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All Outputs (16)

Understanding work and study demands of degree apprentices using Conservation of Resources Theory (2025)
Journal Article
Smith, S., Taylor-Smith, E., Bratton, A., & Dutton, M. (2025). Understanding work and study demands of degree apprentices using Conservation of Resources Theory. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 17(1), Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-025-00189-1

Degree apprenticeships are a recent innovation in the UK. The overarching goal of the apprenticeship is to achieve a degree, while working and advancing careers. This involves apprentices and employing organisations investing in resources including w... Read More about Understanding work and study demands of degree apprentices using Conservation of Resources Theory.

How Edx Platform Was Used to Save Education in Gaza During the War (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Romdhani, I. (2025, July). How Edx Platform Was Used to Save Education in Gaza During the War. Presented at Open edX Conference 2025, Paris

Following the ongoing war in Gaza since last October, all universities in Gaza have been destroyed and students have been deprived of their right to continue studying like their peers around the world. An Edinburgh Napier academic is spearheading an... Read More about How Edx Platform Was Used to Save Education in Gaza During the War.

Provision of online digital courses individual licences to Palestinian students (2025)
Report
The Royal Society of Edinburgh. (2025). Provision of online digital courses individual licences to Palestinian students. Royal Society of Edinburgh

A publication of the RSE's report on Scottish higher education sector’s support for conflict settings.

This report, commissioned by the RSE in its role as a convening body, addresses the timely and pressing question: How can the Scottish higher ed... Read More about Provision of online digital courses individual licences to Palestinian students.

Waiting for a Better Time Is a Waste of Time’: Motivations of Learning Amid the Genocide in Gaza in Light of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (2025)
Book Chapter
Aldahdouh, T., Dader, K., AlDahdouh, A., Awadallah, R., & Romdhani, I. (2025). Waiting for a Better Time Is a Waste of Time’: Motivations of Learning Amid the Genocide in Gaza in Light of Sustainable Development Goal 4. In A. Hassoun (Ed.), War on Gaza: Consequences on Sustainability and Global Security (59-77). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88500-6_5

The relentless bombardment and blockade on Gaza have not only drastically restricted the inflow of essential food supplies but have also led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis with unprecedented casualties. The widespread destruction has crippled... Read More about Waiting for a Better Time Is a Waste of Time’: Motivations of Learning Amid the Genocide in Gaza in Light of Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Perceptually Adaptive Multi-Microphone Audio System for Inclusive Group Communication and Environmental Awareness (2025)
Report
McGregor, I. (2025). Perceptually Adaptive Multi-Microphone Audio System for Inclusive Group Communication and Environmental Awareness. Applied Informatics, Edinburgh Napier University

This system proposes a perceptually grounded, user-behaviour-adaptive audio enhancement architecture that supports clarity, spatial stability, and inclusive listening in complex environments. Leveraging a triangulated microphone array (left ear, righ... Read More about Perceptually Adaptive Multi-Microphone Audio System for Inclusive Group Communication and Environmental Awareness.

Library catalogue’s search interface: Making the most of subject metadata (2024)
Journal Article
Gnoli, C., Golub, K., Haynes, D., Salaba, A., Shiri, A., & Slavic, A. (2024). Library catalogue’s search interface: Making the most of subject metadata. Knowledge Organization, 51, 169-186. https://doi.org/10.5771/0943-7444-2024-3-169

This article addresses the underutilization of knowledge organization systems (KOS) elements in online library catalogues, hindering effective subject-based search and discovery. It highlights the International Society for Knowledge Organization's in... Read More about Library catalogue’s search interface: Making the most of subject metadata.

Activity theory analysis of training for workplace mentors in apprenticeship degrees (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., & Smith, S. (2024, December). Activity theory analysis of training for workplace mentors in apprenticeship degrees. Paper presented at International Conference of the Society of Research into Higher Education, Nottingham, UK

Apprenticeship degrees bring the radical possibility of higher education without debt. They also require taking learning off-campus and into the workplace, collaborating with employers on credit-bearing workplace learning, inclusion, and widening acc... Read More about Activity theory analysis of training for workplace mentors in apprenticeship degrees.

