Learning Enhancement and Development Educational Research Centre

Core members

• Professor Pam Parker
• Professor Susannah Quinsee
• Dr Sara Reimers
• Dr Jane Secker
• Richard Evans
• Dr Julie Voce
• Dr Luis Pereira

Staff in LEaD and the LEaDER centre are involved in pedagogic research and projects.

See details of current projects

Current PhD in Professional Education Projects

Explore which learning modes contribute to the optimum exchange of knowledge when junior lawyers undertake formal and informal learning activities - Claire Lawrence

Previous PhD Projects

What influences nurses when they make career decisions? - Alison Coutts

Building Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Utilising Student-Centred Edtech - Greg Blackburn

During 2022-23 we hope to run a new series of seminars.

Previous events have included:

Keynote: The untapped potential of pedagogic research 

Professor Tansy Jessop

This talk explores the potential of pedagogic research to influence the very fabric of a university by changing how we think about teaching and how we teach. In every other aspect of university life, disciplinary academics rely on evidence: reading, thinking and generating new knowledge to stay fresh and alive to developments in their field, yet research about teaching is done by a few enthusiasts and treated like a nice-to-have hobby.

Workshop: Writing and publishing REF papers from pedagogic research

Professor Debby Cotton

This session provided participants with an opportunity to explore the structure of academic papers, and analyse academic writing; identify appropriate dissemination outlets for educational/ pedagogic research, and help understand the grading process for the Research Evaluation Framework (REF).

Lecture: Daring to be Different – Innovations in Simulation

Professor Kerry Reid Searl

Professor Reid-Searl presented her innovative work around simulation focusing on the techniques of Mask Ed and Pup Ed. These approaches to simulation focus on patient centred care and provide learners with the most realistic and humanistic simulation experiences whilst still in the context of a classroom. as research confirms, they make a difference to the learner experience.

LEaDER has produced a series of  Research and Practice informed case studies in which City, University staff discuss their experiences of teaching.

These are now available to view via the links below:

Dr Luke McDonagh - The City Law School

Luke’s research explores intellectual property law and his teaching encourages students to recognise the impact that intellectual property law has on their day-to-day experiences. He illustrates his teaching with high-profile cases from the news and highlights relevant content via social media.

Professor Scott Moeller- Bayes Business School

Scott is director of the Mergers and Acquisitions Research Centre at Bayes and the former CEO and Director of Executive Education. He has twenty-four years of industry experience, having worked for a variety of organisations including Deutsche Bank, Booz Allen & Hamilton, and Morgan Stanley. Scott uses his industry experience to share real-world case studies with his students, giving them valuable insights into issues they may face in their future careers.

Janet Hunter & Karen Rawlings-Anderson - School of Health and Psychological Sciences

Both Janet and Karen began their careers as nurses and have been teaching at City for nineteen and twenty-eight years respectively. They have developed a range of innovative techniques to enhance their teaching. In this video they discuss their collaborative approach to developing pioneering teaching methods, explaining how they draw on student feedback to develop their practice and to contribute to their research.

Paul Dunn - School of Communication and Creativity

Paul’s teaching is rooted in his professional experience as a journalist. He uses practical activities and experiential learning to help students gain skills that will prepare them for life in their chosen career.

Dr Joana Fonseca - School of Science and Technology

Joana teaches both theoretical and applied modules in Geotechnical Engineering. Her research takes a discrete approach to analysing the behaviour of soil. She designs her teaching to equip her students with the tools to work either in industry, where they will be implementing research, or to become researchers themselves, investigating the engineering problems that industry needs solving. Drawing on student feedback, Joana bases her teaching on real-world examples that she has encountered in her consultancy work, so that students can appreciate the practical implications of the theory they are learning.

Dr Sara Jones – Bayes Business School

Sara works in the Faculty of Management at Bayes Business School, where she researches the intersection between digital and creativity.  Her work looks at the development, use, and evaluation of computational tools and technologies that can support and augment human creative and innovation processes in a range of different contexts.

The purpose of the journal club is to review two articles on the same theme each meeting and share views about these and what implications the articles might have for practice.

Dissemination of this information will then be provided on this blog so that others interested in this topic can access the information.

The journal club is open to all who have an interest in pedagogic research and would like to develop further knowledge of specific themes and publications.

LEaDER Journal Club Blog

Quinsee, S. ORCID: 0000-0001-6433-8877 (2023). Editorial. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 60(6), pp. 797-798. doi: 10.1080/14703297.2023.2270260

Shah, R. ORCID: 0000-0002-6134-0936, Ctori, I. ORCID: 0000-0003-1523-4996, Edgar, D. F ORCID: 0000-0001-9004-264X & Parker, P. M. ORCID: 0000-0002-0920-7804view all authors (2021). Use of standardised patients in optometry training. Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 104(8), pp. 848-853. doi: 10.1080/08164622.2021.1896332

Parker, P. M. (2020). Developing staff assessment literacy skills. In: Baughan, P. (Ed.), On Your Marks: Learner-focused Feedback Practices and Feedback Literacy. (pp. 123-128). York, UK: Advance HE.

Quinsee, S. ORCID: 0000-0001-6433-8877 & Parker, P. M. (2020). CIRCLE: a cyclical approach to stakeholder engagement for change management. In: Potter, J. & Devecchi, C. (Eds.), Delivering Educational Change in Higher Education. (pp. 139-149). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Parker, P. M. (2019). Continuing professional development for teachers. In: Davis, C. L. & Fitzpatrick, M. (Eds.), Reflective Practice. (pp. 15-18). London, UK: SEDA.

