This article reports on a piece of research designed to explore students' perceptions of what constitutes effective teaching in a modern UK university. Definitions of effectiveness, based on work in both the schools and university sectors, are explored and summarized into four domains: providing a supportive learning environment; having high…

The transnational widening of participation in higher education (HE) and the concomitant emphasis on promoting successful progression and high retention are focusing attention on how best to create supportive learning environments in HE. Using a phenomenographic approach, we explore variance in how first year undergraduate students experience the…