Exploring Course Leaders’ Reflections of Learning Communities at Sheffield Hallam University

The overarching aim of the project was to explore and capture examples of practices and ideas for success to enhance the course experience for students, with a particular emphasis on the theme of learning communities. Learning communities was an area that received a notable decrease in student satisfaction in the 2021 National Student Survey (NSS) at Sheffield Hallam University. Interviews were carried out with eight course leaders to explore: the practices used on their courses; the aspects that could be made even better; the evidence that they draw upon to understand the effectiveness of these practices. The following themes were identified: 1) staff-student relationships; 2) curriculum content and pedagogy; 3) peer networks and relationships; 4) supportive relationships between staff members; 5) societies and external networks. The practices identified by course leaders were consistent with practices identified in other relevant literature.