Parker, P. M., Quinsee, S. ORCID: 0000-0001-6433-8877 & Knight, R. A. ORCID: 0000-0002-7804-7250 (2019). Continuing professional development and maintaining good standing of fellows of the higher education academy. In: Gómez Chova, L., López Martínez, A. & Candel Torres, I. (Eds.), INTED2019 Proceedings. 13th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, 11-13 Mar 2019, Valencia, Spain.

Quinsee, S. ORCID: 0000-0001-6433-8877 & Jones-Devitt, S. (2018). Enhancing the Impact of National Teaching Fellows: Critical Success Factors. York: Advance HE.

Parker, P. M. & Quinsee, S. (2018). Peer supported review of education. INTED2018 Proceedings, pp. 4326-4330. doi: 10.21125/inted.2018.0844

Attenborough, J. ORCID: 0000-0002-4018-8445, Knight, R.-A. ORCID: 0000-0002-7804-7250 & Parker, P. M. (2018). Undergraduate student views about assessment workload. Educational Developments, 19(19.3), pp. 14-16.

Walker, S., Scamell, M. & Parker, P. M. (2017). Deliberate acquisition of competence in physiological breech birth: A grounded theory study. Women and Birth, 31(3), e170-e177. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2017.09.008

Quinsee, S. & Parker, P. M. (2017). Developing educational leadership. In: INTED 2017 Proceedings: 11th International Technology, Education and Development Conference. 11th International Technology, Education and Development Conference Valencia, 6-8 March, 2017, Valencia, Spain.

Walker, S., Breslin, E., Scamell, A. & Parker, P. M.view all authors (2017). Effectiveness of vaginal breech birth training strategies: an integrative review of the literature. Birth, 44(2), pp. 101-109. doi: 10.1111/birt.12280

Walker, S., Scamell, M. & Parker, P. M. (2016). Principles of physiological breech birth practice: a Delphi study. Midwifery, 43, pp. 1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2016.09.003

Parker, P. M. (2016). Personal Tutoring enhancing staff and student experiences. Paper presented at the 10th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, 7-9 Mar 2016, Valencia, Spain. doi: 10.21125/inted.2016

Parker, P. M. & Cleaver, E. (2016). Reflections on the Teaching Excellence Framework. Educational Developments(16.4), pp. 1-4.

Baughan, P., Lindsay, S. & Parker, P. M. (2015). Common themes and missing pieces: the educational value of postgraduate teaching development programmes. Compass: Journal of Learning and Teaching, 7(11),

Bostock, S. & Parker, P. M. (2014). The revised SEDA Values and how we use them. Educational Developments, 15(15.4), pp. 1-3.

Parker, P. M. (2014). Teaching Excellence from whose perspective?. International Journal of Assessment and Evaluation, 20(4), pp. 35-43. doi: 10.18848/2327-7920/cgp/v20i04/48357

Parker, P. M. (2014). Developing criteria and guidance for assessing teaching excellence. Educational Developments(15.2), pp. 11-14.

Parker, P. M. (2013). How can we facilitate developing scholarly writing?. Educational Developments, 14.4(14.4), pp. 26-27.

Parker, P. M., Attenborough, J., Cunningham, M. , Holland, W. & Perkins, J.view all authors (2013). Interim Project report: Teaching Excellence: what is this and how can we assess and recognise this. Learning at City Journal, 3(1), pp. 93-98.

Parker, P. M. (2012). Learning and Teaching Prizes and Awards 2011 - 2012. Learning at City Journal, 2(2),

Parker, P. M. & Quinsee, S. (2012). Facilitating Institutional Curriculum Change in Higher Education. International Journal of Learning, 18(5), pp. 49-60.

Quinsee, S. (2012). Drinking Coffee and Reading Papers: That’s not real teaching is it?. Learning at City Journal, 2(1), pp. 6-9.

Quinsee, S. ORCID: 0000-0001-6433-8877 (2011). Turning Coffee Drinking into Key Performance Indicators: creating meaningful educational development measures. Educational Developments, 12(2), pp. 1-4.

Parker, P. M. & Baughan, P. (2011). Providing written feedback that students will value and read. The international journal of learning, 16(11), pp. 253-262. doi: 10.18848/1447-9494/cgp/v16i11/46715

Parker, P. M. & Quinsee, S. (2011). Developing a community to disseminate good practice. The international journal of learning, 17(11), pp. 87-92.

Quinsee, S. (2011). How can we create the university of the future?. Learning at City Journal, 1(1), pp. 8-22.

Quinsee, S. & Bullimore, A. (2011). Creating the strategic learning environment at City University London. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 28(4), pp. 275-288. doi: 10.1108/10650741111162743

Quinsee, S. & Parker, P. M. (2011). Lessons in curriculum design and institutional change. Paper presented at the AISHE-C 2010: Designing & Delivering Curricula for the Future, 26 - 27 Aug 2010, Dublin, Ireland.

Parker, P. M. (2009). What should we assess in practice?. Journal Of Nursing Management, 17(5), pp. 559-569. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2834.2009.01025.x

Hurst, J. & Quinsee, S. (2005). Partners with clinical practice: Evaluating the student and staff experiences of on-line continuing professional development for qualified nephrology practitioners. The Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 6(1), pp. 52-59.

Quinsee, S. & Hurst, J. (2005). Blurring the boundaries? Supporting students and staff within an online learning environment. The Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 6(1), pp. 1-9.

Quinsee, S. & Sumner, N. (2005). How to manage the big bang: Evolution or revolution in the introduction of an MLE?. ASLIB PROCEEDINGS, 57(2), pp. 146-156. doi: 10.1108/00012530510589119

Quinsee, S. (2004). "3 stars for effort": designing pedagogic models for online learning delivery. In: Proceedings of ECEL 2004: The 3rd European Conference on e-learning. ECEL 2004: the 3rd European conference on e-learning, 25 - 26 November 2004, Paris, France.