The experiential learning potential of the dissertation

The end of the academic year is always an exciting time – we celebrate our graduates and feel overwhelmingly proud of how mature they have become in those years at Leeds. Importantly, we also have some time to reflect on the last year and start preparing for the next.  

As part of the University of Leeds Curriculum Redefined initiative to enhance students’ learning experience, we facilitate students’ learning in terms of knowledge building and skills development, enhance contextual awareness, and guide them towards reflective practice.  

Knowledge is powerful, but without the skills and understanding of how to apply it, it falls short of important learning development and may not translate into job-readiness of our graduates.  

In this blog post, we reflect on the experiential learning within an undergraduate dissertation module from the perspectives of the module leader, supervisor, student and the Behaviour Lab team. 

Module Leader’s Reflection: Dr Nathalie Benesova 

Approaches and examples of experiential learning are many, and this year, we focus on one which lies at the heart of what we do – the dissertation. The dissertation is not the first thing that springs to mind when we think about experiential learning – we get so used to the exciting and interactive co-curricular approaches like field trips, placements, special workshops and events with industry experts like Leaders in Residence, that a dissertation does not always make it to the spotlight.  

As a module leader for the undergraduate management dissertation, I am guilty of sidelining the dissertation as an experiential learning researcher. It is sometimes more difficult to see what is right in front of us, until something reminds us how much potential the dissertation holds. I was fortunate to receive such a reminder this year. 

We have seen an increase in problem-based dissertations in the past couple of years, perhaps unsurprisingly given the direction of focus of Gen Z on values and societal problems. Many dissertations focused on extremely interesting topics such as AI, environmental policies, social and wicked problems, or innovation in various contexts.  

We have students using innovative research design to challenge themselves. For example, Hamzeh Qaraman, a BA Business Management student, followed an experimental design and conducted his data collection in the Behaviour Lab (a state-of-the-art research facility at Leeds University Business School, dedicated to advancing research, teaching and knowledge exchange in human behaviour and analysis) under the supervision of Dr Winnie Lam. This was the first time we had a lab-based dissertation on the module, and the outcome was outstanding.  

We could clearly see experiential learning outcomes, particularly the depth of understanding and application, and surprisingly a distinct level of reflexivity, which is perhaps the hardest aspect of experiential learning – both for students to acquire and for us to assess.  

The latter half of this post is a summary of the project, its design, and findings prepared by Hamzeh, including his reflection on his work in the Behaviour Lab, followed by Dr Lam’s refection – as the supervisor – on the experiential learning element. 

Student’s Reflection: Hamzeh Qaraman 

With e-commerce transforming business models, brands face intense pressure to establish and optimise their online presence through digital channels, primarily websites. The challenge, then, lies in capturing and sustaining web user attention whilst presenting product information effectively and in ways that are ‘mentally digestible’ for later recall.  

My study used eye-tracking technology to examine how including a human face in fashion retail website visuals affects consumer attention and memory. Eye-tracking was a key tool in my study, and therefore using the Behaviour Lab was a crucial part of my research design.  

Results showed that images with a human face increased consumer attention and memory recall compared to images without a face. However, when the human face was present in a video, it reduced attention to the product – likely due to the motion element of the video competing for attention and distracting online shoppers from paying attention to the product worn by the model when their face was visible.  

Interestingly, the findings differed between women’s and men’s fashion sections, pointing towards gender acting as a moderator of how people visually process website content. 

Conducting my experiment in the Behaviour Lab was, by far, one of the most rewarding experiences of my journey in academia. The lab is equipped with cutting-edge eye-tracking technology – including Tobii Pro eye trackers and Gorilla Experiment Builder – and 20 PCs fitted with HD cameras, all of which allowed me to collect and analyse gaze data at scale.  

However, the process was far from smooth. I encountered unexpected issues, such as discovering mid-experiment that male participants weren’t shown the correct webpage version – a mistake I had to quickly fix. These moments taught me resilience and real-time problem solving. Moreover, I developed technical skills in Python (a computer programming language) to generate heatmaps and used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyse complex gaze metrics. As such, learning to translate raw eye movements into meaningful insights was a major milestone.  

In addition to mastering the tools, I grew in my ability to adapt and withstand pressure, debug issues independently, and remain committed even during late nights and data dilemmas – skills I’m currently applying in my new business venture. 

This study has been the most intellectually stimulating and rewarding project of my undergraduate journey. To think that I started this project from scratch – formulating hypotheses to designing my experiment employing software I have never used before, collecting data (a totally unique experience), and interpreting findings – really pushed me out of my comfort zone.  

A key achievement was generating my first heatmap with Python, turning my initial concept into a working output. The project reinforced that research is not only about reporting findings, but also about building skills and experience, and applying them to deliver meaningful results. Things went wrong. Data became messy at some points. But it was through these adversities that I grew to become more resilient – both academically and personally. I have really experienced how rewarding it is not to shy away from tackling complex and uncertain methods. If a topic excites you, even if it means stretching yourself outside your comfort zone, let that passion fuel you! 

Supervisor’s Reflection: Dr Winnie Lam 

Undertaking a dissertation is extremely valuable in enhancing students’ understanding of a topic of their choice and their ability to analyse, synthesise and present information. As a dissertation supervisor, I can see that using the Behaviour Lab to conduct an experiment requires more responsibility from students; they need to actively participate in the research process, coordinate with the Behaviour Lab staff, design and facilitate the experiment, learn how to use new software, and handle experimental data – something most students experience for the first time.  

Much of ‘learning by doing’ followed by ‘reflecting on doing’ is involved in the process. This puts students’ problem-solving skills, resilience and diligence to the test in the race to complete their dissertation within a limited time.  

As a supervisor, I felt I had to give more thought to when and what to comment on, and providing timely and useful guidance to help Hamzeh be more effective and allow him to participate and actively learn throughout the process. As such, it was a valuable experience not just for the student, but also for me as the supervisor. 

The Behaviour Lab 

Many interesting projects were developed by students this year, showing the range of experiences students make during their dissertation journey. Hamzeh’s project was an exceptional example of combining both academic and practical approach by using the Behaviour Lab.  

Dr Helen Hughes (Behaviour Lab Director) and Dr Lauren Machon (Behaviour Lab Manager) were very supportive, providing Hamzeh with advice and guidance. Reflecting on the experience, Dr Hughes said that “some of the resources Hamzeh developed to collect his data were incredible and we are going to use them in the future, particularly in our new module, to motivate students and show them what is possible”.  

This new, undergraduate module - LUBS3014 ‘Behavioural Science in the Contemporary Workplace’. - will run in the next academic year for the first time, giving students the opportunity to learn methods they can use in their final year dissertation and later in their careers. 

The Behaviour Lab is an inclusive space where researchers, educators, and industry partners work together to explore human behaviour. It includes two specialist rooms: one set up for group activities and virtual reality experiences, and another with individual computer stations for tasks like eye tracking and physiological monitoring. A control room allows researchers to observe and record sessions without disturbing participants. The lab is equipped with advanced tools such as VR headsets, eye-tracking cameras, and sensors to measure physical responses, as well as software to design, run, and analyse experiments. Research can be carried out on site or online, making the lab a flexible resource for a wide range of projects.