Jessie Durk - Staff stories

What type of relationship did you envisage with staff/students before you began your project? Was your experience in line with this or different?  

The staff-student project I took part in was an education research project which involved obtaining ethical approval before carrying out our project, and then dissemination of our results. The relationship I envisaged before I began the project was very much a collaborative one. In particular, I envisaged a relationship where all partners (staff and students) would be learning and discovering as we progressed through the research project. This turned out to be the case, as the area we were researching (academic women in the Physics department being under-represented in Lecturer roles) was not one I had extensive experience in, but I was familiar with the research methods and relevant literature. The only differences were when we had to

In particular, I envisaged a relationship where all partners (staff and students) would be learning and discovering as we progressed through the research project.

train the student partners in the relevant research methods, and as a result this made the relationship feel more ‘supervisor-supervisee’, but only for the purposes of getting everyone up to speed with learning the data collection methods. 

Why did you want to work with staff/students on a project to enhance and develop the student experience?  

I wanted to work with students on an education research project because they are the ones who will be affected and impacted by the findings, so I felt it was important to involve them in that discovery process and to allow them to shape and guide the research. Having the students’ ideas and viewpoints during the discussion stage has also benefited our work and meant that it wasn’t just purely an academic exercise – it has increased the possible impact of our findings. I also think it is important to give students a taster of what they can do with their degree afterwards, including areas they might not have considered, such as education research, and allow them to develop new skills. 

What impact do you think your experience will have on the way you and other staff/students teach/learn? 

I learnt that the student partners have lots of ideas and skills that they can bring to the table, as well as a unique perspective. I also learnt that the student partners are very receptive and enthusiastic towards learning new techniques and methods.  

Taking part in StudentShapers has meant that I will make sure I consider the students’ own experiences and viewpoints when carrying out my own education research, rather than just carrying out research for its own sake. I would like my research to be shaped and guided by the issues students are facing, so that it can have the most impact. 

What is the most important thing, skill or new perspective you have learnt during the project?   

I would like my research to be shaped and guided by the issues students are facing, so that it can have the most impact. 

The most important thing I have learnt during this experience is an emphasis on research being a collaborative process and involving students can be extremely beneficial as they can bring unique perspectives and discussions to the project. Taking part in StudentShapers projects has meant I have worked with a range of people, from undergraduate to postgraduate students to staff. Not only has our research benefited, but I have also gained personal experience in managing a project with people from diverse stages in their careers.