In this fabulous vodcast, we talk to Dyslexia Handled's Dr Ivan Newman about how best to support learners with dyslexia in a higher education context. Ivan provides some clear and critical information relating to the barriers and subsequent challenges learners with dyslexia face in HE. Ivan then goes on to provide some excellent and innovative tips, advice and guidance on how we can practically support learners with dyslexia in their academic studies. This is a must see / listen for all educators.

In this fabulous episode, Dr Petia Petrova talks to us about academia, stress, burnout and wellbeing. Petia discusses the nature of academia and its propensity to cause stress, as well as the possibility for burnout. Petia also discusses the processing of stress, various coping mechanisms that may support academic colleagues to manage their emotions and subsequent stress responses more effectively, as well as many other fascinating insights gained from her own experiences as an academic and from her own Serious Leisure Podcast. podcast . This is a fantastic episode! Enjoy!

Dr Petia Petrova is Associate Director of Academic Practice at the University of the West of England - Bristol. Petia has worked in HE for 20 years, much of her work has involved leading and working on a range of institution-wide change initiatives. In the last 10 years of her career, Petia’s focus has been the development and support of early career, as well as experienced academics. At UWE, Petia has created three staff CPD programmes: Programme and Module Leader Development, Introduction to Teaching and Learning in HE, and Improvisation Skills for Teaching. In 2020, in response to the pandemic, and recognising the important role hobbies can play in recovering from trauma and stress, Petia launched the Serious Leisure podcast with Kat Branch and Sam Elkington.

In this episode Petia shares reflections from her own career in HE, her work as an educational developer, and as a host of the Serious Leisure Podcast.

In this episode I provide a short preview of my new book, Delivering Inclusive & Impactful Instruction: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. In the preview I explain what the book is about, who it's for and why I wrote it. You can purchase the book direct from CAST Professional Publishing here or through online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop. Enjoy the preview!

In this great episode, Buckinghamshire New University's Rebecca Rochon and Matthew Smith discuss reflection as a tool for learning in Higher Education. Specifically, Rebecca and Matthew discuss how lessons from positive psychology can support the reflective process through the SELF model. This is a fascinating discussion that anyone involved in supporting student learning in an HE setting should not miss.

Rebecca Rochon is an Associate Professor at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) and Lead for the Impact Centre for the Advancement of Learning. She teaches postgraduate education programmes, and her work spans across different sectors of education including FE, practice education and initial teacher training. Rebecca’s research interests include how affect can be embedded into learning and teaching, and ways that we can meaningfully integrate positive psychology into learning opportunities, particularly through reflection using the SELF model.

Matthew Smith is an Associate Professor and founding member of the Centre for Positive Psychology at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU), having co-developed the MSc Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at BNU since 2012. He is currently course leader for the MSc Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education. His research interests span positive psychology, applied social psychology, and exceptional human experience.

In this fascinating episode, De Montfort University's Amal Abuzeinab discusses her approach to supporting the student PhD journey using the PERMA approach. The PERMA Model represents the five core elements of happiness and well-being. PERMA stands for Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments and is a positive psychology model of human flourishing. Amal tells us how she has skillfully woven PERMA into her approach to PhD supervision, supporting her learners to "flourish" as well as be successful with their studies. This is a fascinating episode that any colleague supporting student learning can learn from. Enjoy!

Dr Amal Abuzeinab is a senior lecturer and the Institute Head of Research Students (IHRS), Institute of Architecture, De Montfort University. Amal is currently supervising 3 PhD students, supervised 4 PhD students successfully to completion, and examined 4 PhD students. She served as the Co-Faculty Head of Research Students (FHRS) for the faculty of Arts, Design, and Humanities between 2017-2020. Amal created toolkits to build capacities of both PhD students and supervisors including: PhD supervision mentoring toolkit; PhD completion 7 principles; and checklist for writing for publications.

