Overview of SoTL Projects for 25/26
SoTL projects are available to everyone interested in improving their LTA approaches and sharing those results with others. Hallam colleagues can now apply for funding to support their project work. More details can be found on the College SharePoint sites. Project proposals can be made using this online form.
There are over 50 active SoTL projects at SHU, spanning all three Colleges and including projects from professional services directorates. Many of these projects presented their outputs at the July 26 Learning and Teaching Conference, and are publishing findings through our SoTL journal, SoTL blog, SoTL case studies and SoTL podcast.
The registered SoTL projects reflect a vibrant culture of pedagogic inquiry across Sheffield Hallam University, with a strong focus on enhancing student success, inclusion, employability and learning innovation.
Key Themes
Several themes emerge strongly across the portfolio:
- Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation: exploring AI literacy, AI-supported learning, generative AI, digital assessment, online learning and immersive technologies such as virtual reality.
- Inclusion, Equity and Belonging: projects focusing on commuter students, mature learners, multilingual students, female engineers, Black and LGBTQ+ students, neurodivergent learners, and students returning from a break in study.
- Employability and Applied Learning: evaluating authentic assessments, placements, work-readiness, professional identity development, simulations and interdisciplinary projects connected to real-world challenges.
- Student Engagement, Retention and Success: investigating attendance, assessment engagement, peer support, transition into university and student wellbeing.
- Curriculum and Teaching Enhancement: examining innovative pedagogies, collaborative learning, online delivery, guided independent study and research-informed teaching.
Research Methods
The portfolio is characterised by a strong mixed-methods approach. Most projects combine qualitative and quantitative techniques to understand both outcomes and student experiences. Common methods include:
- Surveys and questionnaires
- Focus groups and interviews
- Learning analytics and institutional data
- Reflective journals and student narratives
- Co-design workshops
- Participatory approaches such as Listening Rooms, LEGO® Serious Play and storytelling methods
- Evaluation of teaching interventions and pilot projects through pre/post measures and thematic analysis.
Students as Researchers and Partners
A notable feature of this year's portfolio is the prominence of student partnership. Across many projects, students are involved as:
- Research assistants, supporting data collection, transcription and analysis.
- Co-researchers, helping to shape research questions, methods and recommendations.
- Curriculum co-creators, designing learning activities, simulations and educational resources.
- Peer mentors and facilitators, leading support schemes and student communities.
- Partners in dissemination, contributing to reports, conference presentations and publications.
This reflects a growing commitment to students as active contributors to SoTL enquiry, rather than solely participants in research.
Overall, the portfolio demonstrates strong alignment with the SHU Learning, Teaching and Assessment Framework 2030 and highlights the university’s commitment to inclusive, research-informed, digitally enabled and applied approaches to learning and teaching.
