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They gave me an opportunity, and I took it: motivations and concerns of adult apprentices. (2023)
Journal Article
SMITH, S., FABIAN, K., TAYLOR-SMITH, E., BARR, M., BERG, T., BRATTON, A., KOLBERG, M., PATERSON, J. and ZARB, M. 2023. They gave me an opportunity, and I took it: motivations and concerns of adult apprentices. Journal of vocational education and training [online] Latest Articles. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820.2023.2255576

In the UK context of an ageing population, degree apprenticeships represent a new opportunity to study for a degree while working. Apprentices are full-time employees granted time to study for a degree with a significant workplace learning component.... Read More about They gave me an opportunity, and I took it: motivations and concerns of adult apprentices..

Managing group projects in undergraduate computing. (2023)
Presentation / Conference
SCOTT, M.J., ALSHAIGY, B., SIEGEL, A.A. and ZARB, M. 2023. Managing group projects in undergraduate computing. Panel presented at the 28th Annual conference on innovation and technology in computer science education (ITiCSE 2023), 8-12 July 2023, Turku, Finland.

This panel convenes four educators, each from different institutions and each with experience managing group projects. Their expertise spans topics including: peer assessment and peer evaluation; entrepreneurship; transdisciplinarity; internationalis... Read More about Managing group projects in undergraduate computing..

Empowering inquiry-based learning in short courses for professional students. (2023)
Conference Proceeding
MARTIN, K., ZARB, M., MCDERMOTT, R. and YOUNG, T. 2023. Empowering inquiry-based learning in short courses for professional students. In Chova, L.G., Martínez, C.G. and Lees, J. (eds.) Proceedings of the 17th International technology, education and development conference 2023 (INTED 2023), 6-8 March 2023, Valencia, Spain. Valencia: IATED [online], pages 5404-5409. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2023.1407

This paper presents the pedagogic underpinning for the development of an online postgraduate short course educating participants on multi-modal data science, specifically within the context of the digital health industry. The growing digital health s... Read More about Empowering inquiry-based learning in short courses for professional students..

The impact of COVID-19 on the CS student learning experience: how the pandemic has shaped the educational landscape. (2022)
Conference Proceeding
SIEGEL, A.A., ZARB, M., ANDERSON, E., CRANE, B., GAO, A., LATULIPE, C., LOVELLETTE, E., MCNEILL, F. and MEHARG, D. 2022. The impact of COVID-19 on the CS student learning experience: how the pandemic has shaped the educational landscape. In ITiCSE-WGR'22: proceedings of the 2022 Working group reports (WGR), co-located with the 27th Innovation and technology in computer science education annual conference (ITiCSE-WGR '22), 11-13 July 2022, Dublin, Ireland. New York: ACM [online], pages 165-190. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1145/3571785.3574126

Students have experienced incredible shifts in their learning environments, brought about by the response of universities to the ever-changing public health mandates driven by waves and stages of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Initially, these... Read More about The impact of COVID-19 on the CS student learning experience: how the pandemic has shaped the educational landscape..

Teaching during COVID-19: (international) lessons learnt in computing. (2022)
Presentation / Conference
ZARB, M. 2022. Teaching during COVID-19: (international) lessons learnt in computing. Presented at the 2022 RGU annual learning and teaching conference (RGU LTC 2022): enhancing for impact, 21 October 2022, Aberdeen, UK.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced an unprecedented global shift within higher education in the ways that we educate students. Computing education traditionally focuses on experiential, in-person activities. The pandemic has mandated that educators... Read More about Teaching during COVID-19: (international) lessons learnt in computing..

Implementing a large files policy for assessment submission. (2022)
Presentation / Conference
ZARB, M. and LYTWYNENKO, J. 2022. Implementing a large files policy for assessment submission. Presented at the 2022 RGU annual learning and teaching conference (RGU LTC 2022): enhancing for impact, 21 October 2022, Aberdeen, UK.

All coursework submitted within the School of Computing goes through CampusMoodle. However, this is not always a practicable solution due to its 500MB file limit, and the growing complexity of files submitted for student work. Some modules in the Sch... Read More about Implementing a large files policy for assessment submission..

A reflection on lessons learnt with tackling grade inflation. (2022)
Presentation / Conference
LYTWYNENKO, J. and ZARB, M. 2022. A reflection on lessons learnt with tackling grade inflation. Presented at the 2022 RGU annual learning and teaching conference (RGU LTC 2022): enhancing for impact, 21 October 2022, Aberdeen, UK.

A common issue with the academic process is that of grade inflation, or the over-abundance of good grades, which directly leads to a perceived loss of grade value by employers. Throughout the past several years during Assessment Boards within the Sch... Read More about A reflection on lessons learnt with tackling grade inflation..