In this fascinating 7th instalment of our Mental Health & Wellbeing series, Lewis Stockwell from the University of Hertfordshire shares his story of being an academic with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Lewis provides us with a clear definition of CFS and its key symptoms, explaining what it is like to work in the academic environment with a life-limiting condition. Lewis also goes on to discuss the pressures of the academic environment more generally, explaining how the role of an academic is intimately tied to their identity, meaning that "switching off" can be difficult, causing potential wellbeing concerns. This is a wonderful listen, with so many important insights. Enjoy!

Lewis Stockwell is principal lecturer in education at the University of Hertfordshire, working at the University 10 years in academic education and more recently outdoor environmental education.

 He is programme leader for the postgraduate provision in outdoor environment education, and his areas of interest include social justice pedagogies, environmental justice, environmental aesthetics and outdoor experiential learning.

Lewis is currently undertaking his PhD at a university in Scotland on aesthetic educational canoe journeying. Lewis has been diagnosed with

In this episode, Buckinghamshire New University's Jonathan Devine talks to us about his research investigating the experiences of students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NdDs) in clinical healthcare settings. Jon defines Neurodevelopmental Disorders and discusses their prevalence in UK higher education. Jon then goes on to discuss his research and its outcomes, providing some important insights into how we might support students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders more effectively. This is a fascinating listen. Enjoy!

Jonathan Devine is a registered Operating Department Practitioner, who joined Buckinghamshire New University as a senior lecturer in perioperative practice in 2015.  Prior to his move to higher education Jonathan was a team leader for trauma and orthopaedics at an NHS trust within the Thames Valley Region.  Jonathan is in the final stages of completing his master’s in education, he has keen scholarly interests in neurodiversity, mental health and wellbeing.  Jonathan sees himself as a strong advocate for holistic, learner centred approach to teaching and learning.

In this fascinating episode, John Knight and Elaine Walsh discuss the assessment brief. John and Elaine provide some excellent insights into the good, the bad and the ugly of assessment brief design, providing some clear ideas, guidance, hints and tips in relation to effective assessment brief design. John and Elaine also provide some important information on the importance of good assessment brief design in relation to learner confidence and engagement with assessment. I really enjoyed recording this episode as it was such a refreshing discussion. This is a great listen!

John Knight leads the academic practice and curriculum development team at Buckinghamshire New University and provides leadership on

Dr Elaine Walsh is a lecturer of technical communication and instructional design at University of Limerick, Ireland. Since 2003, she has managed and delivered distance education programmes within higher education. Elaine’s research interest lies in the effective communication of assignment tasks. She completed her PhD in 2021, in which she explored students and academics’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the written assignment brief.

In this episode, Kelly Sisson from the University of Lincoln discusses the influence of the academic environment on mental health and wellbeing. Specifically, Kelly discusses the nature of the academic role and why this has both benefits and drawbacks from a wellbeing perspective. Kelly also explores the changing nature of the academic role and the impact this has had on staff wellbeing, particularly post-pandemic. Finally, Kelly discusses the importance of making positive wellbeing an intentioned part of the academic career journey, supporting career sustainability and success. This is a great listen!

In this fascinating episode, De Montfort University's Di Turgoose talks all things "Pracademia" in higher education. Di defines the role of the "Pracademic" discussing how the fusion between practice-based and academic experiences have become critical to successful learning, teaching and assessment approaches. Di outlines the professional identity of the pracademic, as well as discusses the future of pracademia in higher education. A great listen!

Di Turgoose is an Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning, a De Montfort University Teacher Fellow, and a Member of the International Federation of National Teacher Fellows. Di is also an Active

Di has almost 30 years practice experience in the criminal justice sector and allied fields, continuing to work in the field in various guises alongside her academic responsibilities. Di works hard to cultivate a learning and teaching approach, underpinned by a philosophy grounded in the synergy between academic work, and work as a practitioner - utilizing interdisciplinary and evidence-based approaches to teaching, to connect theory, policy and practice.  In short Di’s focus is on authentic

Through her research informed teaching, Di challenges conventions within her discipline, but also pedagogic conventions as part of an approach that is deeply imbued with a sense of public good. She leads a pracademic network in criminal justice and is lead editor of a forthcoming book on pracademics in criminal justice, for Routledge.