The document summarizes a presentation given at an international conference on enhancing and innovating higher education. The presentation, titled "Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers, Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?", discusses moving students from passive learners to active participants through partnership with educators. Initially, students found the shift shocking and intimidating, but reported that it increased their confidence and independence. They began to see themselves as producers rather than just consumers. The approach empowered students to take control of their learning while also emphasizing the importance of collaboration in education.

1. International Conference on Enhancement
and Innovation in Higher Education
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow
9-11 June 2015
Welcome

2. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaboratorsand Co-creators: Are We Serious?
Background context & rationale
Researching the Social World: re-positioning students as partners,
producers, collaborators and co-creators
Outcomes and experiences
Reflections and conclusions

3. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
Engaging students v students engaging (see Bryson 2014)
The instruction paradigm (Barr & Tagg 1995)
Disrupting hierarchical binary relationships between teaching and learning
and research and teaching (see eg, Brew 2006; Lambert, 2009; Taylor & Wilding, 2009)
Consumption vs production (see McCulloch, 2009; Neary, 2010a)
Students as producers, collaborators & co-creators (Neary & Winn, 2009; Taylor & Wilding, 2009;
Bovill, Bulley & Morss, 2011)
Partners in learning, partners in change (see, eg Cook-Sather, Bovill and Felten, 2014; Dunne and
Zandstra, 2011; Healey, 2014; Healey, Flint and Harrington, 2014; Kay, Dunne and Hutchison, 2010).

4. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
Researching the Social World – what, why, how
Learning in partnership
Pedagogic partners and learning champions
Collaboration and creation
Negotiated and flexible learning
Learning in ‘discovery’ mode

5. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
connection
creation
production
engagement
inclusion
participation
active,
inquiry-based
learning
research
mindedness
learning in
partnership
from object to subject from passive recipient to active agent
from instruction to discovery

6. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
Disruption and uncertainty
There becomes an over-reliance on traditional methods that makes for a
shock when the...change over is made
For some people getting to 3rd year and all of a sudden having less guidance is
a shock and they are unable to cope with it
I had grown somewhat familiar with the usual format of a lecturer telling the
class information that should be noted down for future use in essays and
exams
When I started the course there was no collaboration between the student
and lecturer when it came to assessment, seminar and lecture layouts, we
were just told what to do and when to meet

7. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
Students reported the experience of the pedagogic shift as initially ‘shocking’
and ‘unnerving’:
At first...it was intimidating and scary as we had never experienced this style
before and had a thought of not really knowing what to do
From the outset of this new course I was apprehensive as to be honest it
looked a bit daunting. When the lecturers spoke about this 'new way of
learning' truthfully I felt as if I was going to be part of an experiment and many
questions went through my mind
At first I was nervous as we were told to build a Xerte and had no guidance as
to the content of this. Being told what was expected of students eg in essays
etc was the norm

8. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
After initial ‘shock’
[The] assessment was largely stressful for me and I found it hard to grasp at
first, but with communicating this to the members of my group, we were able
to discuss the assessment and then attack it in a manner that we had all
agreed upon
At first, it was found to be challenging with no clear direction taking place
within the group and having to cope with the group having to decide things
for themselves without being ‘led by the hand’. However, as the module went
on, it became clear that inquiry based learning is in fact helpful, especially
with building the confidence of the group members by allowing them to be
able to work on coursework...and to have the confidence within to know that
the group can chose what to do and that it would still be right.

9. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
Shifting identity
There is a clear transition that has definitely taken place...From originally
sitting within a lecture hall only taking notes (essentially being the consumer),
to growing within myself to start taking a strong part within lectures and
workshops
At the beginning I was a passive student and through the interaction within
group seminars I eventually became a willing and enthusiastic participant. I
now feel that I am an active producer and am responsible for my own learning
and can think independently and make decisions for myself and where I want
to take my learning and knowledge

10. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
The approach taken in the module proves that through putting trust and faith
in the abilities of students, and creating an environment for them to grow as
autonomous learners, allows for a huge deal of personal and academic
development. Students are typically stifled by the traditional lecturer/student
relationship, this approach greatly enhance my experience of education
It was imperative that students and lecturers worked together to make RSWB
a success, this empowered students to take control of their own learning
experience but also showed me the importance of collaboration within
education

11. Neil McPherson & Gordon Heggie
Transitioning to Students as Partners, Producers,
Collaborators and Co-creators: Are We Serious?
Reflections and conclusions
Are we serious?
Dr Neil McPherson
neil.mcpherson@uws.ac.uk
@neilgmcpherson
Dr Gordon Heggie
gordon.heggie@uws.ac.uk
@gorheg