Responding to crisis: creating a wellness video. (2022)
Presentation / Conference
LYTWYNENKO, J. and ZARB, M. 2022. Responding to crisis: creating a wellness video. Presented at the 2022 RGU annual learning and teaching conference (RGU LTC 2022): enhancing for impact, 21 October 2022, Aberdeen, UK.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it became increasingly clear that students were struggling with their productivity and mental health, which was institutionally evident in the increasing number of drop-in requests we were getting during Office Hours... Read More about Responding to crisis: creating a wellness video..

Escaping traditional outreach: digital escape rooms to engage potential students. (2022)
Presentation / Conference
MARTIN, K., WRIGHT, R. and ZARB, M. 2022. Escaping traditional outreach: digital escape rooms to engage potential students. Presented at the 2022 RGU annual learning and teaching conference (RGU LTC 2022): enhancing for impact, 21 October 2022, Aberdeen, UK.

Outreach has been linked to many advantages, including improving access for typically disadvantaged students and raising their completion rates. The "Access To" programme is an outreach initiative for under-represented groups in secondary education.... Read More about Escaping traditional outreach: digital escape rooms to engage potential students..

Weathering the storm. (2022)
Presentation / Conference
WORK, F. and the RGU INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE PROJECT GROUP. 2022. Weathering the storm. Presented at the 2022 RGU annual learning and teaching conference (RGU LTC 2022): enhancing for impact, 21 October 2022, Aberdeen, UK.

Resilient Learning Communities is the 2020-2023 sector-wide QAA Enhancement theme (QAA 2020), with a specific aim to improve the student learning experience. QAA Enhancement themes involve institutions, staff and students working together to share pr... Read More about Weathering the storm..

COVID-19, students and the new educational landscape. (2022)
Conference Proceeding
SIEGEL, A.A., ZARB, M., ANDERSON, E., CRANE, B., GAO, A., LATULIPE, C., LOVELLETTE, E., MCNEILL, F. and MEHARG, D. 2022. COVID-19, students and the new education landscape. In ITiCSE '22: proceedings of the 27th ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education 2022 (ITiCSE'22), 8-13 July 2022, Dublin, Ireland. New York: ACM [online], pages 574-575. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1145/3502717.3532167

Students have experienced incredible shifts in the in their learning environments, brought about by the response of universities to the ever-changing public health mandates driven by waves and stages of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Initially,... Read More about COVID-19, students and the new educational landscape..

Teaching through a global pandemic: educational landscapes before, during and after COVID-19. (2021)
Conference Proceeding
SIEGEL, A.A., ZARB, M., ALSHAIGY, B., BLANCHARD, J., CRICK, T., GLASSEY, R., HOTT, J.R., LATULIPE, C., RIEDESEL, C., SENAPATHI, M., SIMON and WILLIAMS, D. 2021. Teaching through a global pandemic: educational landscapes before, during and after COVID-19. In ITiCSE-WGR '21: proceedings of the 26th ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) conference Working group reports on Innovation and technology in computer science education 2021, June 26 - July 1 2021, [virtual conference]. New York: ACM [online], pages 1-25. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1145/3502870.3506565

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has forced an unprecedented global shift within higher education in how instructors communicate with and educate students. This necessary paradigm shift has compelled educators to take a critical look at their teac... Read More about Teaching through a global pandemic: educational landscapes before, during and after COVID-19..

A multi-institutional exploration of the social mobility potential of degree apprenticeships. (2021)
Journal Article
SMITH, S., TAYLOR-SMITH, E., FABIAN, K., ZARB, M., PATERSON, J., BARR, M. and BERG, T. 2021. A multi-institutional exploration of the social mobility potential of degree apprenticeships. Journal of education and work [online], 34(4), pages 488-503. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2021.1946494

This mixed-method study at six universities asked degree apprentices about their trajectories into the apprenticeship, to better understand the social mobility potential of apprenticeships. The degree apprenticeship offers a route to a degree for app... Read More about A multi-institutional exploration of the social mobility potential of degree apprenticeships..

Experiences of piloting the learning by developing action model in a computing science context. (2021)
Conference Proceeding
LINTILÄ, T. and ZARB, M. 2021. Experiences of piloting the learning by developing action model in a computing science context. In Gómez Chova, L., López Martínez, A. and Candel Torres, I. (eds.) EDULEARN 21: proceedings of the 13th international conference on Education and new learning technologies 2021 (EDULEARN 2021), 5-6 July 2021, [virtual conference]. Valencia: International Academy of Technology, Education and Development (IATED) [online], pages 3036-3042. To be available from: https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2021

This article describes the piloting of the Learning by Developing (LbD) action model in the UK. The purpose of the pilot is to study how a pedagogical method based on the LbD can be introduced in computing students in the UK. The LbD action model has... Read More about Experiences of piloting the learning by developing action model in a computing science context..

