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REF 2014: Higher education pedagogic research and impact

This report explores issues surrounding the submission of and value given to higher education (HE) pedagogic research within the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF). It explores the following research questions:

  • What proportion of the impact case studies submitted through Unit of Assessment 25 in the 2014 REF were targeted at each sector?
  • How does the proportion of case studies in HE relate to the proportion of outputs?
  • In what ways and to what extent did REF guidance about impact case studies affect submissions?
  • In what ways and to what extent do stakeholders believe that the REF impacts on HE research?

The impact case study rules specified the number of case studies required according to the number of ‘Category A’ staff submitted (FTE) and that impacts needed to be wider in reach than the submitting higher education institution (HEI). Concerns have been voiced that this may have skewed Education UoA submissions away from HE pedagogy.

The research included an exploration of outputs submitted to the Education UoA in REF 2014 and analysis of the impact case studies submitted. This was followed by 15 interviews with UoA co-ordinators and other stakeholders with an interest in pedagogic research.

ref_2014_higher_education_pedagogic_research_and_impact_-_templated_version.pdf
15/06/2016
ref_2014_higher_education_pedagogic_research_and_impact_-_templated_version.pdf View Document

The materials published on this page were originally created by the Higher Education Academy.