LTA Connect - Exploring and celebrating the SLE: Student-staff partnership in shaping resources, environment and technologies

Session Outline

This session will explore students’ perceptions of Resources, Environment and Technology, through HISA’s insight into the learning experience and through winning case studies from HISA’s Student Voice Rep impact competition last in spring 2025.

Perspectives will be set out about the importance of this building block for online learning (for instance through VLE and online library provision), and discussion will be prompted on how UHI can draw on students’ views on a balance between flexible remote study and useful on-campus resources and spaces for learning. We will also share case studies from our SVRs, and explore what this means for the wider student experience at a time of Transformation and the building of meaningful student communities.

Presenters

Simon Varwell has worked at HISA since November 2023, where he directs HISA’s work on student voice, democracy and advocacy. Prior to HISA he spent 16 years at sparqs, leading institutional support and staff development activities and contributing to a number of national and international projects such as the redevelopment of the Student Learning Experience model embedded within Scotland’s new Tertiary Quality Framework. He has widely presented and published on student engagement and partnership. He has a Masters in Student Engagement in Higher Education and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Holly Pearce is HISA’s Vice-President (Education) for 2025-26, and has graduated from UHI with a BA in Criminology. She served two years as a Local Officer for HISA at UHI Inverness. Katie Lindsay is a student of the Applied Music course, where she is undertaking her second year as an SVR. She was a winner of a Silver Award in HISA’s SVR Impact Competition in Spring 2025. She is a self-employed musician, supporting herself through her studies in Glasgow. Marie Kuntz is a student at UHI Shetland on HND Counselling. She was Gold Award winner in HISA’s SVR Impact Competition in Spring 2025.

Learning and Teaching Enhancement Strategy Values

Advance HE Professional Standards Framework

• V2 promote engagement in learning and equity of opportunity for all to reach their potential
• K1 how learners learn, generally and within specific subjects
• K4 appropriate use of digital and/or other technologies, and resources for learning
• A2 teach and/or support learning through appropriate approaches and environments

Professional Standard's for Scotland's Colleges

• 3.2.3 Applies a range of inclusive practices to promote and support engagement with students and partners.
• 1.3.4 Embraces change and emerging practices and developments.
• 2.2.9 Understands how to embed a range of digital technologies to enhance learning and teaching and assessment. 
• 2.2.7 Understands the strategies required to support learning in a range of learning environments.

To Book

Please email events.lta@uhi.ac.uk to book a place on this event. 

Accessibility

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