Educational landscapes during and after COVID-19. (2021)
Conference Proceeding
SIEGEL, A.A., ZARB, M., ALSHAIGY, B., BLANCHARD, J., CRICK, T., GLASSEY, R., HOTT, J.R., LATULIPE, C., RIEDESEL, C., SENAPATHI, M., SIMON. and WILLIAMS, D. 2021. Educational landscapes during and after COVID-19. In Proceedings of the 26th Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Innovation and technology in computer science education conference 2021 (ITiCSE '21), 26 June - 1 July 2021, [virtual conference]. New York: ACM [online], pages 597-598. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1145/3456565.3461439

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has forced an unprecedented global shift within higher education in the ways that we communicate with and educate students. This necessary paradigm shift has compelled educators to take a critical look at their tea... Read More about Educational landscapes during and after COVID-19..

Computing degree apprenticeships: an opportunity to address gender imbalance in the IT sector? (2020)
Conference Proceeding
SMITH, S., TAYLOR-SMITH, E., FABIAN, K., BARR, M., BERG, T., CUTTING, D., PATERSON, J., YOUNG, T. and ZARB, M. 2020. Computing degree apprenticeships: an opportunity to address gender imbalance in the IT sector? In Proceedings of 2020 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Frontiers in education conference (FIE 2020), 21-24 October 2020, [virtual conference]. Piscataway: IEEE [online], article ID 9274144. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE44824.2020.9274144

This paper explores the potential for new work-based apprenticeship degrees to encourage more women into computing degrees and the IT sector. In the UK, women are currently under-represented on computing courses. Meanwhile the IT industry requires mo... Read More about Computing degree apprenticeships: an opportunity to address gender imbalance in the IT sector?.

Professional communication tools in higher education: a case study in implementing slack in the curriculum. (2020)
Conference Proceeding
MENZIES, R. and ZARB, M. 2020. Professional communication tools in higher education: a case study in implementing slack in the curriculum. In Proceedings of 2020 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Frontiers in education conference (FIE 2020), 21-24 October 2020, [virtual conference]. Piscataway: IEEE [online], article ID 9273906. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE44824.2020.9273906

This Innovative Practice Full Paper presents a study which considers the implications of embedding professional communication tools within the computing curriculum. Computing students are comfortable using various communication tools such as social m... Read More about Professional communication tools in higher education: a case study in implementing slack in the curriculum..

Analysing the learning by developing action model in HE computing. (2020)
Conference Proceeding
LINTILÄ, T. and ZARB, M. 2020. Analysing the learning by developing action model in HE computing. In Proceedings of 2020 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Frontiers in education conference (FIE 2020), 21-24 October 2020, [virtual conference]. Piscataway: IEEE [online], article ID 9274282. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE44824.2020.9274282

This Research to Practice Working Process presents the first phase of the study, in which background information was sought from the literature and by interviews pedagogical experts from Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Laurea). The background... Read More about Analysing the learning by developing action model in HE computing..

Computing students learning outcomes in learning by developing action model. (2020)
Conference Proceeding
LINTILÄ, T. and ZARB, M. 2020. Computing students learning outcomes in learning by developing action model. In Gómez Chova, L., López Martínez, A. and Candel Torres, I. (eds.) Proceedings of 13th International conference of education, research and innovation 2020 (ICERI2020), 9-10 November 2020, [virtual conference]. Valencia: IATED [online], pages 1936-1945. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2020.0477

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of research aimed at finding out the learning outcomes of computing students with a study module implementation based on the Learning by Developing (LbD) Action Model used in Laurea University of Ap... Read More about Computing students learning outcomes in learning by developing action model..

Through the lens: enhancing assessment with video-based presentation. (2020)
Conference Proceeding
ZARB, M. and BIRTLESKELMAN, J. 2020. Through the lens: enhancing assessment with video-based presentations. In Proceedings of the 25th Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Innovation and technology in computer science education conference 2020 (ITiCSE '20), 15-19 June 2020, Trondheim, Norway. New York: ACM [online], pages 187-192. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1145/3341525.3387376

This paper discusses a video-based approach trialled within Robert Gordon University. Students are typically asked to formally deliver presentations (either individually, or in groups) for summative assessment. Timetabling issues, large student numbe... Read More about Through the lens: enhancing assessment with video-based presentation..