Presentation Schedule
Student Learning and Engagement: Downstream Effects of Academic Development (107842)
Session Chair: Salman Ali
Saturday, 11 July 2026 14:35
Session: Session 4
Room: UCL Torrington, B07 (Basement Floor)
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation
Within the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), there is a growing call for evidence that links academic development initiatives to student learning experiences. While postgraduate qualifications in higher education teaching are increasingly common, their impact is often examined through academic self-reflection rather than student-focused data. This study adopts a SoTL lens to investigate how academic participation in a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education and Training (PGDHET) is experienced by students in the learning environment A quantitative research design was used to analyse survey data from 150 undergraduate students across four faculties at a comprehensive university. The students were enrolled in modules taught by academics who had completed the PGDHET. The survey captured students’ perceptions of learning-oriented teaching practices, alignment between learning outcomes, teaching activities and assessment, quality of feedback, and levels of cognitive and behavioural engagement. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted to examine trends and differences across faculties. The findings suggest that students reported higher levels of engagement and clearer pedagogical alignment in modules taught by PGDHET-qualified academics. Students also indicated more positive experiences of assessment clarity and feedback practices that supported learning. Variations across faculties highlight the influence of disciplinary contexts on how pedagogical development is enacted and perceived by students. Although the sample size limits generalisability, the results provide evidence of meaningful patterns in student learning experiences associated with structured academic development. This study contributes to SoTL by centring student perceptions as legitimate evidence of teaching and learning enhancement.
Authors:
Newman Wadesango, University of Limpopo, South Africa
About the Presenter(s)
Professor Newman Wadesango is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at University of Limpopo in South Africa
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