Stitching together research and data to create evidence for innovation

In this paper, colleagues from the University of the Arts London share insights regarding how they are, first, using data to adapt their offers to enhance students’ learning experiences and outcomes and, second, developing a data approach to examine impact and share evidence for further change.

The London College of Fashion learning development department has access to institutional grade, retention and continuation data, and survey responses. However, this high-level data can be challenging to examine for feedback on practice and for innovation. In response, we have evolved an approach of stitching together a patchwork of institutional data with finer-grained exploration of students’ formal and informal feedback relating to their experiences within the College. Particularly useful has been listening to students’ perceptions shared through learning conversations and interactions, sessions with Changemakers and during collaborations when trialling new ideas. In turn, we have pieced together these qualitative insights with analysis of a range of institutional data within a situated perspective of students’ learning and research within the field to create theories of change to enhance students’ outcomes and experiences (Thomas & Jones, 2017; Snoussi & Mompelat, 2018; UUK, 2019; HEPI, 2023; TASO, 2024). These includes higher attainment, students’ greater belief in their efforts and increased connectedness with lecturers and students in the College.

A further challenge has been gathering varied data to infer in detail how the adaptations to our practice influence equity, inclusivity and success within the contexts they are operationalised within. The paper shares some collective conceptual and technical developments and challenges for the practical implementation of a data infrastructure to enhance our own understandings and inform how we share evidence for improved student experiences and outcomes.

The paper concludes with key takeaways regarding significant learnings from this work, which participants may find useful in their own practice.