The Moderating Effects of Emotions on Cognitive Skills

An important challenge in higher education today is the growing tutor -student ratio that diminishes the ‘human touch’. As learning and teaching is ultimately an interpersonal process, this will lead to student discontent and impact on the ir learning. Whilst there is little that teaching practitioners can do in terms of the growing student numbers they have to tutor , they may however influence student learning by enhancing their positive emotions. This study examines the importance of emotion s in improving cognitive skills and how it interacts with knowledge and reflection. This research contributes to theory by examining the role of emotions as a moderating factor in the lear ning process. Our findings reveal that emotions moderate the direct relationship between knowledge and cognitive skills , and the indirect relationship between knowledge and cognitive skills via reflection. The findings demonstrate the critical role that emotions play in student learning. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Developing and Using Consultancy Skills

In Chapter 4, ‘Developing and using consultancy skills’, Ruth Sacks and I discuss what it means to be a consultant and what is it that consultants do. This is presented in the order of stages in a project; starting, ‘doing’ and ending, with specific sections dedicated to examining each stage. Adopting a consulting approach helps L&D professionals to ‘demonstrate’ the value they bring, and may be undertaken through projects that have been articulated and justified through a business case.

Employability, Skills Development and Enterprise Creation (Momentum, University of Worcester)

Background to the Momentum project : PSS1 (Sept 2014 - July 2016): funded by HEFCE to promote Postgraduate Education and Employability. A discussion of group demographics, student experience, employer feedback, and enterprise creation through the establishment of the University of Worcester Business Incubator. The presentation concludes with a number of lessons learned from the project.