Transcript Student Academic Representative (StARS) Scheme training
Student Academic Representative (StARs) Scheme Training 2013-14 Please sign the register and take a seat
What today’s session will cover
StARs scheme at London Met
Welcome & Ice-breaker Quality Assurance Role of a StAR?
Advice and support Make yourself known Feedback Identifying & dealing with issues Course Committee meetings Campaigning and taking action Communication hints and tips Evaluation Form
Ice-breaker!
Form a circle in alphabetical order of the town or city you were born in
Introduce yourself to the group and state name, course and town/city
State why you decided to become a StAR?
StARs: Getting Started
University expects faculties to have StARs for each year of each course StARs to attend Course Committee meetings and liaise with Course Leaders and other academics throughout the year 4-7 Faculty StARs per faculty elected to the Student Council StARs are there to represent students on academic based issues effecting the course, cluster or faculty
Quality Assurance Agency
The QAA is a quality ‘Watchdog’ which ensures that courses delivered in UK Universities were of an appropriate standard and that a good quality education was being offered The Quality Enhancement Unit at London Met is there to keep the Universities Quality Framework and work to make sure the high quality of teaching The Quality Enhancement Unit are VERY keen to work with StARs from all faculties of London Met. StARs provide some of the most useful feedback Catherine Connor, Head of Quality Enhancement Unit [email protected]
Habib Rahman, Deputy Head of QEU, [email protected]
StARs: Advice and support
StARs Handbook StARs Weblern organisation (one per faculty) Students’ Union website: http://www.londonmetsu.org.uk/studentacademicreps/ NUS Connect Course Rep website: http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/campaigns/highereducation/student engagement/courserephub/ QAA/NUS Quality Matters website (includes on-line training) http://qualitymatters.nus.org.uk/ London Met Metranet (for faculty and University information) https://intranet.londonmet.ac.uk/
StARs: Officer & staff contacts
SU Education & Academic Affairs Officer: Md Monir Hossain [email protected]
Students’ Union faculty attached Sabbatical officers: FSSH: Mohammad Obaidullah
Faculty StAR staff contact points: FBL - Andrew Halford [email protected]
CASS - Cecile Tschirhart [email protected]
FLSC Peter Chalk [email protected]
FSSH - Sheila Lodge [email protected]
1. What is the role of a StAR?
Understand the role of a StAR Group Activity 1
Role of a StAR
To represent students views and opinions on all matters relating to teaching and learning in an effort to continuously improve the student learning experience in partnership with the institution and Students’ Union.
Identify issues on the ground Raise issues and concerns with Faculty Notify course mates or developments and opportunities Provide feedback (positive and negative) to faculty Build strong working-relationship with Course Leader etc Be consulted by faculty on relevant issues and contribute to development and strategy of faculty.
Making yourself known
How can you make yourself known as a StAR?
Making yourself known
Introduce yourself to your class mates and make regular announcements in class ‘lecture shout-outs’ Collect the names and emails of the student on your course and email them Work with the Sabbatical officers and Faculty StARs Join StARs AT LONDON MET face-book group Use the Weblearn organisation and discussion group Carry out a survey or questionnaire to find out what students think Ask in your Faculty if you can use a notice board or part of a notice board to publicise yourself Communicate information your receive from the Students’ Union, University, National Union of Students (NUS) and other external student focused organisations Make friends and work in partnership with other StARs in your faculty Communicate with the StARs doing the same course as you but in different years, work together!
Feedback
What areas could you feedback on?
Teaching on the course Style and delivery skills of academics Assessments (exams and coursework) Academic feedback from lecturers Academic support Learning resources (such as the Library, Weblearn) Organisation and management of your course / University experience Personal development Mitigating circumstances / appeals General University Services University estate, IT and other services
2. Identifying Issues Group Activity 2
See: Group Activity 2 instruction sheet Scenario Cards Flowchart (next slide)
Issue raised Speak to the Course Leader or relevant academic staff member yes yes Does it affect more than one person yes no Speak to others on course. Gather some verbal and written evidence to prove to the faculty the issue is genuine and widely/deeply felt. No/Not sure Do you feel that it Is it a genuine issue?
yes Is the issue related to a single course or module?
no Is it urgent no Does the issue affect just your school or faculty yes no Raise it at the next course committee meeting (you may want to check when this is with your course leader, if it is some time away then it may be best to ask to meet with them to discuss) yes Contact the Sabbatical officer attached to your Faculty and the Education & Academic Affairs Officer. Arrange to meet the relevant Associate Dean.
