About the lecture
Higher Education providers are increasingly shaped by what can be measured – attainment, progression, engagement and satisfaction. However, some of the most meaningful aspects of learning lie beyond metrics alone.
Professor McDermott’s Inaugural Lecture will explore the contribution of a qualitative approach to understanding, enhancing and transforming the student experience through a commitment to listening, interpretation and innovation.
Qualitative psychology is uniquely positioned to illuminate the complexity of human experience, but it is also notoriously difficult to teach. Students are often challenged by its interpretive nature, its philosophical foundations and its emphasis on ambiguity rather than certainty.
Drawing on her work as an educator, researcher and academic leader, Professor McDermott will reflect on how qualitative methods can be taught in ways that encourage curiosity, confidence and critical thinking, enabling students to engage meaningfully with complexity rather than shy away from it.
Her lecture will further examine how qualitative scholarship has informed innovations in teaching, curriculum design and student support, demonstrating how evidence derived from students' voices can drive meaningful change.
Ultimately, Beyond Measure? asks what becomes possible when we move beyond counting students' experiences to understanding them.
About the lecturer
Professor Hilary McDermott positions student learning and the student experience at the heart of everything she does.
She joined the University as a mature student, achieving her BSc Psychology in 2003 and her PhD in 2007. Having completed her postgraduate research, she was appointed Lecturer in Psychology.
Throughout her career, she has developed a strong national reputation as a qualitative educator and researcher, leading on the adoption of teaching qualitative research in psychology both institutionally and at a national level.
As an influential educator, much of Hilary’s work draws on the implementation of innovation to support and enhance student learning. She has been awarded numerous University Development Awards, Teaching Innovation Awards and Talent Match funding which have allowed her to make a substantial contribution to the development of institutional learning and teaching quality.
Her sustained and continuous record of pedagogic excellence was recognised in 2022 when she was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship. These Fellowships are one of the highest individual honours in UK Higher Education, recognising outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession.
For further information on this lecture, please contact the Events team.
