Lightning Talks
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
LIGHTNING TALKS
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Fostering Belonging Through Micro-Engagements: Digital Touchpoints and Lunchtime Connections
Creating a sense of belonging is critical for student engagement, retention, and wellbeing. Research shows that a higher daily sense of belonging significantly boosts both emotional and behavioural engagement in students—especially among first-generation learners—underscoring the importance of purposeful community-building (Kahu & Nelson, 2018; Thomas, 2020).This project introduces a practical, scalable approach to embedding belonging through micro-engagements—small, intentional actions delivered via digital platforms and complemented by short, focused in-person events. Unlike large-scale interventions, these everyday prompts and themed gatherings aim to normalize community-building practices across diverse student cohorts (Ajjawi et al., 2025).
Micro-engagements are inherently low-barrier and inclusive, designed as short, meaningful touchpoints. These include conversation starters, peer recognition prompts, and well-being check ins deployed via tools like Moodle and Teams. Such strategies leverage existing digital infrastructure—known to increase student engagement while reducing logistical overhead (Tinto, 2017).
Importantly, personal tutors facilitate these micro-engagements directly within their tutor groups, ensuring regular, personalized contact that strengthens student–staff relationships and supports belonging and retention (Ajjawi et al., 2025).
To complement online connection, the model integrates brief, themed on-campus events—such as lunchtime meetups, interactive challenges, and problem-solving activities. Evidence shows that even small-scale campus events significantly enhance community bonds and improve student retention (Thomas, 2020).
This strategy elevates belonging from a series of occasional events to a sustained institutional culture, embedding supportive practices into daily student life. The presentation covers implementation steps, sample micro-engagement formats, and findings from early pilots—including feedback and participation metrics. By combining digital and physical micro-engagements, supported by tutor facilitation, institutions can foster inclusive communities that bolster academic success and personal well-being.
Ultimately, this model represents a flexible, cost-effective pathway to transform belonging from a one-off initiative into an enduring learning culture that supports diverse learners in higher education settings.
Learning Outcomes
2) Identify practical strategies for implementing micro-engagements within tutor groups
Bibliography
Kahu, E. R., & Nelson, K. (2018). Student engagement in the educational interface: Understanding the mechanisms of student success. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(1), 58–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2017.1344197
Thomas, L. (2020). Student engagement and belonging in higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 42(3), 241–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2020.1733737
Tinto, V. (2017). Through the eyes of students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 19(3), 254–269. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115621917
Competencies
This session addresses the following competencies of the UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and TutoringC3 - Academic advising and tutoring approaches and strategies
C4 - Expected outcomes of academic advising and tutoring
I6 - Campus and community resources that support student success
R1 - Build advising and tutoring relationships through empathetic listening and compassion for students, and be accessible in ways that challenge, support, nurture, and teach
R2 - Communicate in an inclusive and respectful manner
R4 - Plan and conduct successful advising and tutoring interactions
I1 - HE Provider mission, vision, values, and culture
C5 - How equitable and inclusive environments are created and maintained
C1 - Core values of academic advising and tutoring
C2 - Theory relevant to academic advising and tutoring
Non-traditional Students' Transitions- Passports to Success
Students transitioning into university face challenges associated with new responsibilities, unfamiliar settings and increased academic demands. And the challenges can be even greater for students from backgrounds not traditionally associated with higher education. While more attention has recently been paid to the needs of non-traditional student groups, it has largely been at a group level which means generalizations that may miss important issues associated with individual experience. We argue that more comprehensive and individuated measures for such a diverse cohort entering each academic year needs to be found, and 2 related recent research strands have suggested how a bottom-up approach based on EAP students' individual needs can add clarity and provide solutions. The first strand is co-created student content (Woods and Homer, 2022) which builds on the curriculum with the kind of skills and knowledge which can benefit transitioning students. The second is student passports (Ryan and Morris, 2020), which have been shown to provide a personalised knowledge base to build from as they progress into and through university.
This presentation reports findings from a project co-created with 3 second-year students at the University of Westminster that sought to establish: a) The challenges faced by non-traditional students transitioning into the 1st year of university and b) The extent a student passport approach could assist individual transitions. Contributing to the project were 2 members of staff, the 3 student co-creators and 9 1st-year student participants. Qualitative data was collected from the 9 student participants in 2, 1-hour long focus groups (1 in person; 1 online) using semi-structured interviews that were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. While some emergent themes aligned with the literature, (e.g. student expectations failing to match experience), others provided more unexpected insights, such as the extent and nature of the supporting input that transitioning students viewed as helpful and specific examples will be highlighted during the presentation. The student passport approach, utilized with the right input and support, was largely seen as a constructive addition to the assimilation process and led to ideas which have already transferred to a larger university-wide transition program. Further recommendations emerge regarding future possibilities for supporting more inclusive transitions for all 1st-semester students, with discussion on how these can be adapted and applied to other settings.
