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All Outputs (35)

Library of Inspiration: Engaging Young Minds (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Meharg, D., Cathro, S., Stewart, F., Darzentas, D., Mcgregor, I., & Donald, I. (2025, June). Library of Inspiration: Engaging Young Minds. Presented at Interaction Design and Children (IDC) Conference 2025, Reykjavík, Iceland

This demo showcases the Library of Inspiration, an initiative making STEM learning more accessible, engaging, and inclusive, particularly for underrepresented children. Freely available, take-home technology kits distributed via school libraries, ena... Read More about Library of Inspiration: Engaging Young Minds.

Bridging the Skills Gap through Postgraduate Study: Identifying the Barriers with the Admissions Process for Postgraduate TEM Applicants at a Modern University in Scotland (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Tungli, T., Meharg, D., & Sobolewska, E. (2025, September). Bridging the Skills Gap through Postgraduate Study: Identifying the Barriers with the Admissions Process for Postgraduate TEM Applicants at a Modern University in Scotland. Paper presented at BERA Conference 2025, University of Sussex, UK

This work-in-progress research paper explores barriers encountered during the admissions to studying Technology, Engineering, and Maths (TEM) in Scottish higher education and expands the limited body of knowledge regarding postgraduate admissions by... Read More about Bridging the Skills Gap through Postgraduate Study: Identifying the Barriers with the Admissions Process for Postgraduate TEM Applicants at a Modern University in Scotland.

Exploring Out-of-Classroom Activities for Students with Disabilities: Implications for Employability Skills Development (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Tungli, T., & Meharg, D. (2024, September). Exploring Out-of-Classroom Activities for Students with Disabilities: Implications for Employability Skills Development. Presented at The 4th Transdisciplinary Workplace Research (TWR) Conference, Edinburgh, UK

The inclusion of students with disabilities in tertiary education is rising globally, however research on their participation in out-of-classroom activities remains limited. This paper investigates the significance of out-of-classroom engagement for... Read More about Exploring Out-of-Classroom Activities for Students with Disabilities: Implications for Employability Skills Development.

Co-Designing Technology Kits for the Library of Inspiration (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Meharg, D., Zeller, F., McGregor, I., Donald, I., Wagner, H., & Darzentas, D. (2024, November). Co-Designing Technology Kits for the Library of Inspiration. Presented at The 5th Barcelona Conference on Education (BCE2024), Barcelona, Spain

This study employs a co-design approach with students, library staff, and teachers to create technology kits for secondary school libraries, aimed at fostering interest in STEM careers among underrepresented groups such as girls, young carers, and st... Read More about Co-Designing Technology Kits for the Library of Inspiration.

The shifting goalposts of Digital Technology Skills in Scotland (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Meharg, D., & Tungli, T. (2023, December). The shifting goalposts of Digital Technology Skills in Scotland. Presented at SRHE International Conference 2023, Birmingham, UK

Digital technologies and skills are critical to economic growth and embedded in everyday life 1. This paper presents a work-in-progress study that examines the effect of education policy on digital skills within Scotland. Through literature analysis,... Read More about The shifting goalposts of Digital Technology Skills in Scotland.

Direct entrants as route guides to the higher education landscape (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Meharg, D., & Fabian, K. (2022, December). Direct entrants as route guides to the higher education landscape. Presented at Mobilities in Higher Education: SRHE International Conference 2022, Online

Students who study for an HND at further education college and then join the university directly into the 3 rd year of their honours degree are a valuable segment of our academic community. This route provides opportunities for more people to gain HE... Read More about Direct entrants as route guides to the higher education landscape.

Transactional distance in the context of online and blended learning (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
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 between lecturers and students, and learner’s autonomy. These factors affect... Read More about Transactional distance in the context of online and blended learning.

COVID-19, Students and the New Educational Landscape (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Siegel, A. A., Zarb, M., Anderson, E., Crane, B., Gao, A., Latulipe, C., Lovellette, E., McNeill, F., & Meharg, D. (2022, July). COVID-19, Students and the New Educational Landscape. Presented at ITiCSE 2022: Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, Dublin, Ireland

Students have experienced incredible shifts in the in their learning environments, brought about by the response of universities to the ever-changing public health mandates driven by waves and stages of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Initially,... Read More about COVID-19, Students and the New Educational Landscape.