Speak to relevant person in your faculty yes Is it urgent no Can the issue be resolved informally In most cases it is best to refer the student to the Students’ Union Casework Advisor or to Dept of Student Services. See referrals section.
Advise the person who raised the issue it is difficult for your to raise the issue as there is little evidence to suggest it is widely and deeply felt. Tell them that if they still wish to raise the issue they should speak to the Couse Leader.
no Contact your Faculty StARs and Education & Academic Affairs Officer. no Arrange a meeting with the Associate Dean for our Faculty
Ways to tackle issues
Judge if the issue is one for a StAR or not to deal with Discuss with other StARs, Faculty StARs, Sabbatical Officers See if other students feel it is an issue?
Is the issue widely felt, deeply felt and winnable?
Informal chat with relevant staff member (informal resolution of issue is usually preferable Ask for a formal meeting if required Raise at course committee meetings Raise with staff StARs contacts (see slide number 7) Ask Faculty StARs to raise them Raise at Faculty Academic Board and UGPG Committee Email or write a letter, ask others to put their name to it. If no satisfactory response consider starting a campaign
Course Committee Structure
Course Committees usually meet x2 a semester 2 or 3 StARs usually attend Course Leader is the chair Consider teaching and administrative issues surrounding the course Should consider student issues and concerns Library and others external to the dept may be present Quality coordinator may attend Minutes are included in Course Logs and should be reviewed by Faculty managers
Course Committee Preparation
What should you do before, during and after a course committee meeting?
Use group activity 2 hand out 10 minutes
Group Activity 2
Before the Course Committee meeting:
Meet Course Leader beforehand so they can let you know what to expect Read the agenda, be aware what is and is not on it. Make sure you have identified the issues you wish to raised and have feedback from your class mates to back it up If you have an complicated issue to raise or and have research/evidence to produce e.g. survey, emails from course mates send them to the Course Leader before the committee meeting so they have a chance to digest the issue.
Liaise with other StARs who may attend (ask you Course Leader to put you in touch or look on the SU website) Speak to your Faculty Sabbatical Officer, ask them to come along with you Makes sure you know where the meeting is and be on time. Being late will not help your cause!
During the Course Committee meeting:
Listen Raise hand to speak Raise you issues clearly and concisely Present any evidence you have Don’t be confrontational, work in partnership Take notes, ask for clarification if you are not sure what is being said Remembers to note down action points If you don’t understand a term used, ask!
At the end of the meeting clarify the decisions taken and when they are to be actioned (this prevents drift) Confirm the date of the next meeting. Request a follow-up meeting to deal with a specific issues if required. Make sure the Secretary has your email
After the Course Committee meeting:
If other StARs present have a debrief straight away Write up you notes and action points right away Feedback to your course mates and the Students’ Union ASAP If you are not happy with the conduct of the meeting then speak to another academic in your faculty and express your concern Provide any constructive criticism you have of the committee to the Faculty
Campaigning & taking action
Sometimes you may have a widely felt, deeply felt and winnable issue which you can’t make any real progress on. In this situation you may decide to launch a campaign and take some action. In this situation you should discuss with the Students’ Union officers. They, along with Students’ Union staff can assist you in launching the campaign.
Campaigning & taking action
Contact and work with the Students’ Union, who have the resources to run an effective campaign. Running campaigns and taking action is a whole topic in its own right, but here are a few hints: Use
SMART
targets! Gather data. Learn the reasoning for the decision, always remain open minded. Ask Student Reps on board of Governors, Academic Board etc to formally raise the issue Read and critique the rationale for the decision you are campaigning against. Can you successfully challenge the (business) case Organise meetings Email campaign Use social networking: facebook, twitter etc Work with allies: Other StARs, academics, NUS, Students, other Students’ Unions, Local MPs, Staff Unions (UNISON, UCU - is there common ground?) Press and Media Lobbies and protests