Title: Perceptions, experiences and learning from using an AI tool ‘TeachMateAI to support trainee teacher learning on a one-year primary PGCE programme. 

Pilot Lead: Liz Birchinall

Summary: The University’s innovative pilot of TeachMateAI (TMAI), a generative AI teachers' assistant, in its one-year Primary PGCE programme positions the University as a national and international frontrunner in AI-driven teacher education. By embracing this cutting-edge technology, the University joins leading schools and organisations like Teach First in shaping the future of teacher training through rigorous, forward-thinking research in AI's role in teacher education.

Impact:​

The pilot's findings directly influenced our programme delivery and curriculum development within the academic year:​

• Academic staff responded to early findings and revised guidance on optional AI use during teaching practice.​
• A semester 2 teaching session on prompt engineering was introduced into our training programme.​
• School-based mentors and headteachers developed enhanced understanding of AI integration.​
• University staff gained skills and knowledge for training teachers in AI tool use.​

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Graide Software Evaluation 

Pilot Leads: Dan Jagger and Sharon Gardner

Summary:

This pilot boldly explored the power of Graide, an AI-driven assessment tool designed to revolutionise marking and feedback. With over 1,100 students involved across faculties, the project showcased how Graide’s smart feedback and seamless integration with Blackboard and Canvas could enhance academic efficiency and elevate the student experience while also surfacing key insights into the challenges of adopting AI in education.

Impact:

The pilot determined whether or not Graide would be a valuable addition to the University's software portfolio. The pilot has improved understanding of some of the current capabilities and limitations in applying AI software to marking and feedback. The pilot provides an excellent basis for approaching the evaluation of AI software and AI additions to existing software in future.

Lessons Learned:

• The IGRR process at the time of the pilot was time consuming, the questions were hard to interpret. It would be beneficial to have additional support from ITS/IGO to enable faster completion.
• There was a considerable up-front work involved for evaluators in setting up the software before they could see benefits.
• In some cases, there were benefits to being able to trial the software on marking without exposing students to it. 
• There was a misconception that the AI was completely marking the assignments, this was not the case, it was supporting faster and higher quality marking by making suggestions

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Eating, drinking & swallowing pre-registration competencies and virtual reality simulation: Evaluation of student experience and learning

Pilot Lead: Rachel Purcell

Summary: This pioneering pilot explored the use of virtual reality to teach speech and language therapy students how to assess and manage eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties—bringing clinical realism to the classroom through the immersive “Dennis Inworld” simulation. 

Impact:

With strong student engagement and measurable boosts in confidence, the project not only met its goals but sparked demand for more VR-based learning experiences across the curriculum:

• The VR simulation was positively received by students and is to be timetabled in the Speech and Language Therapies (SLT) programme in Year 2, semester 1.
• The SLT teaching team will be exploring the development of VR simulation for other SLT clinical populations.

Lessons Learned:

• The scheduling of the VR simulation project was constrained by timings required of the FLP pilots.
• Students found some of the aspects of the simulation reduced their ability to immerse themselves and ‘suspend disbelief. For example, Dennis’s voice lacked some of the qualities we would usually expect in a clinical scenario with a patient at risk of EDS.
• Currently, FMBH does not have a policy or strategy for the use of VR simulation across the faculty. We are aware of other colleagues who are developing VR simulations for healthcare education at the University. A central approach for the sharing of good practice and resources would be beneficial to the longevity of use of VR simulation and likely improve the student experience.

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Digital User Guides

Pilot Leads: Caroline Hughes and Dr Stuart Christie

Summary: This pilot reimagined student support through a suite of dynamic digital user guides, empowering learners with tailored resources from pre-arrival to academic success. Led by Caroline Hughes and Dr Stuart Christie, the project delivered interactive tools covering everything from maths and physics refreshers to wellbeing and time management—streamlining onboarding and boosting confidence across a diverse postgraduate cohort.

Impact:

The resources have freed staff time from answering basic queries, enabling them to focus more on providing students support with more complex issues. This has also meant that students are able to feel more effective themselves, as they can resolve their own questions at a time that's convenient for them. While out-of-hours support could be extended to cover students who are in other countries or studying around employment it is likely that this would be prohibitive in financial terms.

Lessons Learned:

We learnt that it made sense to use the overarching structure to give a greater holistic approach. This allowed students to tell us other areas they wanted, and we realised there were gaps that we have tried to fill.

