Benefits of User Personas to Foster Student-Centred Learning in Higher Education

This workshop explores the SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) theme of “Making Connections” by introducing user personas—data-driven profiles adapted from design thinking—to enhance student-centred teaching practices. Drawing on insights from Transforming Higher Education with Human-Centred Design anthology, we connect SoTL principles like inquiry into student learning and contextual sensitivity. Personas help educators understand how students' goals, emotions, and challenges shape their learning, keeping student perspectives at the forefront of curriculum design. The session focuses on how user personas support reflective, evidence-based inquiry, capturing both qualitative and quantitative data unique to an institution’s context. This approach aligns with inclusive, contextually grounded education practices that promote empathy and broaden the scope of learner engagement. Participants will learn to apply persona profiling through hands-on activities, fostering skills to design more inclusive courses that respond to real student needs. The workshop answers essential SoTL questions about integrating diverse student voices and embedding empathy in teaching practices, aligning with conference subthemes of student engagement, learner autonomy, and inclusivity. Ultimately, this session equips educators with practical tools to strengthen connections between teaching strategies and student realities, advancing thoughtful, student-centred programme design.