The LRT Project: Integrating Learning, Research and Teaching at the
University of Sheffield
Information Sheet: Student Focus Group or Individual Consultation
You are being invited to take part in a research project. Before you decide it is
important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will
involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it
with others if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like
more information. Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part. Thank
you for reading this.
The Project
The LRT Project aims to explore undergraduate students’ and staff views of the links
between learning, research and teaching at the University of Sheffield, and to identify
ideas and existing examples of ways in which effective links can benefit students,
staff, departments and the University at large. For example, we hope that the project
will feed into improving opportunities for students to engage with, and contribute to,
the University’s research culture, and that it will provide a means of sharing good
examples of research-led teaching at the University. This research will also feed into a
range of policy and strategy suggestions for the University as a whole.
Why have I been chosen?
You are being invited to take part in a focus group or one-on-one consultation
because you expressed interest in contributing further to this research, either on the
questionnaire you filled in or in response to publicity about the project.
What is the focus group/consultation about?
The focus group/consultation will be a guided discussion between the project’s
student researcher and a group of undergraduate students from your Faculty. The
discussion will last approximately one hour. The topics discussed will include the
following: how learning, research and teaching are linked (or not) in your experience;
what issues arise for you in terms of your own research activities and/or those of your
teachers. There will be no pressure to talk about anything you prefer to keep private,
and all members of the focus groups will be asked to keep things discussed
confidential to the group.
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Do I have to take part?
It is entirely up to you whether to take part or not. If you decide not to, you don’t
have to give a reason.
Will my taking part in this project be kept confidential?
Yes. All the information that we collect about you during the course of the research
will be kept strictly confidential. Once analysis of the results has finished, all this data
will be deleted.
You will not be able to be identified in any reports or publications unless you have
given consent for this. If you give examples of research activities you have
experienced that the project would like to refer to in dissemination of its findings,
these may be traceable to your department or degree programme but in most cases
not to you personally.
During the focus group the student representative will inform you about the possible
traceability of any specific comments you make (for example, comments referring to
small-scale research projects). Your consent will be sought in any cases in which you
could be identified personally.
Focus group and interview data will be recorded digitally and stored as digital files in
password protected folders on a University computer. These files will be destroyed
on completion of the research project.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
The LRT Project is aiming to inform the University's policies on improving the
link between research and teaching across all Faculties. By contributing
your experiences and your particular examples of linkages between
research and teaching in your discipline to the study, you are helping to potentially
facilitate change across the University that could improve the learning
experience for current and future students.
What will happen to the results of the research project?
The LRT Project will create an online resource including examples of ways of involving
students in research activities. The project will also be written up and presented in a
number of forms, both within the University (e.g. research presentations in the
departments in which the research has been carried out) and to the
national/international teaching and research community. The writing-up and
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presentations will be done by the undergraduate student researchers who are
working on the project, as well as by other members of the project team. You will not
be able to be identified in any reports or publications unless you choose to be. If you
would like to be kept informed about the research presentations/publications arising
from this research please indicate this on your consent form and we’ll let you know
in due course.
Who is supporting and authorising this research?
The LRT Project is a University of Sheffield ‘SeeChange’ project focusing in
particular on the Faculties of Science and Social Sciences.
It is funded by these
Faculties, the Centre for Inquiry-based Learning in the Arts and Social Sciences
(CILASS), and the University’s Learning and Teaching Development Grant scheme.
This project has been approved by the CILASS Ethics Review Panel, which is
monitored by the University’s Research Ethics Committee.
More information or complaints?
If you would like more information about this research please contact the project’s
Research Associate Dr. Alec Patton, a.patton@sheffield.ac.uk.
If
you
have
a
complaint
please
contact
Professor
Levy
(Project
Lead)
p.levy@shef.ac.uk.
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Name of Applicant:
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