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Peer Support System for International Students

Pilot Lead: Dr Marianna Rolbina

Summary:

This innovative pilot led by Dr Marianna Rolbina explored the power of peer storytelling to support international students at the University. By showcasing video interviews of second and third year students sharing their real experiences of adapting to UK academic life, the project significantly boosted new students’ confidence in communication and self-efficacy—laying the groundwork for a scalable, university-wide peer support database.

Impact:

It demonstrably showed the proposed solution's ability to meet the needs of the main intended stakeholder (international students), and its viability as a pioneering solution for international student support that so far has no analogues in the UK. The focus group has also shown the project's relevance to the secondary stakeholder group (academic staff) as a way to raise emotional intelligence and potential useful information for staff training at programs such as HNAP or academic advisor training. In general, the focus group participants considered the database to be a potentially useful resource for all academics, as well as a way to normalise peer advice among students.

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Market Insight for Master’s with Professional Experience

Pilot Lead: Peter Kahn

Summary: 

This pilot embarked on an innovative journey to seamlessly blend professional experience with master's degrees within The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) and School of Social Sciences (SoSS). Through dynamic market research and cutting-edge competitor analysis, the pilot unveiled models and features that promise to captivate both students and employers, revolutionising the University's postgraduate offerings.

Impact:

The pilot has met its immediate objectives in assessing the viability (in relation to the two key audiences of prospective students and placement providers) of potential forms of new programme provision that is focused on integrating professional/industrial experience into master’s provision within SEED and SoSS; and in assessing the extent to which competitors have already integrated such experience into their master’s provision. ​

The pilot has highlighted the central importance of securing professional experience for prospective PGT students, with a range of options and insights for SEED and SoSS to leverage this understanding in relation to programme portfolio development, marketing and recruitment.​

Lessons Learned:

• The presence or absence of supporting infrastructure to allow for the sourcing, support and quality assurance of placements will closely enable or inhibit intended follow-on activity.   ​
• Proposals do not envisage University staff directly delivering teaching that entails an integration of professional experience (at least, not on any extensive basis) but offering programmes that involve others undertaking this delivery (e.g. employers). Some additional professional services capacity (or contracting of external capacity) is likely to be required to source and support placements. Incentives are already in place where high-performing programmes are established. ​
• The University’s culture currently offers wide-ranging support for PGT provision that is focused on research. A pivot towards incorporating professional experience within PGT provision would represent a significant shift in culture. Modest levels of staff interest in professional experience compared to their interest in research can be expected to act as an inhibitor of a pivot towards the integration of professional experience in PGT provision.

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Developing asynchronous 3 x 5 micro credential series on “Developing Resilience in Turbulent Times”

Pilot Lead: Natalie Cunningham

Summary:

In a world where many professionals face instability, trauma, or crisis on a daily basis, how can we better equip them to cope, recover and lead with strength? 

Impact:

This pilot has provided practical applied lessons learnt and recommendations that can inform the future design and implementation of micro-credentials in the University. It has delivered several reports, not limited to the below:

• The type of learners attracted to this micro credential programme
• Research on trends in micro credentials and offerings by other Universities
• Three individual reports reviewing each micro credential with feedback from each student
• A How to guide and recommendation report – Lessons and Insights from the microcredential

Lessons learnt:

1. Marketing should not be centralised but should be shaped by schools and faculties as targeted marketing can attract the right audience. 
2. Micro-credentials need to be designed based on real needs. The research and needs analysis conducted by GDI identified resilience as a priority. They should also be viewed as part of a larger learning ecosystem. The need for Communities of Practice (CoP) emerged from this micro-credential, providing a platform for leaders and managers to discuss key resilience concepts and form a community of support.
3. Good design ensures student engagement and a positive experience. The design time for an 8-week, 50-hour micro-credential averaged 125 hours for the E-Learning Technologist and 240 hours for the academic.
4. Key andragogy principles should underpin the design of online learning. The six principles of Knowles’ andragogy theory were applied in the pilot, emphasising self-direction, the role of experience, readiness to learn, orientation to learning, the need to know why, and intrinsic motivation.
5. Offering smaller assessments rather than one big assessment allows more realistic deadlines for working professionals, and using competency-based grading.
6. A differential tiered costing structure is suggested, with different rates for individuals, students, alumni, and corporates. Clear policy guidelines and approval processes are needed, and the roles and responsibilities of departments, schools, faculties, and the university must be defined.

