Dear Colleagues,
We are seeking offers to undertake a blind peer-review of the following submissions to the JLDHE (Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education).
If you would like to complete a review of any of these articles, please email the designated contact editor 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 welcome and we provide a very developmental environment for those interested in this important community service – why not try something new today!
| Submission | Title and abstract | Editor to contact |
| #1375 | An Evaluation of the Graduate Writing Development Programme with the University of ‘REDACTED’ Certificate in ‘REDACTED’Long form writing can be challenging for students especially when they enter from a healthcare background into a rigorous social science course. Previous experience demonstrates that some students struggle with long-form academic writing which then precludes them from demonstrating their understanding of key concepts in their examinations and assessments. A Graduate Writing Development Programme (GWD) was therefore created jointly by two teams, the University of ‘REDACTED’ Postgraduate Certificate in ‘REDACTED’ (PGCert) and the ‘REDACTED’ Centre to help students overcome this barrier. It consisted of interactive virtual weekly taught sessions which aligned with the students’ PGCert assignment task so that they could improve their writing skills without an excessive increase in workload.In this paper, we discuss the process of collaboratively creating a tailored series of online sessions aimed to improve long-form writing skills. Our analysis explores the impact these sessions had on students’ writing quality for their first assignment, which areas of the GWD were most beneficial, and which parts could be developed further. By analysing the strengths and weaknesses associated with this method of content creation and delivery, it is hoped other departments who face similar challenges can learn from the approach outlined. | Dr Chad McDonald C.McDonald@mmu.ac.uk |
| #1466 | Applied Feminist Systems Thinking in decolonising the universityThis paper examines the application of feminist systems thinking as a strategy to decolonise the university, drawing on postcolonial and decolonial frameworks. Recognising the complex interconnections between power, knowledge, coloniality, and institutional practices, the research illustrates an embedded approach to decolonise the curriculum, research, and practice. As ongoing action research, this paper emerged from two years and six months of work as a research fellow leading institutional commitment to decolonise. Key interventions include collaborative curriculum redesign, sessions on whiteness in the academy and critical pedagogy, incorporation of alternative epistemologies that reflect the lived experiences of marginalised groups in universities, and a sustainable approach within existing processes and regulatory frameworks of the university. The findings underscore the crucial importance of reflexivity, necessitating a context-specific strategy that enhances student experiences of the university and eventually improves student outcomes. This research positions feminist systems thinking as a praxis, illustrating its capacity to interrogate power dynamics. The work ultimately advocates for an ongoing institutional commitment to decolonise, create sustainability and accountability, and implement intersectional methodologies in higher education for social justice. Through this research, the paper contributes to broader discussions on the role of universities in addressing historical colonial imperial injustices and ways to promote social equity. | Dr Maggie Scott M.R.Scott@salford.ac.uk |
NB: 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!
With warm wishes on behalf of the Editorial Board,
Alicja
Dr Alicja Syska
Editor-in-Chief
JLDHE
Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education