Dr Colette Mair
- Lecturer (Statistics)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8885-7161Research interests
Student and staff perceptions of student evaluations
While student evaluations are embedded into higher education, there is debate surrounding the reliability, effectiveness, and bias of such evaluations. Other studies have indicated that feedback from students may not be appropriately taken seriously due to interpretation concerns and a lack of ownership of feedback from both staff and students. This may be attributable to staff less likely to act on their feedback and students being sceptical of the value of providing feedback, which is reflected in the NSS response data surrounding the student voice. There is evidence in the literature to suggest that students want to engage with the evaluation process but suggest that the evaluation process can be re-framed into a staff-student partnership where both staff and students work together to improve learning and teaching more collaboratively. The University of Glasgow currently implements a course evaluation policy with set requirements for collecting student evaluations from all courses through a questionnaire with set core questions in addition to a Staff-Student Liaison Committee in conjunction with the Student Representative Council. The initial aim of this project was to investigate additional resources that may be used to better engage staff and students with student evaluations.
EDI and Decolonising curricula
The University’s Learning and Teaching strategy asks us to reflect on our values of inclusivity, wellbeing, integrity and respect in our learning and curriculum design through initiatives including decolonising the curriculum. Decolonising the curriculum is at the forefront of conversations within higher education to understand how colonialism shaped curricula, however, conversations within science-based disciplines are divided. This project aims to understand staff and student perspectives on equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives and decolonising the curricula.
Peer-Assisted Learning in Statistics
Peer learning gives students the possibility of obtaining academic support from other students in a variety of ways. The term comprises all initiatives through which students can ask questions, get feedback and guidance, and expand their knowledge with the help of other students in the University of Glasgow. This project was set up in collaboration with Student Learning Development (SLD). The scheme involves regular organised sessions by student facilitators and SLD training that student facilitators will take before their first session. An important aspect of this scheme is that it’s not intended to be peer learning where facilitators ‘teach’ students course content. Instead, the sessions are intended to be used for students to get together to work together and offer support. This scheme is currently aimed at level 3 students in statistics.
Student perceptions of the importance of disciplinary knowledge versus pedagogical expertise in STEM learning
The Learning, Teaching & Scholarship (LTS) track has developed University-wide over the past 10 years, with distinctive LTS roles. Our LTS colleagues are expected to undertake work that “relates to the study and practice of learning and teaching within an HE setting” applied to their discipline. This project is a multi-disciplinary initiative that offers insights into the balance between subject-specialism, pedagogical practices and active learning strategies from the student perspective, co-created with students. Within STEM subjects, curriculum intensity, course difficulty, anxiety, and persistent stereotypes have been shown to affect student perception of the subject and most importantly student retention and success. Several studies across the College have identified common themes. Within most, if not all, STEM disciplines the under-representation of certain groups, for example, ‘women in science’, is a consistent issue and remains an active area of research, suggesting there is room to explore course delivery and teaching practices, and how these balance with course content. This project is a collaboration across the College of Science and Engineering, to understand the balance between subject knowledge, pedagogic knowledge and active learning strategies. It is centred around the student perception of STEM pedagogy by engaging students with art-based discussion groups led by student interns.
Seeking to improve the accessibility of maths and statistics for visually impaired people
Gaps in accessibility for visually impaired students can deter them from pursuing mathematical sciences with administration, culture and curricula among the highest-rated obstacles for visually impaired students studying mathematics. This project brings together the mathematical community to understand the limitations and improve accessibility for visually impaired people.
Research groups
Grants
Seeking to improve the accessibility of maths and statistics for visually impaired people
- Edinburgh Mathematical Society 2023/24
- Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (2023/24)
Student perceptions of the importance of disciplinary knowledge versus pedagogical expertise in STEM learning”
- University of Glasgow Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Scheme (2023/24)
Student and staff perceptions of course evaluations
- University of Glasgow Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Scheme (2022/23)