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: A dual delivery exemplar

Pilot Lead: Richard Prince​

Summary:

This pilot successfully delivered a dual-format, accessible module unit 'BIOL10822 Drugs: From Molecules to Man', allowing students to choose between online and blended learning. The project met its objectives, achieving high student engagement and positive feedback, while also making significant strides in accessibility and innovative teaching methods

Impact:​

• The pilot offered students the choice between studying in a blended or online format, which significantly enhanced accessibility and inclusivity. This flexibility was particularly beneficial for neurodivergent students, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those with caring responsibilities or long commutes.​
• The pilot led to improved student success, with unit marks increasing by 14% compared to the previous cohort.​
• The pilot had a positive impact on staff experience, with increased interaction with students during active learning sessions transforming the teaching experience and significantly developing skills in accessible pedagogy and digital literacy​
• Overall, the pilot successfully met its objectives, leading to improved outcomes for students and staff, and settng a foundation for future enhancements in flexible learning. For the full impact of this pilot, please see the full report. ​

Lessons Learned:

Many academic staff engaged in digital development are on Teaching and Scholarship contracts and lack access to high-specification equipment. Currently, IT Services provides only a single, low-specification laptop, which is insufficient for tasks such as video editing or interactive content creation. Upgrades often require personal grant or divisional funding, which is inconsistent and inequitable.​

Many academic staff are already stretched thin by the transition to Canvas. To make meaningful progress in flexible and digital learning, greater recognition must be given to these efforts in workload allocation models. ​

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Enhancing Postgraduate Oral Competency through Problem-Oriented Project Learning with Viva Voce Assessments 

Pilot Leads: Craig Thomas and Louisa Dawes 

Summary: 

This pilot explored innovative teaching methods by integrating viva voce assessments and Problem-Oriented Project Learning (PPL) into postgraduate and undergraduate courses. This exciting initiative not only enhanced student confidence and critical thinking but also fostered a collaborative learning environment, making education more engaging and inclusive

Impact:

The pilot successfully enhanced students' oral competencies and critical thinking skills. Students reported increased confidence in discussion-based tasks and appreciated the opportunity to engage in authentic oral assessments.​ It also led to sustained pedagogic changes, with course leads restructuring seminars and assessments to better align with inclusive and flexible learning principles.

Lessons Learned:

• Viva voce and group work can be highly effective, but must be supported by inclusive design and clear expectations.​
• Student autonomy increases engagement, but requires active support structures — timelines, roles, conflict resolution mechanisms.​
• Optionality in assessment format may improve inclusivity and reduce anxiety, especially among students with different learning styles or access needs.​
• Institutional tools like Cadmus or peer assessment frameworks could be integrated to improve fairness in future iterations.​
• The undergraduate cohort can engage deeply with viva-style group work when the assessment is embedded in a field setting or experiential task.

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.

Title: Incorporating Knowledge-building Analytics

Pilot Lead: Drew Whitworth, Dina Soliman and Zhuoran You

Summary: This pilot reimagined assessment by embedding knowledge-building analytics into a postgraduate course, shifting focus from final outputs to the learning journey itself. By integrating collaborative digital tools and real-time analytics, the project empowered students to reflect, adapt, and grow while also helping staff detect AI misuse and manage workload more effectively. The result? A compelling case for scaling “ergative assessment” as a flexible, future-ready model across programmes.

Impact:

Overall, impact on workload was ameliorated by the use of learning analytics as the basis for feedback. Tutors used analytics to determine student engagement, identifying patterns in who was initiating discussions versus merely responding. Workload did shift somewhat, to earlier in the semester, but room was made for this by changing the nature of ‘contact hours’ in later weeks of the course, substituting online knowledge-building work for lectures, thus giving both students and staff the time needed to conduct this work.

The pilot led to improved outcomes and behaviours in the field of Flexible Learning practice. The strategy states that an objective of the FLP is to allow “staff to play to their strengths and balance the demands of research and teaching to maximise job satisfaction and outcomes”. The focus on workload in the Pilot has addressed this issue and shown that an ergative approach, with the help of learning analytics and supported by properly inducted teaching assistants, can be enfolded into the workload of a typical course unit leader on a Teaching and Research contract.  

Lessons Learned:

• To have a better sense of community among the pilot owners in the Flexible Learning Programme. While information has been fed upwards in the pilots, pilot owners have not had any shared information back down. Increased communication around the pilot activities would have been beneficial. 
• It has proven difficult to get project staff paid. The Pilot Owner’s ignorance, at the start of the project, of relevant procedure has not particularly been altered by its end, thanks to conflicting advice and guidance provided from a range of different sources. Considering that we very much hope to continue collaborating with our strategic partners in Toronto it does little for the image when pay claims take months to be fulfilled.

Want to know more? You can read the full report here.