What was the project about?
The ideal student project aimed to better understand what is expected of university students. Implicit and unspoken expectations, especially from staff, can result in diverse but patterned student experiences, and contribute to wider social inequalities and reproductions. This project mapped out the student characteristics that are valued by staff and students themselves across different disciplines. By understanding how the ‘ideal’ learner is constructed in specific contexts, staff and students can better recognise and address differences in their expectations.
Who was running the project?
The project was led by Professor Billy Wong at the University of Reading, in collaboration with Dr Tiffany Chiu at Imperial College London.
Who funded the project?
This project is funded by the British Academy