various crocheted protest banners have appeared, containing political statements concerning planned developments in their locations. Photos of these banners are shared across social media, raising awareness and potentially playing a rol... Read More about Democratic Participation through Crocheted Memes..

STEM Apprenticeship Degrees: Motivations and aspirations of apprentices (2018)
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 determined by employer demand for skills and delivered by universities. Gr... Read More about STEM Apprenticeship Degrees: Motivations and aspirations of apprentices.

From work-integrated learning to learning-integrated work: motivations and apprehensions of Graduate Apprentices (2018)
Conference Proceeding
Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, C., & Varey, A. (2018). From work-integrated learning to learning-integrated work: motivations and apprehensions of Graduate Apprentices. In Proceedings of the 3rdInternational Research Symposium on Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education, Stuttgart, Germany (199-207)

Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) degrees bring new collaborations between universities and employers and new opportunities for apprentices—to gain a university degree, while also being in formal employment. In 2017, Scotland introduced funding for GAs: s... Read More about From work-integrated learning to learning-integrated work: motivations and apprehensions of Graduate Apprentices.

Tacit knowledge sharing in online environments: locating ‘Ba’ within a platform for public sector professionals (2018)
Journal Article
Buunk, I., Smith, C. F., & Hall, H. (2019). Tacit knowledge sharing in online environments: locating ‘Ba’ within a platform for public sector professionals. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 51(4), 1134-1145. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000618769982

Presented in this article are some findings from a study which investigates tacit knowledge sharing and social media use. The results reported here derive from a survey completed by members of an online platform that incorporates social media feature... Read More about Tacit knowledge sharing in online environments: locating ‘Ba’ within a platform for public sector professionals.

Youth digital participation: Measuring social impact (2018)
Journal Article
Pawluczuk, A., Webster, G., Hall, H., & Smith, C. (2020). Youth digital participation: Measuring social impact. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 52(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000618769975

Current scholarly debate around digital participatory youth projects and approaches to their evaluation are examined in this article. The analysis of the literature presented here reveals (1) an over-reliance on traditional evaluation techniques for... Read More about Youth digital participation: Measuring social impact.

Investigating the online and offline contexts of day-to-day democracy as participation spaces. (2018)
Journal Article
Taylor-Smith, E., & Smith, C. F. (2019). Investigating the online and offline contexts of day-to-day democracy as participation spaces. Information, Communication and Society, 22(13), 1853-1870. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118x.2018.1469656

Citizen-led participation in democracy is explored through studying the online and offline spaces where people work together to influence those in power and improve their communities. The concept of a participation space is introduced to describe the... Read More about Investigating the online and offline contexts of day-to-day democracy as participation spaces..

Social impact evaluations of digital youth work: tensions between vision and reality (2018)
Presentation / Conference
Pawluczuk, A., Smith, C., Webster, G., & Hall, H. (2018, March). Social impact evaluations of digital youth work: tensions between vision and reality. Paper presented at Transmedia Literacy International Conference

Purpose: This paper presents empirical research, which explores the ways digital youth workers perceive, and evaluate, the social impact of their work. There is currently a research gap with regard to the measurement of the social impact of digital y... Read More about Social impact evaluations of digital youth work: tensions between vision and reality.

Placement or practicalities? Barriers and disincentives to work experience, as reported by computing students (2017)
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

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 (Shadbolt 2016). However, gaining good work experience positions is compet... Read More about Placement or practicalities? Barriers and disincentives to work experience, as reported by computing students.

Towards graduate employment: exploring student identity through a university-wide employability project (2017)
Journal Article
Smith, S., Smith, C., Taylor-Smith, E., & Fotheringham, J. (2019). Towards graduate employment: exploring student identity through a university-wide employability project. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 43(5), 628-640. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877x.2017.1390077

Students have expectations of their university education leading to graduate careers, with universities investing considerable resources in institution-wide initiatives designed to enhance opportunities for student work placements and work-related le... Read More about Towards graduate employment: exploring student identity through a university-wide employability project.