'A journey that motivates': Discovering the associate student experience (2022)
Thesis
Meharg, D. 'A journey that motivates': Discovering the associate student experience. (Thesis). Edinburgh Napier University. http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2951063

Higher education has seen huge growth in the past two decades with degree study becoming an anticipated next step after high school. But access to higher education is still riddled with inequality, and society is calling for equal access for all. The... Read More about 'A journey that motivates': Discovering the associate student experience.

Identifying factors influencing study skills engagement and participation for online learners in higher education during Covid-19 (2022)
Journal Article
Fabian, K., Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., & Meharg, D. (2022). Identifying factors influencing study skills engagement and participation for online learners in higher education during Covid-19. British Journal of Educational Technology, 53(6), 1915-1936. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13221

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted education across the world as campuses closed to restrict the spread of the virus. UK universities swiftly migrated to online delivery. The experiences of students and staff during this transition can inform our return... Read More about Identifying factors influencing study skills engagement and participation for online learners in higher education during Covid-19.

A journey that motivates: Exploring the Associate Students Transition Framework (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Meharg, D., Varey, A., & Cairncross, S. (2021, October). A journey that motivates: Exploring the Associate Students Transition Framework. Presented at 2021 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

This research to practice full paper presents empirical work exploring the transition experiences of transfer students into computing degrees in Scotland. Students on this journey face transitional barriers as they adapt to the change in culture, com... Read More about A journey that motivates: Exploring the Associate Students Transition Framework.

An Online Approach to the Associate Transition Programme – What Works? (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Meharg, D., Fabian, K., Mooney, C., Harkness, R., & Qadir, N. (2021, July). An Online Approach to the Associate Transition Programme – What Works?. Presented at The 9th European Conference on Education, Online

As education continues to be interrupted, we must now consider how we support our wider student body, our associate and direct-entry students. This paper presents empirical work exploring the impact of moving interventions to support the transition... Read More about An Online Approach to the Associate Transition Programme – What Works?.

Associate Student Project: Facilitating computing students’ transition to higher education (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
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, studying for two more years to complete an honours degree (BSc or BEng). Stu... Read More about Associate Student Project: Facilitating computing students’ transition to higher education.

Earn as you learn: Widening participation through apprenticeships as debt-free degrees (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
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 earn while they learn, with their fees paid. This facilitates people to study... Read More about Earn as you learn: Widening participation through apprenticeships as debt-free degrees.

An exploration of degree apprentice perspectives: A Q methodology study (2021)
Journal Article
Fabian, K., Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., Meharg, D., & Varey, A. (2022). An exploration of degree apprentice perspectives: A Q methodology study. Studies in Higher Education, 47(7), 1397-1409. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2021.1897094

Degree apprenticeships have recently been introduced in the UK, representing a significant shift in approaches to degree-level study: from traditional models of higher education to workplaces as locations for learning. As the model matures it is impo... Read More about An exploration of degree apprentice perspectives: A Q methodology study.

Using Rich Pictures to understand students’ transitions on new degree pathways (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., & Meharg, D. (2019, December). Using Rich Pictures to understand students’ transitions on new degree pathways. Presented at Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Annual International Conference, Newport, Wales

New pathways to university degrees, such as degree apprenticeships and direct entry from further education, challenge universities to support students to make the most of their higher education opportunities and achieve good degrees. Researching stud... Read More about Using Rich Pictures to understand students’ transitions on new degree pathways.

Facilitating computing students' transition to higher education (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Fabian, K., Taylor-Smith, E., Meharg, D., & Varey, A. (2019, September). Facilitating computing students' transition to higher education. Presented at 1st UK & Ireland Computing Education Research Conference (UKICER), Canterbury, United Kingdom

Students who progress to higher education from further education colleges are faced with academic, social, and logistical challenges during their transition. In general, they find university life more challenging compared to students who have been at... Read More about Facilitating computing students' transition to higher education.

Bridging the Digital Skills Gap: Are computing degree apprenticeships the answer? (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., Fabian, K., Berg, T., Meharg, D., & Varey, A. (2019, July). Bridging the Digital Skills Gap: Are computing degree apprenticeships the answer?. Presented at Innovation & Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE’19), Aberdeen, Scotland

This paper describes a study investigating whether apprenticeship computing degrees in Scotland are attracting additional entrants who will become IT professionals and fill a skills need. Government policy reports, from around the world, set out plan... Read More about Bridging the Digital Skills Gap: Are computing degree apprenticeships the answer?.