CIT Teaching & Learning Unit

Project TITLE

Space + [time x practices] = engagement?

Project Lead

Deirdre Casey (MarieD.Casey@mtu.ie)

Project Status

• In Progress

Project Lead Home Department

• AnSEO (The Student Engagement Office)

Alignment to HEA and NFETLHE SATLE 2023-24 Themes

• Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) 

Alignment to MTU Strategy Themes

• Learner Education & Experience
• Research, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Project Description

An ostensible crisis in engagement among Higher Education students in Ireland and beyond has attracted significant media comment over the 2023-24 academic year. As students’ circumstances and challenges evolve at a rapid pace, and as the concept of full-time study undergoes transition, this project aims to investigate current undergraduate students’ concepts of, responses to and utilisation of in-lecture, autonomous and interstitial study time (that is, that time that occurs during the learning day, but falls between scheduled learning commitments such as lectures).  

This investigation will explore important factors influencing students' study practices, such as the impact of paid employment, commuting time, and students' awareness and interpretations of defined but unscheduled study time (e.g., self-directed learning time as outlined in module descriptors). Importantly, the project will also seek to understand how students perceive their role in shaping the learning dynamics within the classroom setting.

The primary aim of this project is to facilitate learners to reconceptualise and optimise learning opportunities both timetabled and non-timetabled, complementing an already extensive body of research on optimising physical learning spaces. Drawing upon existing evidence on student executive functioning and the discrepancies between students' priorities and actions during study windows, the project intends to uncover potentially untapped avenues for re-engaging learners. 

The key objectives of this project are to: 

• conduct an all-student survey to determine current student study practices, covering in-lecture time, self-directed learning time, non-timetabled time between lectures or classes, time committed to non-study priorities, and the nature of the study practices undertaken during each of these opportunities.
• recruit a representative sample of students across disciplines to participate in in-depth, 30-minute semi-structured interviews to gain nuanced, comparative insights into study practices across academic areas and demographic categories.
• undertake an extensive literature review on the relationship between the development of executive function and the utilisation of study opportunities.
• facilitate a national dialogue on the role of study time optimisation by hosting a national symposium in early summer, 2025. 
• disseminate the project's findings through a combination of publications and conference presentations. 

This project proposes a one-year scoping exercise to establish a reliable, valid, and generalisable evidence base for the construction of impactful interventions, resources, and policies aimed at addressing changing student engagement patterns. 

What is the anticipated impact of this project?

The proposed project addresses a critical priority in student engagement within higher education, with the potential to produce impactful resources and initiate transformative actions that support increased learner self-efficacy. While the immediate impact will be institutional, the project also has the scope to influence practice and policy across the wider higher education sector.

The key impacts are as follows:

Detailed Scoping of Student Beliefs and Practices

• The comprehensive investigation into students' beliefs, perceptions, and utilisation of in-lecture, autonomous, and liminal study time will yield a detailed, evidence-based understanding of the factors influencing contemporary student engagement.
• This in-depth scoping exercise will provide invaluable insights into the evolving realities and challenges faced by undergraduate learners, informing the development of targeted interventions and resources.

Student-Facing Resources for Self-Efficacious Learning

• Drawing on the project's findings, the team will develop and disseminate tailored, student-facing resources aimed at empowering learners to adopt more self-directed and effective approaches to utilising their learning opportunities, both within and beyond scheduled classes.
• These resources will equip students with strategies and tools to optimise their study time, fostering greater self-efficacy and engagement.

Addressing the Literature Gap on Student Engagement

• By conducting an extensive literature review on the relationship between the development of executive function and the utilisation of study opportunities, the project will make a significant contribution to addressing the current gap in the academic understanding of this critical aspect of student engagement in the contemporary higher education environment.
• The project's findings will inform the national discourse and shape future research, policy, and practice in this area.

Project outcomes will provide an evidence-based foundation for institutional and sectoral initiatives aimed at supporting students in navigating the evolving landscape of higher education. The insights gained and resources developed will empower learners to take a more active and self-directed approach to their studies, ultimately enhancing their overall academic experience and success. 

HOW Will the outputs of this project be DISSEMINATED?

The dissemination strategy for this project will be structured around three key pillars, ensuring the project's findings and outputs reach and engage both the student and the broader academic community.

Pillar 1: Student-Facing Resources

• At the heart of the dissemination plan are the student-facing resources that will be developed and implemented.
• These will comprise a range of published materials addressing topics like time management, study strategies, and activity planning for optimal learning outcomes. These resources will be piloted and refined during the 2025-26 academic year, ensuring they are tailored to the needs and preferences of the target student population.

Pillar 2: Colleague-Facing Resources and Discussion

• Recognising the crucial role that faculty and staff play in supporting student engagement, the project team will also develop and disseminate a suite of colleague-facing resources.
• These outputs will aim to share the project's findings, interpretations, and insights, empowering colleagues to integrate and scaffold the learnings within their own teaching and learning environments.

Pillar 3: Research Outputs

• To contribute to the broader academic discourse on student engagement and self-efficacy, the project team will produce a comprehensive literature review article, synthesising the current state of knowledge in this domain, as well as an article outlining the project's key findings and their implications for theory and practice.
• The team's preference is to publish these articles via the gold open access model, ensuring wide accessibility and visibility within the scholarly community.

By adopting this multifaceted dissemination strategy, the project team will ensure that the outputs and insights generated through this work have a meaningful and lasting impact. The student-facing resources will directly empower learners, the colleague-facing materials will enhance institutional capacity, and the research outputs will advance the academic understanding of this critical area of higher education.

Team Members