Academic Staff AI Literacy Development Through LLM Prompt Training (2024)
Book Chapter
Drumm, L., & Sami, A. (2024). Academic Staff AI Literacy Development Through LLM Prompt Training. In X. O’Dea, & D. Tsz Kit Ng (Eds.), Effective Practices in AI Literacy Education: Case Studies and Reflections (41-49). Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83608-852-320241005

A foundation in artificial intelligence (AI) literacy among all academic staff is essential for supporting students’ AI literacy effectively. As tools like ChatGPT increasingly influence academic work, educators need to understand prompt engineering... Read More about Academic Staff AI Literacy Development Through LLM Prompt Training.

Reflections of a PhD mentor: Thesis Mentor Pilot Scheme 2024 (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Cameron, J., Naik, V., & Gourlay, E. (2024, September). Reflections of a PhD mentor: Thesis Mentor Pilot Scheme 2024. Presented at Vitae International Researcher Development Conference 2024, Online

Dr Jackie Cameron shares the experience of serving as a mentor on the 12-week pilot mentorship programme that aimed to improve the student experience and outcomes of PhD students at the right-up stage. Presenting at a workshop entitled 'Honey, We Shr... Read More about Reflections of a PhD mentor: Thesis Mentor Pilot Scheme 2024.

Workplace Mentor Training for Inclusion: Training resources for work-based learning mentors (2024)
Digital Artefact
Taylor-Smith, E., Smith, S., Cecil, M., & Scott, A. (2024). Workplace Mentor Training for Inclusion: Training resources for work-based learning mentors. [Blog]

This is a resource for work-based learning mentors, with a special focus on mentoring for inclusion, featuring Key Elements of Inclusion for Mentors infographic and Intro to Inclusion animation.

It grew out of a collaborative research project betw... Read More about Workplace Mentor Training for Inclusion: Training resources for work-based learning mentors.

Participatory Design with Domain Experts: A Delphi Study for a Career Support Chatbot (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Wilson, M., Brazier, D., Gkatzia, D., & Robertson, P. (2024, July). Participatory Design with Domain Experts: A Delphi Study for a Career Support Chatbot. Presented at ACM Conversational User Interfaces 2024 (CUI ’24), Luxembourg, Luxembourg

We present a study of collaboration with expert participants for the purpose of the responsible design of a conversational agent. The Delphi study was used to identify and develop design and evaluation criteria for an automated career support interve... Read More about Participatory Design with Domain Experts: A Delphi Study for a Career Support Chatbot.

Being in Two Places at the Same Time: a Future for Hybrid Learning Based on Student Preferences (2024)
Journal Article
Fabian, K., Smith, S., & Taylor-Smith, E. (2024). Being in Two Places at the Same Time: a Future for Hybrid Learning Based on Student Preferences. TechTrends, 68(4), 693-704. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-024-00974-x

The Covid-19 pandemic moved focus from face-to-face learning to hybrid in Higher Education; many educators did not have previous experience of this mode prior to this shift in learning locations. One form of hybrid learning is “synchronous hybrid lea... Read More about Being in Two Places at the Same Time: a Future for Hybrid Learning Based on Student Preferences.

The Lions’ Gate Permaculture Garden (2024)
Newspaper / Magazine
Egan, C. (2024). The Lions’ Gate Permaculture Garden

Callum Egan explains how his academic community transformed The Lions’ Gate at Napier University, Edinburgh, into a series of permaculture gardens to create a healthier, nature-focused form of educational workplace

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.

Using Q methodology to understand the perspectives of degree apprentices (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Taylor-Smith, E., & Fabian, K. (2019, December). Using Q methodology to understand the perspectives of degree apprentices. Presented at Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Annual International Conference, Newport, Wales

In the UK, degree apprenticeships enable people to study for a degree, while in full-time employment. Apprentices study modules at university and also gain credits through work-based learning. This study uses Q methodology to explore the experiences... Read More about Using Q methodology to understand the perspectives of degree apprentices.