VRA Scheme

The aim of this cross disciplinary project is to scope, map and design gamified learning opportunities

VRA Role:

• Audit existing games
• Map games to learning contexts within existing courses
• Help to design new games
• No experience required but familiarity with gaming preferred

Ongoing

Experience working as part of a cross discipline team; understanding of teaching and learning needs, development of gamification skills and knowledge, an understanding of the application of research and gamification to learning. 

Staff Contact:

Understanding factors that influence facial expression recognition

There are a number of factors that affect emotion recognition including age, gender, use of BSL and mental health.  Most research to date has investigated this by comparing the mean performance of two or more experimental groups.  This research seeks to understand the relationship between the visual signals in the image and emotion recognition performance at the level of the individual.  This will be achieved by presenting participants with a series of images on a computer screen and asking them to make decisions about the expressions.  Looking at their responses to these images tells us how sensitive they are to the emotions.

There are currently two projects that you can engage in:

• the effect of ageing on sensitivity to emotions
• effect of social anxiety, autism and BSL on sensitivity to emotions

Eligibility criteria: The candidates will need to have normal or corrected to normal vision.  The candidates will need to be confident using computers and have an interest in visual perception

VRA Role:

• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Write-up methods and results

 November 2021

Staff Contact:

The aim of the study is to understand how different social groups perceive academics based on the form of social knowledge of the group expressed by their shared values, norms and attitudes.  A Qualtrics study has been prepared and ethics application has been submitted.

• Monitor and encourage recruitment to online Qualtrics study
• Data preparation
  • Getting the data into suitable forms for analysis
• Data analysis and interpretation
  • This will include considerable qualitative analysis and so confidence using or learning to use techniques (g., thematic analysis) and software for qualitative data analysis such as nvivo will be important
  • Some SPSS analysis may also be required
• Write-up results

May 2021

As needed weekly from May 2021 until September 2021 (N.B. a schedule of engagement will be arranged between us, normally at least 2 hours per week).

Experience collecting, analysing and preparing data for write up.  Training in data management, analysis and using nvivo software.  Working as part of a research team with other VRAs.

L.Delicato@hw.ac.uk

Edinburgh, Dubai, Malaysia

Validation of a potential training paradigm for student presentation skills

We are looking for students who can help running the study and act as audience members where participants engage in presentation practice. You will help with administering feedback exercises and in analysing behaviours.