Dear colleagues,
We’re seeking offers to undertake blind peer-review of the following submissions to the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education (JLDHE).
If you would like to complete a review of one of the submissions, please email the designated editorial contact below .
If you haven’t reviewed for us before, please include a brief description of your interest in the topic, your relevant qualifications, expertise and/or experience in relation to the submission (up to 200 words). This might include your knowledge of the subject and/or your experience acting as a peer reviewer for academic papers or as an author or researcher in the field.
Please also join our register of reviewers and list your interests via http://journal.aldinhe.ac.uk/index.php/jldhe/user/register.
New reviewers are very welcome! We provide a developmental environment for those interested in this important community service—so why not try something new today!
| No. | Type | Title and abstract | Editorial contact |
| 1602 | Opinion piece | Collaborating with AI in the classroom: reflections from a graduate course in educational technology This paper offers a reflection on my experience as a student in a graduate-level course that explored the intellectual history of educational technology. The course intentionally integrated generative AI into both its curriculum and pedagogy. Rather than treating AI as a shortcut for academic tasks, the course positioned ChatGPT as a thinking partner—one that could be questioned, refined, and used to deepen understanding. Throughout the semester, we engaged with AI not simply to receive answers, but to co-construct meaning, surface tensions, and explore new perspectives. | Amy Sampson A.sampson@greenwich.ac.uk |
| 1626 | Opinion piece | From classroom to global consensus: SimONU as a catalyst for experiential learning in higher education This opinion piece argues for the transformative value of Model United Nations (MUN) simulations, particularly SimONU, in higher education as powerful means for experiential learning, global citizenship education, and Learning Development. Drawing on observations from the SimONU event hosted by a European higher education institution in partnership with the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC), the article highlights the pedagogical, social, and developmental benefits of engaging students in structured, role-based international diplomacy. This piece is grounded in educational theory and explores how such simulations foster essential skills including research, negotiation, collaboration, and critical thinking in Higher Education contexts, while simultaneously offering inclusive, context-rich learning environments. The piece concludes with a call for broader integration of experiential, globally oriented pedagogies within higher education to better prepare students for the complexities of a multipolar, interdependent world. | Steven Briggs: steve.briggs@beds.ac.uk |
| 1648 | Paper | Does Everyone get an A? Comparing Scores from Online Open-Book and Online Proctored Closed-Book Exams in a College-Level Nutrition Course Closed-book exams (CBEs) have traditionally been used to measure learning in higher education. An alternative to CBEs has been open-book exams (OBEs), which mimic the format, but students are allowed to use resources and answer questions that focus on reasoning and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate how exam format affects performance in an online introductory nutrition course using data from fall 2019 to spring 2021. Students who completed the OBE Midterm #1 performed slightly worse, but 6% better for Midterm #2 than students who completed the CBE version. Students who took the course with OBEs received an overall grade that was 3.5% higher. The format of an OBE often requires an adjustment of expectations and alternative study techniques to address higher order thinking questions. Shifting towards OBEs should be approached thoughtfully, with consideration for resources available and potential impacts on learning and academic integrity. | Lee Fallin: Lee.Fallin@hull.ac.uk |
| 1651 | Diaz | An Unfolding Blueprint of Learning Development for Sustainability in Higher Education As Learning Development (LD) professionals, our mission extends beyond supporting individual academic success; it encompasses shaping a responsive, holistic higher education ecosystem capable of advancing global sustainability. This communication, drawing from a recent thematic synthesis of open access scholarship on sustainability in higher education institutions (HEIs), argues for the pivotal role of Learning Development in driving sustainable futures. The synthesis reveals key pedagogical shifts, the necessity of whole-institution approaches, and the ongoing tension between global frameworks and local contexts. I contend that LD is uniquely positioned to influence these transformations by advocating for pedagogical innovation, equitable institutional strategies, and culturally responsive learning environments. This commentary seeks to ignite reflection and inspire action within the LD community, illustrating how our work can transcend supporting green initiatives to cultivating green mindsets capable of championing systemic, enduring change. | Laura Barnett L.barnett@surrey.ac.uk |
N.B. it is essential to be respectful of the writers of submissions to our journal, especially when they are at the draft stages. Please do not comment publicly on the list or elsewhere on any aspect of the paper title or abstract above.
Thank you, and we look forward to hearing from you!