CETL-AURS Projects

The primary aim of CETL-AURS is to further integrate research-based learning in to the undergraduate curriculum.  All the projects we fund are designed to meet the needs of their School and to enhance the student learning experience. 

Our projects can be broken down into five themed areas:

Access to Collections

The University's Museums, Collections and Archives represent a significant research resource; however access to them, particularly for undergraduates, is an issue.  This may relate to:  having spaces and facilities adjacent to where archives are stored to make access and use possible; developing visualisation technologies to enable small objects to be observed by a large group; or ensuring fragile material is maintained in a condition where it can be handled by students.  Projects concentrate on enabling students to access these rich resources.

Enhancement of Final Year Projects

The majority of undergraduate degree programmes develop students' skills so that they are in a position to carry out independent research by their final year. This may take the form of a dissertation or, on occasion, an industrial-based project simulating work for an employer.  In either case this is a chance for individual students to pull together all their prior skills development and excel.  Projects in this area concentrate on teaching and learning enhancements that make final year projects a richer experience for our students.

Curriculum Development

The development of skills can be greatly enhanced by the use of more student-centred techniques such as Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) in the curriculum.  This has a long tradition of use in some disciplines, such as pharmacy, but much less in others.  It does, however, take time to develop good student-centred materials, and there is a need to be very clear about exactly what skills are being taught and why.  We are funding projects that develop resources for students to use for independent study, or that enable hands-on learning within modules.

Enhancing Fieldwork

Many undergraduates at the University of Reading attend fieldwork courses as part of their degree programmes, allowing them to gain practical research skills through undertaking primary research.  Projects aim to maximise student learning by ensuring that the most up-to-date equipment is available for students to use, and that additional materials are available to support student learning.

Placements and Industrial Training

One of the best ways of learning genuine research skills is to be placed in a real-life research context, whether amongst university researchers or in a placement with industry.  Our projects seek to develop opportunities for students on summer placements, or as part of their degree programme through a year-out, or on an ongoing basis through volunteer work.