All Outputs (56)

Investing in degree apprenticeships: Analysing experiences through Conservation of Resources Theory (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Bratton, A. (2023, December). Investing in degree apprenticeships: Analysing experiences through Conservation of Resources Theory. Presented at 2023 SRHE International Research Conference, Birmingham, UK

Degree apprentices have reported finding work-life-study balance challenging. This study uses the Theory of Conservation of Resources (COR) to investigate the resources invested and gained by apprentices in the achievement of their goal of a degree w... Read More about Investing in degree apprenticeships: Analysing experiences through Conservation of Resources Theory.

Students’ gendered experiences of male-dominated Computing and Engineering courses (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Fabian, K. (2023, December). Students’ gendered experiences of male-dominated Computing and Engineering courses. Presented at 2023 SRHE International Research Conference, Birmingham, UK

How does it feel to be in a gender minority on a STEM programme? Does it have an impact on individual students? Via an online survey (n=255), undergraduate students on Computing and Engineering programmes were asked whether they felt that gender had... Read More about Students’ gendered experiences of male-dominated Computing and Engineering courses.

Women into Tech: understanding barriers, making connections (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., Shankland, C., & Kolberg, M. (2023, June). Women into Tech: understanding barriers, making connections. Paper presented at 2023 Horizons in STEM, Swansea, UK

Computing and technology need a better gender balance. BCS report that, in 2021, only 22% of all IT specialists in the UK were women and their median hourly pay was 13% less than male employees. Further, according to HESA data, only 21% of students i... Read More about Women into Tech: understanding barriers, making connections.

‘I can’t really say as my course is 90% male’: students perceptions of gender impact on computing and engineering degrees (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Fabian, K. (2023, June). ‘I can’t really say as my course is 90% male’: students perceptions of gender impact on computing and engineering degrees. Paper presented at 2023 Horizons in STEM, Swansea, UK

In UK higher education, the majority of computing and engineering students are men. HESA (2023) records the proportion of women studying ‘Computing’ and ‘Engineering and technology’ as 22.78% and 20.47% respectively. Lack of women is a problem for bo... Read More about ‘I can’t really say as my course is 90% male’: students perceptions of gender impact on computing and engineering degrees.

Mobilising more women into computing (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Shankland, C., Smith, S., & Barr, M. (2022, December). Mobilising more women into computing. Paper presented at Mobilities in Higher Education: SRHE International Conference 2022, Online

According to HESA data, UK universities' computing departments continue to suffer from a gender imbalance, where at present only 21% of students are female. This imbalance can deter women and non-binary people from applying and also be challenging fo... Read More about Mobilising more women into computing.

Apprentices' longitudinal perspectives of the tripartite collaboration at the heart of degree apprenticeships (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Fabian, K. (2022, September). Apprentices' longitudinal perspectives of the tripartite collaboration at the heart of degree apprenticeships. Paper presented at Organisational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities, OLKC 2022, Trollhättan, Sweden

Purpose: In degree apprenticeships, the tripartite collaboration between the apprentice, the employer, and the university is key to success. As the apprentices are at the centre of the degree, their lived experience and reflections are essential to... Read More about Apprentices' longitudinal perspectives of the tripartite collaboration at the heart of degree apprenticeships.

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.

Participant-centred planning framework for effective gender balance activities in tech (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Barnett, C., Smith, S., Barr, M., & Shankland, C. (2022, September). Participant-centred planning framework for effective gender balance activities in tech. Presented at The United Kingdom and Ireland Computing Education Research (UKICER) conference from the UK ACM Special Interest Group in Computing Science Education Chapter (UKICER 2022), Mountmellick, Ireland

The gender imbalance in the tech industry [21], mirrored in computing education [13], is problematic in terms of providing appropriate products and services for the whole population. This lack of diversity and inclusion is also self-perpetuating thro... Read More about Participant-centred planning framework for effective gender balance activities in tech.

How are we positioning degree apprenticeships? Analysis of adverts (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Fabian, K., Taylor-Smith, E., & Smith, S. (2021). How are we positioning degree apprenticeships? Analysis of adverts. In SRHE International Conference on Research into Higher Education

Degree apprentices are recruited by employers, rather than universities, reflecting their status as paid employees, first and foremost. This study analysed job adverts for IT degree apprenticeship roles to investigate the: skills, attributes, and qua... Read More about How are we positioning degree apprenticeships? Analysis of adverts.