Learning Outcomes
Gain practical ideas for helping students assimilate into university.
Bibliography
Crisp, D., Rickwood, D., Martin, B., & Byrom, N. (2020). Implementing a peer support program for improving university student wellbeing: The experience of program facilitators. Australian Journal of Education, 1-14.
Davison, E., Sanderson, R., Hobson, T., & Hopkins, J. (2022). Skills for Success? Supporting transition into higher education for students from diverse backgrounds. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 24(1), 165–186.
Ecochard, S., & Fotheringham, J. (2017). International Students’ Unique Challenges-Why Understanding International Transitions to Higher Education Matters (Vol. 2, pp. 100–108).
Henri, D. C., Morrell, L. J., & Scott, G. W. (2018). Student perceptions of their autonomy at University. Higher Education
Ploner, J. (2018). International students’ transitions to UK Higher Education – revisiting the concept and practice of academic hospitality. Journal of Research in International Education, 17(2), 164–178.
O’Shea, S. (2016). Avoiding the manufacture of ‘sameness’: first-in-family students, cultural capital and the higher education environment. Higher Education, 72(1), 59–78.
Ryan, S. –J., & Morris, J. (2020). Physiotherapy students’ and practice educators’ experiences of using placements passports: a tool to enhance collaboration on placement. International Journal of Practice-based Learning in Health and Social Care, 8(1), 31–46.
Thompson, M., Pawson, C., & Evans, B. (2021). Navigating entry into higher education: the transition to independent learning and living.
Woods, K., & Homer, D. (2022). The staff–student co-design of an online resource for pre-arrival arts and humanities students. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 21(2), 176–197.
Competencies
This session addresses the following competencies of the UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and TutoringC5 - How equitable and inclusive environments are created and maintained
P1 - Create and support environments that consider the needs and perspectives of students, and respect individual learners
R3 - Motivate, encourage, and support students to recognize their potential, meet challenges, and respect individuality
Developing non-cognitive skills in foundation students
Non-cognitive skills are considered more important than IQ for life success and attainment (Heckman & Kautz, 2012). Non-cognitive skills are sometimes referred to as character skills or social and emotional skills as they are a set of attitudes, behaviours and strategies including self-regulation, motivation, social skills, creativity and perseverance (Gutman & School, 2013). Better non-cognitive skills are linked to increased psychological well-being and mental health (Cuesta & Budría, 2015), they not only predict educational and occupational outcomes but also contribute to overall life satisfaction (Heckman & Kautz, 2012).Despite their importance, formal teaching of non-cognitive skills is largely absent from universities. VESPA is a research-driven framework that develops the essential non-cognitive skills every student needs for academic success. Each pillar represents a crucial dimension that predicts student achievement: vision, effort, systems, practice and attitude. VESPA is used extensively in sixth form colleges in the UK and internationally. It focuses on developing students' academic skills and mindsets to increase engagement, motivation and ultimately academic attainment.
This talk will outline the integration of VESPA into a level 3 (foundation year) module via weekly activities. Additionally, one to one VESPA coaching was also offered a subgroup of 20 level 3 students. VESPA coaching involves students meeting with someone who is trained in the VESPA approach to discuss their non-cognitive strengths and areas for improvement, with clear goals for their academic work. The evaluation plan will also be outlined in the presentation; the VESPA questionnaire will be administered several times throughout the academic year. Although only time 1 (start of academic year) and time 2 (before the Christmas break) will be discussed in the session as the final data will not available until later in the summer.
Learning Outcomes
LO2: Integrate non-cognitive skills activities into teaching sessions
LO3: Evaluate non-cognitive skills interventions
Bibliography
Gutman, L. M., & Schoon, I. (2013). The impact of non-cognitive skills on outcomes for young people. A literature review.
Heckman, J. J., & Kautz, T. (2012). Hard evidence on soft skills. Labour economics, 19(4), 451-464.
Oakes, S., & Griffin, M. (2018). The GCSE Mindset: 40 activities for transforming commitment, motivation and productivity. Crown House Publishing Ltd.
Chapter the presenter has contributed to: Oakes, S., Martin, G. (2017) 'Chapter 9: Activity: Test yourself!.' The GCSE Mindset 40 activities for transforming student commitment, motivation and productivity. Crown House Publishing Ltd
Competencies
This session addresses the following competencies of the UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and TutoringC3 - Academic advising and tutoring approaches and strategies
R3 - Motivate, encourage, and support students to recognize their potential, meet challenges, and respect individuality
R6 - Facilitate problem solving, decision-making, meaning-making, planning, and goal setting