Operationalising VARK Learning Styles in a Religious Upper Secondary School: A Practitioner Reflection on a 13-Month University Social Responsibility Grant

Executing University Social Responsibility (USR) community grants within rigid higher education frameworks creates operational, administrative, and temporal friction for academic practitioners. This qualitative study examines the operational realities, structural constraints, and adaptive coping mechanisms experienced by an eight-member university project team (N=8) during a 13-month grant-funded initiative (July 2025–July 2026). The grant aimed to adapt and implement Fleming’s Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, and Kinaesthetic (VARK) learning style framework for upper secondary students at Sekolah Menengah Agama (SMA) Arab JAIM As-Syakirin, integrated alongside an international matching grant collaboration with Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar (UNISMUH). Grounded in the Iron Triangle of Project Management (Time, Cost/Resources, and Scope) and Schön’s Reflective Practice Framework, empirical qualitative data were gathered using a structured individual reflective protocol based on Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle. Utilising Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, four primary empirical themes emerged: (1) Multi-Phase Temporal Friction, characterised by non-linear field execution due to clashing academic calendars, national examination preparation, school sports competitions (MSSD), and emergency postponements caused by a student food poisoning outbreak; (2) Institutional Red Tape and Financial Friction, marked by shifting Bursary Department requirements, tedious physical signature routing across campus, and reliance on out-of-pocket financial advances by academic staff; (3) Pedagogical Scope Adaptation, reflecting trade-offs required following copyrighted VARK instrument re-applications, pilot simulations expanding single-modality sessions, participant sample drops from student suspensions/expulsions, and mid-project alignment with UiTM’s PRIMe 3-star rating mandate; and (4) Adaptive Practitioner Workarounds, highlighting the reliance on practitioner reflection-in-action, task reallocations, and informal digital communication channels to maintain project momentum. The findings demonstrate how academic practitioners absorb administrative and financial burdens to protect community trust. The paper concludes with actionable policy recommendations for higher education institutions, including standardised bursary checklists, dedicated grant desk officers, mandatory administrative buffer windows, and grace periods for mid-grant policy changes.

University Social Responsibility (USR); Community Grant Management; Iron Triangle Constraints; Reflective Practice

1. Atkinson, R. (1999). Project management: cost, time and quality, two best guesses and a phenomenon, its time to accept other success criteria. International Journal of Project Management, 17(6), 337–342. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0263-7863(98)00069-6 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Bennett, N. L. (1989). Donald A. Schön, Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1987. 355 pages. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 9(2), 115–116. https://doi.org/10.1002/chp.4750090207 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Chan, L., & Wang, C. (2025). Research on Risk Indicators of Project Procurement in Higher Education Institutions. Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 9(5), 96–101. https://doi.org/10.26689/jcer.v9i5.10553 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2024). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. Sage Publications, Incorporated. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. De Barros, F. R., De Oliveira, J. V. F., Da Cunha Gonçalves Lima, H., Faustino, L. R., & Muglia, T. B. (2024). Overcoming bureaucracy in higher education institutions: a systematic literature review. Educationis, 12(2), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.6008/cbpc2318-3047.2024.002.0006 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. El Assadi, A., Konate, B. S., & El Assadi, M. (2026). Navigating Institutional Friction: Governance Burdens in Hybrid Systems of Authority. Public Administration and Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.70089 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Hartmann, A., Kruijf, J. V., & Van Weesep, R. (2023). Asking the right questions: The role of reflection for learning in and between projects. International Journal of Project Management, 41(5), 102494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2023.102494 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Gibbs, G. (1998). Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. In Open MIND. https://doi.org/10.24384/2ewd-qj09 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1986). But is it rigorous? Trustworthiness and authenticity in naturalistic evaluation. New Directions for Program Evaluation, 1986(30), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/ev.1427 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Loblay, V., Garvey, K., Shiell, A., Kavanagh, S., & Hawe, P. (2022). Icing or cake? Grant competitions as a model for funding chronic disease prevention in Tasmania, Australia. Health Promotion International, 37(5). https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daac115 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Lugg, C., Champagne, A., & Maldonado, H. (2024). Changing institutional culture to change student outcomes: Grant funding, change management, and student success at small institutions. New Directions for Student Services. https://doi.org/10.1002/ss.20544 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Makovec, M. B. (2025). The paradigm of the Iron Triangle. Izzivi Prihodnosti, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.37886/ip.2025.002 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Rodríguez‐Izquierdo, R. M. (2025). University Social Responsibility: Unravelling the perceptions of external stakeholders. Higher Education Quarterly, 79(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.70035 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Santos, J. M. R. C. A. (2021). Management of public–private R&D projects in Higher Education: key trends and issues. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2021.1894616 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Schön, D. A. (2017). The reflective practitioner. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315237473 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Schon, D. A., & DeSanctis, V. (1986). The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 34(3), 29–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377366.1986.10401080 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Wang, R.-J., Hsueh, C.-M., Chiang, W.-W., Shih, Y.-H., Lin, J. C., & Pang, P. (2026). University Social Responsibility (USR) programs and the transformation of Taiwan’s higher education: pathways to sustainability and local engagement. Frontiers in Education, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1756071 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Watanabe, W. C., Shafiq, M., Ali, S., Nawaz, M. J., & Nazeer, S. (2024). The impact of triple constraints on the project success, a moderating role of organizational support. Journal of Project Management, 9(1), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.jpm.2023.8.002 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Wright, B., Steyn, L., & Van Niekerk, A. (2025). Reigniting work engagement through coping for burned-out academics: An open distance learning context. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 51. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v51i0.2264 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Yusuf, J.-E. W., Whytlaw, J. L., Saitgalina, M., Nwandu-Vincent, O. M., Anuar, K. A., Allen, T., & Behr, J. (2026). Equity in Coastal Resilience: A Framework for University Engagement in Community-Based Projects. Sustainability, 18(6), 2815. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062815 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study