Computing students' attitudes to environmental sustainability education (2021)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Smith, S., Egan, C., & Plum, K. (2021, June). Computing students' attitudes to environmental sustainability education. Paper presented at Horizons in STEM Higher Education, Online

Students have voiced concerns that their university courses do not equip them with sufficient information to understand the challenges of environmental sustainability. Although some universities (notably UWE and Keele, among others) have made signifi... Read More about Computing students' attitudes to environmental sustainability 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.

Computing degree apprenticeships: An opportunity to address gender imbalance in the IT sector? (2020)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., Fabian, K., Barr, M., Berg, T., Cutting, D., Paterson, J., Young, T., & Zarb, M. (2020, October). Computing degree apprenticeships: An opportunity to address gender imbalance in the IT sector?. Presented at Frontiers in Education, Upsala, Sweden

This paper explores the potential for new work-based apprenticeship degrees to encourage more women into computing degrees and the IT sector. In the UK, women are currently under-represented on computing courses. Meanwhile the IT industry requires mo... Read More about Computing degree apprenticeships: An opportunity to address gender imbalance in the IT sector?.

Identity and belonging for graduate apprenticeships in computing: the experience of first cohort degree apprentices in Scotland (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Smith, C. (2019, July). Identity and belonging for graduate apprenticeships in computing: the experience of first cohort degree apprentices in Scotland. Presented at Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE), Aberdeen

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.

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?.

Exploring women's motivations to study computer science (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Smith, S., Sobolewska, E., Bhardwaj, J., & Fabian, K. (2019). Exploring women's motivations to study computer science. In Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education 2018 Conference. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2018.8658768

This paper presents a study exploring women's decisions, influencers and early experiences of computing to better understand how women's motivations and prior experience affect their decision to study computer science (CS). The emergence of a gender... Read More about Exploring women's motivations to study computer science.

The Moderating Effect of Education and Experience on Students’ Use of Learning Management Systems in Saudi Higher Education (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Binyamin, S., Rutter, M. J., & Smith, S. (2019). The Moderating Effect of Education and Experience on Students’ Use of Learning Management Systems in Saudi Higher Education. . https://doi.org/10.1145/3318396.3318428

Based on the technology acceptance model, this research investigated the variables that affect students’ use of LMS in Saudi public universities. The study also examined the moderating impact of education and experience on the students’ behavior towa... Read More about The Moderating Effect of Education and Experience on Students’ Use of Learning Management Systems in Saudi Higher Education.

Graduate apprenticeships are great opportunities for individuals, but are they inclusive? (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., & Varey, A. (2018, December). Graduate apprenticeships are great opportunities for individuals, but are they inclusive?. Paper presented at Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Annual Conference, Newport, Wales

Higher education-level apprenticeships can provide routes to university degrees for people without the financial resources for traditional degrees. In Scotland, the first cohorts of graduate apprentices began their studies in 2017, including cohorts... Read More about Graduate apprenticeships are great opportunities for individuals, but are they inclusive?.

The Influence of Computer Self-efficacy and Subjective Norms on the Students’ Use of Learning Management Systems at King Abdulaziz University (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Binyamin, S. S., Rutter, M. J., & Smith, S. (2018, March). The Influence of Computer Self-efficacy and Subjective Norms on the Students’ Use of Learning Management Systems at King Abdulaziz University. Presented at 7th International Conference on Educational and Information Technology 2018, Oxford University, UK

Technology acceptance model (TAM) has been a standout amongst the most well-known models in understanding the users’ acceptance of technologies. This study develops a model to predict the factors that influence the use of learning management systems... Read More about The Influence of Computer Self-efficacy and Subjective Norms on the Students’ Use of Learning Management Systems at King Abdulaziz University.

STEM Apprenticeship Degrees: Motivations and aspirations of apprentices (2018)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
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)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, C., & Varey, A. (2018, June). From work-integrated learning to learning-integrated work: motivations and apprehensions of Graduate Apprentices. Presented at 3rd International Research Symposium on Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education (WACE), Stuttgart, Germany

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.